Re: boot loader blank screen

On 2021-Jan-5, at 17:54, David Wolfskill <david at catwhisker.org> wrote:

> On Wed, Jan 06, 2021 at 12:46:08AM +0200, Toomas Soome wrote:
>> ... 
>>> the 58661b3ba9eb should hopefully fix the loader text mode issue, it would be cool if you can verify:)
>>> 
>>> thanks,
>>> toomas
>> 
>> I think, I got it fixed (at least idwer did confirm for his system, thanks). If you can test this patch: http://148-52-235-80.sta.estpak.ee/0001-loader-rewrite-font-install.patch <http://148-52-235-80.sta.estpak.ee/0001-loader-rewrite-font-install.patch> it would be really nice.
>> 
>> thanks,
>> toomas
> 
> I tested with each of the following "stanzas' in /boot/loader.conf,
> using vt (vs. syscons) in each case (though that breaks video reset
> on resume after suspend):
> 
> . . .

I've done no experiments with an explicit vbe_max_resolution
setting. My context for hw.vga.textmode="0" shows up as
1920x1200. (I do have the font for this set to 8x16, making
for lots of character cells across and down.)


For the below I do not have hw.vga.textmode="0".

> # hw.vga.textmode="0"
> # vbe_max_resolution=1280x800
> 
> (That is, not specifying anything for hw.vga.textmode or
> vbe_max_resolution.)
> 
> This boots OK, but I see no kernel probe messages or single- to
> multi-user mode messages.  I can use (e.g.) Ctl+Alt+F2 to switch to
> vty1, see a "login: " prompt, and that (also) works.  (This is the
> initial symptom I had reported.)

So I tried commenting out hw.vga.textmode="1" and I saw everything
I expected in my context. Whiteish on black background (or at least
something very dark). I did not take videos to do detailed
inspections.


> hw.vga.textmode="1"
> # vbe_max_resolution=1280x800
> 
> This works -- boots OK, and I see kernel probe (&c.) messages; this is a
> text console (mostly blue text; some white, against a dark background.
> It's a medium-light blue, so it's easy enough to read (unlike a navy
> blue, for example).

FYI: whiteish on black (or at least something very dark)
in my hw.vga.textmode="1" context. I saw everything here
as well. I did not take videos to do detailed inspections.

I did not notice any way to tell hw.vga.textmode="1" from
having no hw.vga.textmode assignment at all. But, again,
I did not set up for an after-the-fact detailed review of
what is displayed.

===
Mark Millard
marklmi at yahoo.com
( dsl-only.net went
away in early 2018-Mar)