How do I force standard 80x25 text mode?

1337

I have a server that is running latest debian.
It's console only but boots into some high-rez text mode and I can't disable it.
It starts by booting in standard text mode almost all the way but just before showing the login prompt it switches to a graphics text mode.

I tried putting nomodeset into /etc/default/grub and run grub-update but it has no effect.

Any ideas?

scottalanmiller

Try this, but this is ancient so no idea if it still works...

update-rc.d -f gdm remove

1337

@scottalanmiller said in How do I force standard 80x25 text mode?:

Try this, but this is ancient so no idea if it still works...
update-rc.d -f gdm remove

I don't think I have Gnome Display Manager because the system doesn't have x windows or gnome.

I'll have a look tomorrow.

1337

Come to think of it, I'm not sure exactly what order things run in.
Found this link:
https://www.golinuxhub.com/2017/12/step-by-step-linux-boot-process-with.html
I'm running debian but I think it's the same.

I think I'll have a look at dmesg and see if I can find out at what point it goes into the graphics text mode.

Does the kernel load graphics drivers even if there is no x windows installed?

scottalanmiller

@Pete-S said in How do I force standard 80x25 text mode?:

Does the kernel load graphics drivers even if there is no x windows installed?

I wouldn't think so, but it might.

travisdh1

@Pete-S said in How do I force standard 80x25 text mode?:

Come to think of it, I'm not sure exactly what order things run in.
Found this link:
https://www.golinuxhub.com/2017/12/step-by-step-linux-boot-process-with.html
I'm running debian but I think it's the same.

I think I'll have a look at dmesg and see if I can find out at what point it goes into the graphics text mode.

Does the kernel load graphics drivers even if there is no x windows installed?

Most modern distributions will try to load a higher resolution graphics of some sort, even in text mode. If you want the old 80x25 text mode, I wouldn't know where to start today.

JasGot

We use ghost adapters to allow EDID hi res with no head attached, I wonder if there is one that forces 640x480? I'll search around...

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