grub2 breaks vga= parameter

Trent · 2009-06-02 02:44:41

I had a perfectly good thing going with plain old grub. My video hardware is an Intel GM965 capable of 1280x800, and my menu.lst had 'vga=792' in the kernel line. I copied it to the grub2 config and now it doesn't work. I can't find any vga parameter that boots under grub2 -- they all give an error about not having the available mode or something like that (I'll write it down and post it next time I reboot). I can boot Arch fine if I remove the vga parameter altogether, but I'm really not interested in using 640x480 for the console. Just to be clear, it's not affecting my X config at all, just the console.

Has anybody else discovered that grub2 breaks the vga mode? Any ideas how I can fix it?

Edit: Sorry, didn't post my grub.cfg:

# Timeout for menu
set timeout=4

# Set default boot entry as Entry 0
set default=0

# (0) Arch Linux
menuentry "Arch Linux" {
    set root=(hd0,6)
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/4de9e59b-8539-40a5-9e61-ccd1bcee8978 ro vga=792
    initrd /boot/kernel26.img
}

# (1) Arch Linux with bootchart logging enabled
menuentry "Arch Linux (w/bootchart logging)" {
    set root=(hd0,6)
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/4de9e59b-8539-40a5-9e61-ccd1bcee8978 ro vga=792 init=/sbin/bootchartd
    initrd /boot/kernel26.img
}

# (2) Arch Linux Fallback
menuentry "Arch Linux Fallback" {
    set root=(hd0,6)
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/4de9e59b-8539-40a5-9e61-ccd1bcee8978 ro
    initrd  /boot/kernel26-fallback.img
}

Last edited by Trent (2009-06-02 02:47:08)

Peasantoid · 2009-06-02 02:48:35

I actually had that same problem at one point, but was too lazy to fix it so I switched bootloaders.

(Still looking for a solution, have yet to find one.)

Last edited by Peasantoid (2009-06-02 02:48:59)

uncholowapo · 2009-06-02 06:23:35

I had it fine before an update and just went back to the old one.

iphitus · 2009-06-02 09:34:11

As a workaround, it's intel graphics capable of modesetting. While some have had problems, it works perfectly on both of my intel boxes.

Kinda odd though. Has there been some slight change in syntax for grub2?

Last edited by iphitus (2009-06-02 09:34:55)

Trent · 2009-06-02 14:30:45

The precise error message at startup is:

Unable to initialize requested video mode (vga=0xHHH)
Error: Can't locate valid adapter for mode

where HHH is the hexadecimal equivalent of the chosen mode.

Is there any online documentation at all for grub2? I can't seem to find anything even remotely related.

schivmeister · 2009-06-02 18:53:04

http://grub.enbug.org/Manual

They should've updated that one if it's really a critical change.

Last edited by schivmeister (2009-06-02 18:54:25)

Peasantoid · 2009-06-02 19:22:55

There is absolutely no useful documentation to speak of.

deltaecho · 2009-06-12 15:48:09

Adding `insmod vbe' to the config fixed this issue for me; here is mine:

# Menu colors
set menu_color_normal=light-blue/black
set menu_color_highlight=light-cyan/blue

# Timeout for menu
set timeout=3

# Set default boot entry as Entry 0
set default=0

# Load the module for vga=ext
insmod vbe

# (0) Arch Linux
menuentry "Arch Linux" {
    set root=(arch-boot)
    linux /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/mapper/arch-base ro quiet vga=794
    initrd /kernel26.img
}

# (1) Arch Linux (Fallback)
menuentry "Arch Linux (Fallback)" {
    set root=(arch-boot)
    linux /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/mapper/arch-base ro quiet vga=794
    initrd /kernel26-fallback.img
}

## (2) Windows
menuentry "Windows Vista" {
    set root=(hd0,1)
    chainloader +1
}

matsche · 2009-07-29 16:38:17

hi have the same problem. Adding insmode=vbe doesn't help for mit Nvidia card. But here my X is affected. i doesn't boot into gnome (init status)

