I get this problem when i exit KDE. The text goes crazy and is completely unreadable.
What should i look at?
Just did another kernel compile then to try fix and have used plain VESA console support (disabled VGA this time).
I have also compiled into the kernel the Intel frame buffer support for my card.
and the penguins
Everything works fine pre KDE - then i exit and have to reboot so i can see again..

I notice when the machine boots its lists a number of things relating to the fb. everything checks out except one line.
intelfb cannot reserve the fb region

any ideas? Thanks!

Try compiling in VESA VGA support rather than Intel and enable console framebuffer support.

okay might try that... i have Vesa VGA and console frame buffer at the moment. Also have the intel however.
The intel stuff loads fine just further down it seems to have a problem..
i thought it may be better to disable the vesa and vga ones...
Maybe i should compile the Intel one as a module and load it during boot whilst the vga buffer is already running..
hmm

There is no need for 2 different framebuffer devices. VESA is standard one and works with all cards.

OKay have compiled Vesa into kernel and also frame buffer console support. Left out Intelfb alltogether.
Problem still happens however..

Could it be that in Lilo.conf i am using 1024x768 @ 256colours (screen will not handle 32Bit only 24bit)
Then during boot i apply a patch for my video 855 chipset to make res 1280x800
Alll is fine at this stage (although res does not look like to auto changes at this point)
then i load KDE and use 1280x800 @ 24 Bit - All looks great in KDE>....
then when i log out of KDE it it goes nuts....

could it be that KDE does not release driver properly so as it cannot go back to 1024x768 @ 256 colour?
or could it be that the frame buffer tries to also use the screen at 1280x800 AND at 24Bit and has issues... (maybe i cannot revert back to 1024*768 becuase of the patch)
There are a couple of variables with this problem it seems...

i couldnt bare to use the KDE enviroment at 1024 with 256 colours....

1280x800 is native for this widescreen laptop
any ideas what i can do?

Does it also happen if you use any other window manager or only kde?
Do you get any errors similar to intelfb cannot reserve the fb region using VESA?
Can you normally login on tty6 while running kde (ctrl+alt+f6)?
What happens if you killall X while being on tty6? Does the console becomes unreadable?
Does the kde start in normal resolution if you restart it with ctrl+alt+backspace?

To be sure that this is really Kde issue, you can change the default runlevel into 3, reboot the computer, start any other window manager (like xfce), exit it (you will come back into console) and check if your console also becomes unreadable. Then start kde, exit it and check if console becomes unreadable. If not, the problem maybe something that is loaded during 4 level setup.

Ill have to get back to you on this as its late and i gotta work in the morning. I just stuffed it completely - so i have put it back to how it was for the time being.
it is however definatley yhe 855resolution patch that is stuffing it!
If i run the patch with different parameters then i can load KDE and then cntrl alt backspace and hit the console fine. no problem.
thing is the res in kde is only 1024 then ... i changed a bunch of things just then (including passing a slightly diff parameter and changing all values in xorg.conf to match and it would fix the console problem but KDE would not pickup the correct res...
I have to look into this patch and make sure i am using it properly... I think this is the problem.
will check back agian tomorrow.

cheers

OKay i fixed it!
after MANY MANY hours of messing around with this it seems there are 2 x settings i needed to change (855reolution patch parameters and also a line in xorg.conf)
The instructions i have found for the patch ALL vary slightly and dont seem to follow any real format (especially in relation to exisitng XxY res and 8/16/32bit that is already running in VESA frame buffer)
I used the following to change the res after boot (has been entered into /etc/rc.d/rc.local)
#855resolution 3c 1280 800

I then added this to /etc/X11/xorg.conf (the patch should generate the line to enter into xorg but i cannot find how?)
#Modeline "1280x800" 83.46 1280 1344 1480 1680 800 801 804 828 -HSync +Vsync

Now i boot @ 1024x768 x 8bit
I enter KDE and get a lovely 1280x800 @ 24bit (w.correct horizontal and vert refresh rates)
I can then exit KDE and drop back to a perfect console at 1024x768 and it works!
I played with at least 15 combinations of this before it worked!

If anyone else has a DELL inspiron 700M (855g chipset) the above settings worked for me perfect both in/out of XWindows.

Congratulations with success and thanks for posting the sollution.