# Initial Resolution BSD install



## markb (Apr 20, 2019)

Good day!  (same Dell laptop (Intel + Nvidia) install to same partition, no BIOS changes, etc etc)

Freebsd-12.0-RELEASE-amd64-memstick.img installs with default screen resolution 800x600.  It also defaults to 800x600  once I install xorg, xfce.  Ugh!  It DOES see my Intel 8265 WiFi card...
Freebsd-11.2-RELEASE-amd64-memstick.img installs with default screen resolution 1920x1080, but no WiFi (not a deal-breaker).

Damned if I know how to change the starting resolution so my solution was install 11.2-RELEASE, then upgrade to 12.0-RELEASE and my initial resolution is 1920x1080 - go figure.  AND after the upgrade, my WiFi card is now seen.  And  I don't have to muck around in /etc/X11/xorg.conf as xorg defaults to 1920x1080.

I realize this is NOT an ideal way to install, so my question - where do I go to modify initial screen resolution that appears while BSD is booting?

Thanks in advance,
MarkB


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## Martin Paredes (Apr 21, 2019)

markb said:


> where do I go to modify initial screen resolution that appears while BSD is booting?



The traditional single /etc/X11/xorg.conf still works, but is neither as clear nor as flexible as multiple files in the /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ subdirectory

For FreeBSD-12 follow the Handbook, in the section Setting Monitor Resolution in a File


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## markb (Apr 21, 2019)

Martin Paredes said:


> The traditional single /etc/X11/xorg.conf still works, but is neither as clear nor as flexible as multiple files in the /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ subdirectory
> 
> For FreeBSD-12 follow the Handbook, in the section Setting Monitor Resolution in a File





Martin Paredes said:


> The traditional single /etc/X11/xorg.conf still works, but is neither as clear nor as flexible as multiple files in the /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ subdirectory
> 
> For FreeBSD-12 follow the Handbook, in the section Setting Monitor Resolution in a File



Martin,
Sincere thanks for the link, I will re-read it again later today.  But my question is also - why do USB installs for 11.2 do an initial boot at 1920x1080 and 12.0 start at 800x600 on the same hardware?  and as I recall, running xrandr on 12.0 shows only 800x600 is available.

https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/boot-splash.html 

From the above link:
"There are two basic environments available in FreeBSD. The first is the *default legacy virtual console command line environment.* After the system finishes booting, a console login prompt is presented. The second environment is a configured graphical environment. Refer to Chapter 5, _The X Window System_ for more information on how to install and configure a graphical display manager and a graphical login manager. "

So....is there a way to change the resolution in the 'default legacy virtual console' in 12.0-RELEASE?  I'm now headed down that rabbit-hole <G>.

Thanks,
Mark


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## k.jacker (Apr 21, 2019)

I guess the 11.2-RELEASE memstick was booted in UEFI mode and the 12.0-RELEASE was booted in legacy/BIOS mode.
Booting in UEFI mode will set the the console to graphics mode and in most cases, apply the highest resolution possible, whereas legacy mode defaults to good 80x25 characters text mode.


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## Martin Paredes (Apr 21, 2019)

markb said:


> So....is there a way to change the resolution in the 'default legacy virtual console' in 12.0-RELEASE?



Try with Changing Console Video Modes


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## k.jacker (Apr 21, 2019)

Martin Paredes said:


> Try with Changing Console Video Modes


This only works with the old SC console driver.

To get the console switch to graphics mode right from the start (beasty menu), there is no other way then booting in UEFI mode.
To switch to graphics mode during boot, a kms driver must be loaded, which is a must if Xorg should be used.
In most cases, when a kms driver is loaded, there is not even a xorg.conf(.d) necessary.


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## PMc (Apr 22, 2019)

markb said:


> Sincere thanks for the link, I will re-read it again later today.  But my question is also - why do USB installs for 11.2 do an initial boot at 1920x1080 and 12.0 start at 800x600 on the same hardware?  and as I recall, running xrandr on 12.0 shows only 800x600 is available.



Lucky You, if 11.2 came up with a decent resolution.

Mine (regular desktop) uses 1024x768 in the bios configuration utility, but switches to 800x600 when initiating boot. When the disks are accessed it switches again to 720x400, which is used during the loader menu. The kernel then states it would use

```
VT(vga): resolution 640x480
```
but actually keeps the 720x400 (which looks just horrible); then at this point in boot

```
VT: Replacing driver "vga" with new "fb".
```
it changes to 1024x768 and starts to look alright, and finally when the X server takes over, it goes the intended 2560x1440 - but only after I spent time hand-crafting an X configuration for that (the old way, with sync-lines).

There might well be a simpler way to get there, but I gave up on trying to understand those schemes, and delay upgrade to 12 until after 11.3.


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## mickey (Apr 22, 2019)

markb said:


> But my question is also - why do USB installs for 11.2 do an initial boot at 1920x1080 and 12.0 start at 800x600 on the same hardware?


There must have been changes to the EFI bootloader. While my desktop machine (UEFI/Nvidia graphics) was running on 11.2 it would boot up with 1920x1080 resolution just fine without needing any configuration whatsoever. That changed the moment when after the update to 12.0 I also updated the bootloader on my system's EFI partition. With the new bootloader in place it would boot using some 1024x768 resolution. I now got it halfway back to use 1920x1080 resolution once the kernel messages start to appear, which involved setting `hw.vga.textmode=1` in /boot/loader.conf. The first bootloader screen where it probes for block devices or something (flies by too fast to read anything) however still uses some low resolution.


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## Martin Paredes (Apr 23, 2019)

Markb, Are you booting in BIOS or UEFI?

Reading the manual for loader.conf(5), it document the variable _efi___max___resolution_, try and tell us

The UEFI bootstrapping is documented in the manual uefi(8)

The BIOS bootstrapping is documented in the manual boot(8)


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