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  • From: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [BL] Toshiba laptop screen prob
  • Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:50:06 +0000 (UTC)


Try a free DOS program called vmode. I have used it to select DOS video modes, which differ for each video chip. It probably works similarly to svgatextmode and can produce up to 132 columns and 60 rows of text that does not look quite as nice as graphical mode text. (I think it also can produce text in graphical mode, but I never figured out how to get a cursor).

Vmode works nicely in DOS but when you boot to BL you are back to the original size/shape text.

SDD has a newer univbe67.exe (free, no registration code needed).
It provides information on your video chip. Mine crashed it when I ran a test in framebuffer mode (neomagic on a DELL laptop). Running it is supposed to make the chip behave better but it still crashes with error messages using XF86_SVGA. Only xfbdev works for X with this chip.

The newer Xvesa 4.60 also crashes it (pink and blue screen). xfbdev works.

Univbe.exe unpacks itself to several files including nicentr.exe which lets you stretch the screen horizontally (and move it) but not stretch it vertically.

vmode is a generic video mode setting program that is not related to
Wordperfect. You can set text or graphical modes. Graphical modes will
also display text but you need to find a software cursor to add.

In DOS, VESA modes 102 and 103 do 800x600 that looks the same as framebuffer text, but without a cursor. (Linux framebuffer mode has a cursor). This laptop already does full-screen text. I will check one that does not (the newer Toshiba, I think) to see if vmode helps.

Modes below 100 are non-VESA modes that may work at 800x600 in text - it depends on your video chip/monitor. My desktop worked with different modes than the laptop. 21 and 22 were small text in graphics mode, with no cursor. VESA mode 102/103 is 800x600 (16 or 256 color). 100/101 are 640x400 or 480. They may fix your DOS screen problem if you don't need a cursor (or know how to add one).

Another method that takes less experimentation with modes:

mode con lines=43, 25 or 50 changes number of text lines (not 28 30 or 34 or 60). All 7 modes are available in linux with vga=ask, which lists the ones working in DOS first (25 50 43) and with vmode.

mode con columns=40 or 80
(vmode will do 100 and 132, depending on hardware)
mode con lines=25 cols=40
mode co80,50 (80 columns, 50 rows, color)
bw80 (mono in VGA)


mode con also adjust typematic rate (or do that in BIOS).
mode con rate=r delay=d (in seconds?).
Or it can specify parport and chars/inch (80 or 132) lines/inch (6 or 8) .

Sindi




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