117. Sorting out framebuffer in linux (debian)

If you have /dev/fb0 you're fine -- you have a working frame buffer, and that was the case on my laptop and my optiplex 990. However, my homebuilt boxes didn't have any framebuffer devices.

This is how to set up framebuffer:

sudo apt-get install hwinfo
sudo hwinfo --framebuffer

02: None 00.0: 11001 VESA Framebuffer                        
  [Created at bios.464]
  Unique ID: rdCR.fRULN9k9OD4
  Hardware Class: framebuffer
  Model: "Intel(r)Cantiga Graphics Controller"
  Vendor: "Intel Corporation"
  Device: "Intel(r)Cantiga Graphics Controller"
  SubVendor: "Intel(r)Cantiga Graphics Chip Accelerated VGA BIOS"
  SubDevice:
  Revision: "Hardware Version 0.0"
  Memory Size: 127 MB + 960 kB
  Memory Range: 0xd0000000-0xd7feffff (rw)
  Mode 0x0360: 848x480 (+896), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0361: 848x480 (+1728), 16 bits
  Mode 0x0362: 848x480 (+3392), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0305: 1024x768 (+1024), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0317: 1024x768 (+2048), 16 bits
  Mode 0x0318: 1024x768 (+4096), 24 bits  Mode 0x0312: 640x480 (+2560), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0314: 800x600 (+1600), 16 bits
  Mode 0x0315: 800x600 (+3200), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0301: 640x480 (+640), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0303: 800x600 (+832), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0311: 640x480 (+1280), 16 bits
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

Pick a mode e.g. 0x0318

Edit your /etc/default/grub

Add vga=0x0318 to the GRUB...DEFAULT line:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet nouveau.modeset=0 vga=0x0318"

If there's a nomodeset command, delete it.

Do
sudo update-grub

and reboot. You're done.

There should now be a /dev/fb0 and your resolution when working in a TTY* should be different.

*the terminal you get to by doing alt+f1, alt+f2 etc.

What to do with framebuffers?
Apart from making your ttys look a lot nicer and work at higher resolution, they'll also allow you to use w3m-img for ncurses based browsing with images (w3m+w3m-img; sometimes it's useful), and to take screenshots of the terminal in terminal mode. But mostly, it just makes your terminal experience better through being at higher resolution.


More modes:
02: None 00.0: 11001 VESA Framebuffer                        
  [Created at bios.464]
  Unique ID: rdCR.efxRnBcYXs5
  Hardware Class: framebuffer
  Model: "NVIDIA GF108 Board - 1071v0p1"
  Vendor: "NVIDIA Corporation"
  Device: "GF108 Board - 1071v0p1"
  SubVendor: "NVIDIA"
  SubDevice:
  Revision: "Chip Rev"
  Memory Size: 14 MB
  Memory Range: 0xd7000000-0xd7dfffff (rw)

  Mode 0x0300: 640x400 (+640), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0301: 640x480 (+640), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0303: 800x600 (+800), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0305: 1024x768 (+1024), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0307: 1280x1024 (+1280), 8 bits
  Mode 0x030e: 320x200 (+640), 16 bits
  Mode 0x030f: 320x200 (+1280), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0311: 640x480 (+1280), 16 bits
  Mode 0x0312: 640x480 (+2560), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0314: 800x600 (+1600), 16 bits
  Mode 0x0315: 800x600 (+3200), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0317: 1024x768 (+2048), 16 bits
  Mode 0x0318: 1024x768 (+4096), 24 bits
  Mode 0x031a: 1280x1024 (+2560), 16 bits
  Mode 0x031b: 1280x1024 (+5120), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0330: 320x200 (+320), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0331: 320x400 (+320), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0332: 320x400 (+640), 16 bits
  Mode 0x0333: 320x400 (+1280), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0334: 320x240 (+320), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0335: 320x240 (+640), 16 bits
  Mode 0x0336: 320x240 (+1280), 24 bits
  Mode 0x033d: 640x400 (+1280), 16 bits
  Mode 0x033e: 640x400 (+2560), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0345: 1600x1200 (+1600), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0346: 1600x1200 (+3200), 16 bits
  Mode 0x034a: 1600x1200 (+6400), 24 bits
  Mode 0x0360: 1280x800 (+1280), 8 bits
  Mode 0x0361: 1280x800 (+5120), 24 bits
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

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