0

I've completed an install of Ubuntu Server 13.10 within VMware and am running into a problem configuring the console (non-graphical) resolution.

When I was running Ubuntu Server 13.04, I ran into the same problem. posted the question here, which I later solved by editing /etc/default/grub thus:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="splash vga=789"

I then ran sudo update-grub, sudo reboot and 13.04 stuck in a larger-size console mode... just what I wanted. BUT when I run the same commands in 13.10, during the reboot it changes to the new screen-res, BUT the screen stays black and I can't interact with it. I power down the VM, go back to a previous snapshot, and try again... and again.

Since the hwinfo package is no longer available, I can't run sudo hwinfo --framebuffer to see what options are available.

Ideas anyone?

Here are the uncommented settings in my /etc/default/grub file at this moment:

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=false
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="find_preseed=/preseed.cfg"
GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_RECOVERY=false
GRUB_GFXMODE=800x600
Community
  • 1
user205625
  • 1

2 Answers2

1

An alternative option, in short -

  1. A. Either use bridged network to guest

    B. Or, follow directions at [1] to forward port 22 (ssh port) to a host port

  2. SSH to the host port (and thereby to the guest), using Putty or any other ssh client. The ssh client should give you a re-sizable console.

TL;DR

I recently upgraded my VM and ran into the same problem. I tried various combinations of values for GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT, GRUB_GFXMODE, GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD, and GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX to no avail. I have gone for an alternative that now works better for me.

Essentially, I use Putty to ssh into my VM. This gives me a re-sizable console. Copy-paste also works better now between Windows and the shell. Since I choose the NAT option for my VM, this approach is less straight-forward. I use the directions in [1] to get access to the VMware network configuration editor. I then forward guest port 22 to a host port (say 8122), and then ssh to it (localhost:8122) from Putty running on my Windows host.

[1] http://alexduan.com/2012/10/15/vmware-player-5-0-network-editor/

cmangla
  • 11
  • 1
0

I see grub_gfxmode=800x600, have you tried other settings there ?

You might be able to work around this with uvesafb: http://cosmicb.no/2013/12/25/ubuntu-13-10-console-resolution/

CosmicB
  • 1