The Changelog on the latest 2.6.26 kernel in Sid has this:
* [x86]: Enable modular FB_UVESA. (closes: #473180)
and Sid now has v86d:
http://packages.debian.org/sid/v86d
[...]
It says right here that installing v86d and linux-image-2.6.26-1-686
and booting with:
video=uvesafb:1024x768-32,mtrr:3,ywrap
in the cmdline should result in framebuffer usage on the reboot.
It ain't so. Nothing more than 80x25.
Has anybody tried the above?
My advice is to go to bugs.debian.org, search for 473180, and get Evgeni Golov's email address so you can ask him if he has it
working.
I have been using UVESA FB for nearly a year, but (as you know)
I compile my own kernels and pack 'v86d' directly into the
kernel image with a built-in initramfs so I don't need an
initrd. I also recompile 'klibc' against my self-compiled
kernels, instead of using the Debian binaries -- though I do
use the Debianized source packages.
I know that it is _supposed_ to work, and I'm pretty sure that
Evgeni has got it working on his own machines -- that was his
purpose in becoming the Debian maintainer for 'v86d'.
You've been having trouble with plain old VESA FB, so I would
not be surprised if the problem blocking that from working is
also stopping UVESA FB from working. But Evgeni should be
able to tell you whether you are doing the same things he
does to get it going with the stock kernel.