[vox-tech] Debian bf2.4 base kernel (disable framebuffer, enable ide DMA)

[vox-tech@lists.lugod.org]

On Thu, Apr 25, 2002 at 02:52:41AM -0400, msimons@moria.simons-clan.com wrote:
> I switched from VESA console to VGA console mode at kernel compile
> time for a combination of the following reasons:
>   - I can't *STAND* a blinking block cursor... I couldn't figure out
>     how to slow the blink rate *or* change to a line cursor.
>   - VESA mode is *dog* slow.

  For a long time I had been recompiling the stock debian install kernels
to do a number of things:
- get rid of the VGA VESA frame buffer mode that is enabled in that kernel.
- the stock kernels don't enabled DMA mode by default on many systems.

  This weekend I discovered that you can turn off the vesa frame buffer
with a boot time command line option:
===
video=vga16:off
===

  Also one can enable dma mode with another boottime option:
===
ide0=dma ide1=dma
===

  So if you put them in a lilo.conf file as an append option the syntax is:
===
append="video=vga16:off ide0=dma ide1=dma"
===

  The append option in lilo.conf can be global or just part of the 
boot items you want them in...

    TTFN,
      Mike


ps:
  it appears that you can enable apm support with something like
===
apm=on
===

  but I have not tested that...