increasing the screen resolution of the command line.

silverblackvoid · #1 7th August 2009, 04:00 PM

hello guys

i was wondering if there is a way to increase the screen resolution of the command line. my machine has a default run-level of 3 and the fonts look so big. is there a way to increase the screen resolution? i would greatly appreciate any suggestions.thanks

PatMcLJr · #2 7th August 2009, 04:11 PM

try adding

vga=792

or something to the end of your grub line, like this

kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.27.29-170.2.78.fc10.i686 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 vga=792

I don't know what all the numbers are or what they mean, you might find a different number works better for you.

I do think there is another method you can use for each tty but I don't know that much about Linux, bash to lend any tips. Sorry.

Good Luck,
Pat Jr.

PabloTwo · #3 7th August 2009, 04:23 PM

One way I know to do this is edit the /boot/grub/grub.conf file "kernel /vmlinuz....." line, either as a temporary measure before the bootup process starts, or permanently by editing the file once you're booted.

You can add to the end of that line: vga=791

Example: kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.26.8-57.fc8 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet vga=791

and that will produce a 1024X768 text console display size.

Edit: Here's a little chart I just grabbed from the web:

PHP Code:


			
Color depth      | 640x480  800x600  1024x768 1280x1024

-----------------+-------------------------------------

256        (8bit)|  769      771       773      775

32000     (15bit)|  784      787       790      793

65000     (16bit)|  785      788       791      794

16.7 Mill.(24bit)|  786      789       792      795

Camberwell · #4 7th August 2009, 04:26 PM

hi there,

http://www.mjmwired.net/kernel/Docum.../fb/vesafb.txt

Code:

    | 640x480  800x600  1024x768 1280x1024
----+-------------------------------------
256 |  0x301    0x303    0x305    0x307   
32k |  0x310    0x313    0x316    0x319   
64k |  0x311    0x314    0x317    0x31A   
16M |  0x312    0x315    0x318    0x31B

I personaly use vga=0x305

Martin

silverblackvoid · #5 7th August 2009, 05:53 PM

thank you guys for ur replies. thanks a lot!!! im gonna try it now...

silverblackvoid · #6 7th August 2009, 05:56 PM

to,
PatMcLJr, PabloTwo and Camberwell

thanks for ur replies guys. thanks a lot!!! im gonna try it now...

silverblackvoid · #7 7th August 2009, 06:34 PM

hey guys i just increased the screen resolution.
i followed Camberwell's link.
here's what i did:
i edited the grub.conf file and added the line 'vga=ask'.
when i rebooted my machine i got a list of the available video modes and i selected 132x43(VESA). now the screen fonts are significantly smaller

yippe.

itachi · #8 7th August 2009, 07:46 PM

Yuck. 132x43. What Screen do you have? What do you want?
As mentioned before:

Code:

vga=792 #1024x768

Here are some other commonly used Resolutions.

Code:

vga=794/795 # 1280x1024 24/32 bit
vga=834 # 1400x1050 .. or 1366x768 (on my laptop)

On my Pc, I use the following.

Code:

vga=873 # 1680x1050

Wasn't easy to find, because according to wikipedia vga=873 is 1152x768. In my case, it's definitely
1680x1050.

PabloTwo · #9 7th August 2009, 08:38 PM

@itachi-

The 132x43 that was selected using the vga-ask option, is not screen pixel size. It is text columnxrow size. The default init 3 screen uses 80x25, so you can see that 132x43 is a big improvement (increase) in screen realestate over 80x25.

itachi · #10 7th August 2009, 08:41 PM

I know that it's 143 chars. But this is still ugly big. I still wouldn't be happy with this.

PabloTwo · #11 7th August 2009, 08:46 PM

Well, I wouldn't be happy with that choice either, but the OP was pleased to find a solution. And at every boot he has the option to try other choices, until he finds one he likes best. He has been given the information he needs. Let him run with it.