NVDIA and console mode - Page 5

tarkawebfoot · 06-12-03, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vic-20
Actually, the text I put in my lilo.conf was

vga = 0x0317

distro: Slackware 8.1 (heavily upgraded)
kernel: 2.4.20
FB support is on and VESA VGA is compiled in.
video card: MSI Geforce4 440-MX
Monitor: ViewSonic PF90
MB: MSI K7T Turbo2

I should note, that even with this mode, the text, after leaving X, is very "fuzzy" or "wiggly" or whatever you want to call it. But it is still barely legible, which is better than nothing at all in a pinch.

Vic's patch works as advertised javascript:smilie('

'). Has anyone tried a different number to see if they can get rid of the fuzzyness?

Arden · 06-29-03, 04:50 PM

The VESA framebuffer solution works fine for me. I can switch now between X and console - no fuzzy chars at all (VESA mode 791 - as described in /usr/src/linux/Documentation/fb/vesafb.txt).
The TV-OUT cable needs to be unplugged while booting, otherwise I don't get any VESA modes to work.

Card: MSI Ti 4200 VTD8X
Distro: Debian 3.0
XFree86 Version 4.2.1.1
Nvidia Driver 1.0.4191

bored_SuSE_user · 08-27-03, 07:17 AM

I've read all these replies and althought a lot of people seem to have the same problem, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of a solution...is it nvidia's fault?

I get lovely flashing blocks and random colours on my F1 console and on F2 to F6-F8-F9 I get just a blank screen but when I hold the enter key I get green blocks flashing up. On the /var/log/messages console I just get garbled coloured lines/blocks.

I guess this is the problem with the frame buffer (my friend said that was the problem too). and you solve it by editing something in your grub file. However, I am using a Laptop, so setting a PCI bus flag as far as I can see will not do it any good (seeing as there is no PCI bus).

Therefore does anybody have a suggestion, preferably idiot proof of what I have to do to get my consoles working again?

at the moment, the flag in grub is
vga=0x317

is this where it should be changed?

george@linux:~> cat /proc/fb
0 VESA VGA

Is this correct?

Sorry I am a little clueless, I thought it would be nice and easy :-D

Vic-20 · 08-27-03, 07:28 AM

Actually, using the latest nVidia drivers (4496, released July 28) the problem dissappeared for me. I've been in vga=0x317 mode for a while now putting up with the "fuzzy text", but after updating to 4496, the text is no longer fuzzy.

I haven't tried it in "normal" console node, but I really have no need to as this works perfectly as it is.

bored_SuSE_user · 08-27-03, 08:07 AM

So it's working fine for you with the latest drivers?

What version of Linux are you using?

Any idea why I am getting this problem?

Is it an nvidia bug?

bored_SuSE_user · 08-27-03, 11:06 AM

I have fixed it, by using the vga=normal switch in grub. Now I just have to make the console a higher resolution

mweissen · 08-28-03, 03:41 AM

this doesn't work for me an the Geforce4 440Go in my toshiba laptop. i've tried all combinations of kernels and vga= modes for the console but the problems occurs in every combination.
if nvidia had open drivers somebody could go there and fix it, event if they could not fix it themselves. so now we are basically stuck and must live with this problem.

vnpenguin · 08-28-03, 05:13 AM

Hi mweissen,
Have you tried to downgrade the nVidia driver ? It's solved for me with 4363

mweissen · 08-28-03, 07:44 AM

the 4191 is the newest driver that does not have this bug.
with the 4363 is's even worse, exiting x produces a complete hangup, the computer freezes and all i can do is power-off by pressing the button for 5 seconds.

vnpenguin · 08-28-03, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mweissen
the 4191 is the newest driver that does not have this bug.
with the 4363 is's even worse, exiting x produces a complete hangup, the computer freezes and all i can do is power-off by pressing the button for 5 seconds.

Sure! It's OK for me with 4363 under RH9+kernel 2.4.22(not RH's RPM), Gforce 4 MX 440 64MB. In my GRUB config file I have "vga=0x31a". By exiting X, I have no longer error in console screen :-)

bored_SuSE_user · 08-28-03, 01:50 PM

Just as a point, I still get the problem with slight screen corruption on the left hand side of my screen after it has gone into powersaving mode. This is corrected by pressing alt+f1 then alt+f7 agian. I don't have the nice startup graphics, nor does my console stretch to full screen...which is a little odd...
is it possible to put vga=normal:mode=axbxc

c being the colour depth

I am happy with my X working fully and it hasn't had to restart either.

