framebuffer resolution of a 7900GS

Message

Bloodsurfer · Post by **Bloodsurfer** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:17 pm

Well, what I want is to get my framebuffer to the native resolution of my display - 1600x1200.
I cannot use vesafb-tng, because I'm running amd64.
Further, I can't use nvidiafb, because I want to use nvidia-drivers for xorg.

At the moment I'm using vesafb. I does work, but only at a max res of 1280x1024. Whatever higher mode I specify as a kernel parameter, I just get wrong modeline. I know that my card can do 1600 in framebuffer mode, it does work with nvidiafb.

hwinfo --framebuffer gives me:

Code: Select all

02: None 00.0: 11001 VESA Framebuffer
  [Created at bios.440]
  Unique ID: rdCR.2tOIUspmYS6
  Hardware Class: framebuffer
  Model: "NVIDIA G71 Board - p455h8s "
  Vendor: "NVIDIA Corporation"
  Device: "G71 Board - p455h8s "
  SubVendor: "NVIDIA"
  SubDevice:
  Revision: "Chip Rev"
  Memory Size: 256 MB
  Memory Range: 0xc0000000-0xcfffffff (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
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

It does not list any higher resolutions, even when running nvidiafb in 1600x1200 mode. Why?
I know vesafb can do more, on my notebook I use it too, there with 1400x1050 without problems - why doesn't that work on my desktop?

Is there some way to get a higher resolution out of vesafb, forcing it by some means to a resolution it doesn't recognize by itself?

tj · Post by tj » Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:27 pm

try vga=803 in your /boot/grub/grub.conf

Code: Select all

kernel /bzImage-2620-3 root=/dev/sda3 video=vesafb:vga=803,mtrr,ywrap splash=silent,fadein,theme:livecd-2006.1 quiet

^^ example

Bloodsurfer · Post by **Bloodsurfer** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 3:33 pm

It doesn't work. I always get "you passed an undefined mode number"...

I tried the following modes: 716, 717, 718, 719. 834, 803, 838, 828, 0x31C, 0x31D, 0x31E, ...

I know that at least the modenumber 838 is valid because it works with vesafb on my notebook (1400x1050), but even that does not work here on my desktop.

Isn't there a way to force vesafb to use a mode that is not listed in the videobios? nvidiafb does that too...

Bloodsurfer · Post by **Bloodsurfer** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:01 pm

*bump*

Isn't there any way to solve this?

Gusar · Post by **Gusar** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:25 am

Bloodsurfer wrote:Isn't there any way to solve this?

No.

Vesafb can only use what the vbios says. If there's no 1600x1200 mode in the vbios you're screwed. Your only chance is to wait for nouveau and nouveaufb.

Matrix7 · Post by **Matrix7** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 5:50 pm

I concur. My Dell Precision M50 display with analogue connection quite happily displays VesaFB at 1600x1200, but the GeForce 6600GTX in my desktop using the DVI connection to my monitor will only do 1024x768 with VesaFB.

Tedious but I tend to use Gnome on my desktop anyway, so it's not such a big deal for me.