# FreeBSD 11.2 -> 12.1 amd64 using freebsd-update - console issue (I guess wrong resolution)



## none (Oct 23, 2020)

Hi,

I just upgraded a amd64 11.2 box to 12.1 using freebsd-update(8) and, apart the console screen, all is fine. The console works, as I can see a thin line brighter and changing when I type on keyboard and I can log in and type the dhclient command for it to get online (will write it to rc.conf now). But I cannot read a thing on the console.

It was fine and using the old character based console when running 11.2. And I have not found any mention on this on google and forum searches.

Is there a way to change it to a working resolution or old console?

I tried these options in /boot/loader.conf:

```
kern.vt.fb.default_mode="1366x768"
hw.vga.textmode=1
```
Using just one of them at a time. No good here 

thanks,

none


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## a6h (Oct 24, 2020)

With the exception of vm, this is how I configure console (system and virtual) on Intel:

`pkg install graphics/drm-kmod`

/boot/loader.conf

```
kern.vty=vt
kern.vt.fb.default_mode="1366x768"
```

/etc/rc.conf

```
kld_list="/boot/modules/i915kms.ko"
```


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## chrbr (Oct 24, 2020)

none said:


> Is there a way to change it to a working resolution or old console?
> 
> I tried these options in /boot/loader.conf:
> kern.vt.fb.default_mode="1366x768"


If you are booting using UEFI please try

```
efi_max_resolution="1366x768"
```


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## none (Oct 25, 2020)

Hi all,

those tips got me to have again the console. Thanks!

But from Grub (this box has Ubuntu and Windows also) till I get to the part rc loads the driver, I can see nothing. No bootloader screen and if I need to type anything to the booting kernel, I can't.

chrbr, how can I know I am using uefi? I guess not, as this is an old AMD notebook, E-350 based.

Thanks!

none


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## chrbr (Oct 25, 2020)

none said:


> chrbr, how can I know I am using uefi? I guess not, as this is an old AMD notebook, E-350 based.


`gpart show` shows you at least if you have such partitions. On my Fujitsu Celsius H Series the output is

```
=>       40  234441568  ada0  GPT  (112G)
         40     409600     1  efi  (200M)
     409640       1024     2  freebsd-boot  (512K)
     410664        984        - free -  (492K)
     411648   12582912     3  freebsd-swap  (6.0G)
   12994560  221446144     4  freebsd-zfs  (106G)
  234440704        904        - free -  (452K)
```
A different command `sysctl machdep.bootmethod` should output

```
machdep.bootmethod: UEFI
```
Grepping the output of `sysctl -a` is always interesting.


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## none (Oct 26, 2020)

Hi all, now my notebook is weird. If I turn it on and boot to FreeBSD, I get the console and then it changes to vt and I get the resolution as expected. By the way, its not uefi boot.

If I get to FreeBSD from a ubuntu reboot, it has the same behavior as before, the boot is blind to me (just a blur line that changes but I can't see a thing) and somewhere close to the end (my guess is when the module is loaded from rc.conf) of boot I get vt and all comes back to normal.

Now I am on my way to install gnome mate on it and see if it is stable for me, what I guess it will be.

none


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## chrbr (Oct 27, 2020)

none said:


> If I get to FreeBSD from a ubuntu reboot, it has the same behavior as before, the boot is blind to me (just a blur line that changes but I can't see a thing) and somewhere close to the end (my guess is when the module is loaded from rc.conf) of boot I get vt and all comes back to normal.


In that case it might work to change the resolution with the boot loader. Interrupt the boot process right at the beginning and enter the console. `gop list` returns a few numbers of resolutions. `gop set NUMBER` selects one. With `boot` you continue the boot process. A working setting can be written in the same syntax to /boot/loader.rc.local. I hope it helps. The information is from notes I took before I changed the boot method on my laptop.


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