Any hintz?

mikesd · 2009-08-09 05:13:17

Trent wrote:

I had a perfectly good thing going with plain old grub. My video hardware is an Intel GM965 capable of 1280x800, and my menu.lst had 'vga=792' in the kernel line. I copied it to the grub2 config and now it doesn't work. I can't find any vga parameter that boots under grub2 -- they all give an error about not having the available mode or something like that (I'll write it down and post it next time I reboot). I can boot Arch fine if I remove the vga parameter altogether, but I'm really not interested in using 640x480 for the console. Just to be clear, it's not affecting my X config at all, just the console.
Has anybody else discovered that grub2 breaks the vga mode? Any ideas how I can fix it?

I spent about an hour playing with grub2 on my laptop. vga= was also giving me issues. I was getting a frame buffer but the resolution looked to be about 300x200. It was weird.

Documentation is somewhat lacking for grub2 but this is working for me at the moment. It gives me a frame buffer for grub and the kernel console:

# Timeout for menu
set timeout=5

# Set default boot entry as Entry 0
set default=0

insmod font
loadfont (hd0,1)/grub/unicode.pf2

insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
set gfxmode=1440x1050x24
terminal_output gfxterm

# (0) Arch Linux
menuentry "Arch Linux" {
set root=(hd0,1)
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda3 ro
initrd /kernel26.img
}

# (1) Arch Linux Fallabck removed for clarity

The magic line is set gfxpayload keep. I also tried set gfxpayload 1440x1050x24 which did not work.

I have a separate boot partition so you may need to adjust the linux and initrd lines if you dont. If you are not running grub in gfxterm mode this probably won't work. Not sure what would in that case.

Last edited by mikesd (2009-08-09 05:54:58)

Trent · 2009-08-10 13:31:16

Interesting, I'll take a look at this when I have some time... thanks.

Samuelion · 2009-12-05 15:08:46

mikesd wrote:

The magic line is set gfxpayload keep. I also tried set gfxpayload 1440x1050x24 which did not work.

Works like a charm.
Thanks !!

Last edited by Samuelion (2009-12-05 15:09:21)

ugaciaka · 2009-12-23 20:50:24

# Config file for GRUB2 - The GNU GRand Unified Bootloader
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# DEVICE NAME CONVERSIONS
#
#  Linux           Grub
# -------------------------
#  /dev/fd0        (fd0)
#  /dev/sda        (hd0)
#  /dev/sdb2       (hd1,2)
#  /dev/sda3       (hd0,3)
#

# Timeout for menu
set timeout=5

# Set default boot entry as Entry 0
set default=0

insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
set gfxmode=1280x1024


# (0) Arch Linux
menuentry "Arch Linux 64bit" {
set root=(hd0,2)
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda2 nomodeset ro quiet locale=it_IT 
initrd /boot/kernel26.img
}

#(1) Arch Linux
menuentry "Arch Linux 64bit FallBack" {
set root=(hd0,2)
linux /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda2 ro locale=it_IT
initrd /boot/kernel26-fallback.img
}

# (2) Windows
menuentry "Windows Vista" {
set root=(hd0,1)
chainloader +1
}

I this is but not work... why???

Arch Linux

#1 2009-06-02 02:44:41

grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#2 2009-06-02 02:48:35

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#3 2009-06-02 06:23:35

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#4 2009-06-02 09:34:11

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#5 2009-06-02 14:30:45

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#6 2009-06-02 18:53:04

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#7 2009-06-02 19:22:55

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#8 2009-06-12 15:48:09

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#9 2009-07-29 16:38:17

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#10 2009-08-09 05:13:17

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#11 2009-08-10 13:31:16

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#12 2009-12-05 15:08:46

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

#13 2009-12-23 20:50:24

Re: grub2 breaks vga= parameter

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