I'm addicted to battle.net on warcraft 3 :-(
Works flawlessly on my laptop under transgaming's winex by the way!

JKBurton · 08-30-03, 08:23 PM

I had this problem on my Medion 2900 laptop. After being in X, text mode screens were totally unreadable. Mine were blank except for a couple of faint lines near the bottom...looked like a sync problem.

Pressing the Fn-F4 hotkey to turn the LCD display off, then on, brings my text mode screen back to life.

Hope it works for some of you,
Keith Burton
Wyncote, PA

08-28-03, 03:41 AM	#55
mweissen Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8	doesn't work for me this doesn't work for me an the Geforce4 440Go in my toshiba laptop. i've tried all combinations of kernels and vga= modes for the console but the problems occurs in every combination. if nvidia had open drivers somebody could go there and fix it, event if they could not fix it themselves. so now we are basically stuck and must live with this problem.

08-28-03, 05:13 AM	#56
vnpenguin GeForce4 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Belgium Posts: 28	Downgrade driver Hi mweissen, Have you tried to downgrade the nVidia driver ? It's solved for me with 4363

08-28-03, 07:44 AM	#57
mweissen Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8	sure i've tried older drivers the 4191 is the newest driver that does not have this bug. with the 4363 is's even worse, exiting x produces a complete hangup, the computer freezes and all i can do is power-off by pressing the button for 5 seconds.

06-29-03, 04:50 PM	#50
Arden Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 1	The VESA framebuffer solution works fine for me. I can switch now between X and console - no fuzzy chars at all (VESA mode 791 - as described in /usr/src/linux/Documentation/fb/vesafb.txt). The TV-OUT cable needs to be unplugged while booting, otherwise I don't get any VESA modes to work. Card: MSI Ti 4200 VTD8X Distro: Debian 3.0 XFree86 Version 4.2.1.1 Nvidia Driver 1.0.4191

08-27-03, 07:17 AM	#51
bored_SuSE_user Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 11	I've read all these replies and althought a lot of people seem to have the same problem, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of a solution...is it nvidia's fault? I get lovely flashing blocks and random colours on my F1 console and on F2 to F6-F8-F9 I get just a blank screen but when I hold the enter key I get green blocks flashing up. On the /var/log/messages console I just get garbled coloured lines/blocks. I guess this is the problem with the frame buffer (my friend said that was the problem too). and you solve it by editing something in your grub file. However, I am using a Laptop, so setting a PCI bus flag as far as I can see will not do it any good (seeing as there is no PCI bus). Therefore does anybody have a suggestion, preferably idiot proof of what I have to do to get my consoles working again? at the moment, the flag in grub is vga=0x317 is this where it should be changed? george@linux:~> cat /proc/fb 0 VESA VGA Is this correct? Sorry I am a little clueless, I thought it would be nice and easy :-D

08-27-03, 07:28 AM	#52
Vic-20 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 9	Actually, using the latest nVidia drivers (4496, released July 28) the problem dissappeared for me. I've been in vga=0x317 mode for a while now putting up with the "fuzzy text", but after updating to 4496, the text is no longer fuzzy. I haven't tried it in "normal" console node, but I really have no need to as this works perfectly as it is.

08-27-03, 08:07 AM	#53
bored_SuSE_user Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 11	So it's working fine for you with the latest drivers? What version of Linux are you using? Any idea why I am getting this problem? Is it an nvidia bug?

08-27-03, 11:06 AM	#54
bored_SuSE_user Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 11	I have fixed it, by using the vga=normal switch in grub. Now I just have to make the console a higher resolution

08-28-03, 01:50 PM	#59
bored_SuSE_user Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 11	Just as a point, I still get the problem with slight screen corruption on the left hand side of my screen after it has gone into powersaving mode. This is corrected by pressing alt+f1 then alt+f7 agian. I don't have the nice startup graphics, nor does my console stretch to full screen...which is a little odd... is it possible to put vga=normal:mode=axbxc c being the colour depth I am happy with my X working fully and it hasn't had to restart either. I'm addicted to battle.net on warcraft 3 :-( Works flawlessly on my laptop under transgaming's winex by the way!

08-30-03, 08:23 PM	#60
JKBurton Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1	I had this problem on my Medion 2900 laptop. After being in X, text mode screens were totally unreadable. Mine were blank except for a couple of faint lines near the bottom...looked like a sync problem. Pressing the Fn-F4 hotkey to turn the LCD display off, then on, brings my text mode screen back to life. Hope it works for some of you, Keith Burton Wyncote, PA