This has been bugging me for ages, since I started using Linux in fact.

VGA Values to get the console resolution. I use Lilo, but I have used GRUB too. Anyway, you put vga = *** to call a resolution at boot.

Is there a list anywhere where you can see what number correlates to what resolution? In the Slackware install of lilo.conf it gives you a few values for 1024x786 and 800x600 etc. I run my console on my desktop at 1280x1024, which is vga = 794. I got that by counting up from 773.

Now I have a widescreen laptop and I want to run the console (and X) at 1366x786. Google has given me the magic number 872 for 1280x800, which is the "next step" from what I wanted. So I counted down and tried 868 and then 870. My console now uses the entire laptop screen (yay).

Thing is I don't know how to find the current resolution to see if it is right. Is there a command to return the current screen resolution? The manual pages say something about vga_something commands but they are for use in programming (as far as I can tell).

I am keeping all the resolutions I have tried written down so I can keep a list, just in case it might help someone else with this problem.

Well, I'm not sure if you mean for console or X, but for X, from a term, X server running

I meant for console. In the various X servers I have tried they usually have some sort of screen res config.

I saw a glimpse of a screen resolution rush by during startup, syaing I am running 1360x768x8. So my guess work paid off, slightly. I dunno if its better to run the console at like 256 colours or higher, or whether 8 is enough. I'm not onto psyching myself up for a kernel upgrade from 2.4.31 to 2.6. I have gotten so much working today I don't wanna have to reinstall

For console issue "dmesg | grep vesafb" to get the values.
I run console at 1024x768x8 though X is at 1280x1024x24.
Otherwise, console is just white on black, eh?

In the 2.6.x.y kernel you can set a 224-color Linux logo.

When you're ready to get a shiny, new Linux kernel; d/l
the source from Kernel.org and this is about the best
Kernel Rebuild Guide you'll find. Well, Linus put great
instructions in ./linux-x.x.x.x/README ;-)

If you have kernel source installed, you will also find the above information in /usr/src/linux/Documentation/fb/vesafb.txt. Also, take a look into /usr/src/linux/Documentation/svga.txt

Yeah, I looked in those text files, but unfortunately they don't have anything to do with widescreen resolutions. But now I know where to look for standard 4:3 resolutions

I'd like to run my console at a widescreen resolution of 1600x1024. But I can't find the vga number for this. Do I just keep plugging in values into vga= for my /boot/grub/menu.lst?
So far, everything around 872 has given me an invalid vga mode.

872 is 1366x768, its what I run my laptop on. I got that by trial and error, sorry.

I think the only way to do this is with kernel upgrade to 2.6?
Then I can specify: video=radeonfb:1600x1024-32@60 as a kernel option.
With my 2.4 kernel passing params like that isn't working.

Otherwise I can't sit here all day punching in numbers and rebooting.
The thing I dont understand is why isn't there a list of these modes somewhere?

Thats why I made this thread lol.

There is a list of all the 4:3 ratios (see above), but I couldnt find any for widescreen (16:9) ratios.

That better readable?



<edit>
Better readable only on the screen, not in the printable version . Why?

fbset with no options will print the current framebuffer resolution/timing/depth info.

edit: Some widescreen(16:10 anyway) vga= codes are listed here. and info on 2 possibilities(only 1 if you're using 64bit) for obtaining the vga= codes applicable to your system can be found here, taken from previous link. vbetest and hwinfo --vbe are what the 2nd link briefly details.