Using the VESA Framebuffer Driver

Support knowledgebase (cg_framebuffer)

SuSE Linux: Version 6.0
This article refers to an older version of SuSE Linux. Some of the information in this article may be outdated. Also, some links may not be valid.

Kernel: Version 2.2

Request

• Your video card is not supported by XFree86. Nevertheless, you would like to have the graphical X Window System environment.
• You would like a text mode with 160x64 characters, for example.
• You would like to see a little penguin boot logo on start-up.

Idea

Prerequisites

• Your video card is compatible to the VESA BIOS extension 2.0 (VBE 2.0 or higher)
• You have installed all tools (software packages) to compile the kernel

Procedure

To use the framebuffer console, you will need kernel support for the framebuffer device, which means recompiling your kernel. To use the framebuffer X Server (required if your video adapter is not supported otherwise), you must also install a package from the CD.

No installation support is provided for the following steps.

The Procedure in Detail

• Install the package xfbdev from series xsrv with YaST.
• Configure your kernel as described in chapter 13 in the maual. Configure the following options as described below.

    Code maturity level options  --->
  
      [*] Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers
  
  

  and

    Console drivers  --->
  
      [*] Video mode selection support
      [*] Support for frame buffer devices (EXPERIMENTAL)
      [*] VESA VGA graphics console
  

• Compile and install the kernel as described in the manual.
• After installation of the kernel, reboot your system. Enter the boot parameter `vga=x'. For x, use the value for your desired video mode from the table below.

                              Resoultion in pixel
  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
  

  For example, to achieve a resolution of 1024x768 pixels at a 16-bit color depth, enter the LILO boot parameter as follows:

  vga=791

  It is possible that your video card does not support all resolutions and color depths.
• The Linux kernel switches directly into the selected video mode. In the upper left corner, a small penguin logo appears.
• If the file /etc/XF86Config already exists, it should be saved with the command

  mv /etc/XF86Config /etc/XF86Config.backup
  

  After this, create a new /etc/XF86Config with the following contents:

# Start of file /etc/XF86Config
Section "Files"
  RgbPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
  FontPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
  FontPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/URW"
  FontPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
  FontPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
  FontPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
  FontPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
  FontPath	"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  AllowMouseOpenFail
EndSection

Section "Module"
EndSection

# This section is no longer supported
# See a template below
# Section "XInput"
# EndSection

Section "Keyboard"
  Protocol	"Standard"
  XkbRules	"xfree86"
  XkbModel	"pc104"
  XkbLayout	"us"
  XkbVariant	"nodeadkeys"
EndSection

Section "Pointer"
  Protocol		"PS/2"
  Device		"/dev/psaux"
  SampleRate		60
  BaudRate		1200
EndSection

Section "Monitor"	
  Identifier	"Primary-Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Device"
  Identifier	"fbdev"
  VendorName	"x"
  BoardName	"y"
EndSection

Section "Screen"  
  Driver	"fbdev"
  Device	"fbdev"
  Monitor	"Primary-Monitor"
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth	32
    Modes	"default" 
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth	24
    Modes	"default" 
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth	16
    Modes	"default" 
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth	15
    Modes	"default" 
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth	8
    Modes	"default" 
  EndSubSection
EndSection
# End of file /etc/XF86Config

This configuration file is prepared for use with a standard PC keyboard with attached PS/2 mouse. If you use a different mouse, change the appropriate entry in the Section "Pointer" in this file. Refer to the man page for this configuration file (man XF86Config) for available mouse types.
• Create the necessary framebuffer devices. Enter the following command for this task:

  for i in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7; do z=$(expr $i \* 32) ; mknod /dev/fb${i} c 29 ${z} ; done
  

• Try to start the framebuffer X server now. Enter the following command for this:

  XF86_FBDev -bpp 16
  

  The option `-bpp 16' selects a color depth of 16 bit. The color depth selected by this option must be the same as the one selected during start-up of Linux via the vga option. Otherwise, the X server will not start and you will get an error message stating an `invalid argument'. After successful start of X, you will swee the typical rastered X background with a `X' in the middle of the screen. Try to move the `X' with the mouse. If everything works now, close the running X Server with ALT+CTRL+BACKSPACE.
• Create the following link

  ln -s /usr/X11R6/bin/XF86_FBDev /var/X11R6/bin/X
  

• Start X via the command

  startx -- -bpp 16
  

  The parameter `-bpp' selects the desired color depth.
If everything works for you, enter the `vga' parameter into the /etc/lilo.conf file. Use the `vga' configuration file option for this, set to the same value as described above into the configuration file. Do not forget to run lilo after this change.

---

Keywords: FRAMEBUFFER, FBDEV, XF86_FBDEV, VIDEOCARD, X-WINDOW, VIDEO CARD, X WINDOW SYSTEM


---

Categories: X Server


---

SDB-cg_framebuffer, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 26. Aug 1999
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 10. Apr 2003 by cg (sdb_gen 1.40.0)