Re: svgatextmode funnies
On 28 Oct 2000, Robert Norris wrote:
> I rebooted my box today to clear out a kernel module that got itself
> stuck somehow and wouldn't unload. When the machine came back up the
> screen went blank upon SVGATextMode running.
>
> I logged in remotely and messed with it for a bit, to no avail. My last
> ditch solution was to purge svgatextmode and the console-tools
> packages, and reinstall them.
>
> With its default configuration SVGATextMode now works, but when I
> change the chipset from 'VGA' to 'Riva128' (which fits my card -
> a Diamond Viper 330E), I get nothing on the screen. Trying
> different modes, I found that screen shows nothing when 8-pixel
> wide fonts are used, and when modes with 9-pixel wide fonts are used
> I get strange 'double width' fonts (think mode 2 on the old BBCs).
> When this happens every second letter on the screen is displayed
> twice, but the others aren't (hmm, bad explanation ..) .. for example,
> my login prompt looks like this:
>
> DDbbaa NN//iiuu oodd bbuuiinnttyy
>
> oottssaa ooii::
>
> rather than the normal:
>
> Debian GNU/Linux woody obtusian tty1
>
> obtusian login:
>
> (All this in the freaky double-width font).
>
> Clues? Its got me stumped.
>
> (FWIW, I tried swapping the card for another of the same type, same
> problem).
>
> Regards,
> Rob.
The author of SVGATextMode said a few months ago that he was ceasing to
maintain it because it was no longer necessary with modern cards.
I've stopped using it myself.
Anthony
--
Anthony Campbell - running Linux Debian 2.2 (Windows-free zone)
Over 100 book reviews: http://www.cix.co.uk/~acampbell/bookreviews/
Skeptical essays: http://www.cix.co.uk/~acampbell/freethinker/
"Palo y tente tieso." (Spanish proverb)
Free translation: "Holdfast is your only dog."
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