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#1 2024-02-23 17:28:52

558 jakobsson
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2010-01-19
Posts: 28

How to install A. on a laptop w. 3840x2160 px resolution.

Today I received a new, or shall I say, a refurbished Dell Precision 5540 built Sept. 2019. I bought it for its specs, 64 GB memory and an Intel I9-9880H 8 kernel processor and a Nvidia Quadro T2000 GPU. 1 TB Ssd. Stupidly I never thought about that the screen resolution should produce this problem.


Perhaps I will send it back, I have the right to do that, within 30 days, because I can't install Arch Linux on the machine and I also want to be able to use at least Clonezilla from a live USB. The high resolution makes all kinds of "live" USB sticks unreadable until some more clever than me, comes up with an idea. I have searched the net for ideas, unfortunately with no success, so far.

There was one idea, quite new

 1. Prepare a USB flashdrive by creating a 600 MB partition formatted to FAT32. Assign the drive a letter, for example, “E:.”
2. Open https://clonezilla.org/downloads.php.
3. Click alternate stable - 202401116-mantic.
4. Select CPU architecture amd64.
5. Select file type zip.
6. Click Download. 
7. Extract the downloaded file--clonezilla-live-20240116-mantic-amd64.zip—to the root directory E:.
8. On the flashdrive backup E:\boot\grub\grub.cfg.
9. With Wordpad open E:\boot\grub\grub.cfg.
10. Change the line "set gfxmode=auto" to "set gfxmode=1920x1080."
11. Save E:\boot\grub\grub.cfg as plain text document.
12. Restart and boot from the USB flashdrive as you normally would. See the Clonezilla banner screen with font you can read.
13. Select “Clonezilla live VGA (800x600) [sic].”
14. Proceed as you normally would. 

This idea didn't work. Neither did this, seven year old https://unix.stackexchange.com/question … on-medium/ that actually briefly discussed the Arch Linux install environment.

I know Blender, Gimp and Kdenlive are available in Windows, the laptop came with Win10 pro but I have just some weeks ago"scrapped" Windows so I'm not going that way again. The plan was to get rid of Win and make a fresh install of Arch..
Any ideas?

Last edited by 558 jakobsson (2024-02-25 23:12:23)

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#2 2024-02-23 17:47:27

Scimmia
Fellow
Registered: 2012-09-01
Posts: 11,641

Re: How to install A. on a laptop w. 3840x2160 px resolution.

Have you read through https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/HiDPI ?

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#3 2024-02-23 18:25:27

558 jakobsson
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2010-01-19
Posts: 28

Re: How to install A. on a laptop w. 3840x2160 px resolution.

I have done so, briefly. But there is only talking about programs etc. I want to clone Win to start with and then install Arch. And in the installation i can't see a chance to increase the font size. Remember 3840x2160 makes even the simple first rows in the Arch install unreadable. At least I want to install Arch..

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#4 2024-02-23 19:51:21

Scimmia
Fellow
Registered: 2012-09-01
Posts: 11,641

Re: How to install A. on a laptop w. 3840x2160 px resolution.

Which is covered at the bottom of that page, and linked to in the Installation Guide.

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#5 2024-02-24 20:50:52

558 jakobsson
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2010-01-19
Posts: 28

Re: How to install A. on a laptop w. 3840x2160 px resolution.

Thank's for your input. I will return this one and expects another lap top with a normal screen and good specs..

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#6 2024-02-24 21:19:16

Trilby
Inspector Parrot
Registered: 2011-11-29
Posts: 29,615
Website

Re: How to install A. on a laptop w. 3840x2160 px resolution.

Perhaps you should return the user instead.  There's nothing wrong with that screen.  But if you are unwilling to even read a simple wiki page, then you should definitely not install arch linux on any resolution of a screen.


"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" -  Richard Stallman

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#7 2024-02-25 23:10:39

558 jakobsson
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2010-01-19
Posts: 28

Re: How to install A. on a laptop w. 3840x2160 px resolution.

Thank's for your kind input Mr T. Perhaps I have not been very clear.

Where have I stated that there is something wrong with the screen? I know how to install A. I have installed it many times on different pc:s and lap tops and as long as I can read what's on the screen I think I can do it one more time.  The first install was back at the time most settings was done with rc files when I stepped up from an Amiga 500. Must have been more than 20 years ago? I have posted some questions here since 2015 when I first entered the forum and your tone surprises me a little.

I have read that Wiki, and I quote from it, the last part P 9.1

Wiki P9.1 wrote:

Linux console (tty)
In-kernel fonts

The Linux console changes the font to TER16x32 (based on ter-i32b from terminus-font[17]) based on the vertical and horizontal pixel count of the display[18] regardless of its physical size. If your monitor is not recognised as HiDPI, the default font can be changed. In that case, specify fbcon=font:TER16x32 in the kernel command line. 32pixel fonts are the maximum supported by the Linux kernel, in some cases this may not be enough. .

So that is what is available from the iso. 32 pixels, but first we have to find where to do the commands. With the available fonts smaller than 1 mm.

And as the wiki says, this may not be enough in some cases. There is nothing in that wiki that says how to install on such displays. There are tons of examples for almost all DE:s etc. But when I can't f-k-ing read the install screen? Google supports me, the problem exists.  But there is nothing in the install iso that recognises my screen and adapts to its practicalities.

The Manjaro install handles this better, its graphical but when you come to the live part I stopped. Hardly visible and I was not interested in installing Manjaro. I know it, it runs on my wife's pc. The truth as I interpret the situation, is that Linux in a general way, is not ready for those Retina Displays. There are exceptions such as Cinnamon and Xfce which is my preferred DE. Its a pity that Arch, on the forefront with the Linux evolution still hangs on to this command line installation. Which I can handle.

I wish you a good night!

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#8 2024-02-26 08:47:02

seth
Member
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 52,276

Re: How to install A. on a laptop w. 3840x2160 px resolution.

There is nothing in that wiki that says

The wiki wrote:

you can force specific mode for KMS, such as video=2560x1600@60 … and reboot. Using small resolutions will make the text look bigger, but also pixelated.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Kernel … cing_modes
Maybe don't just stop reading at random spots…

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