framebuffer fails in standard kernel

[Bill Davidsen]

Matthew Saltzman wrote:
> On Wed, 2007-07-25 at 09:50 -0400, Bill Davidsen wrote:
>> Matthew Saltzman wrote:
>>> On Tue, 2007-07-24 at 22:38 -0400, Bill Davidsen wrote:
>>>> I generally don't care about using framebuffers, and when I do I have 
>>>> been building a kernel from source with the framebuffer built in. 
>>>> However, in the last month, I've had three cases where I wanted to boot 
>>>> with a stock modular kernel and framebuffer, and it hasn't worked.
>>>>
>>>> I have built a new initrd with the framebuffer and any needed modules 
>>>> added with "--preload" to get them in early. I have put video=<fb> 
>>>> information in the boot, and always the kernel boots, reads the boot 
>>>> options, and just goes away. Verified using intelfb, radeonfb, and 
>>>> atyfb, each with any needed drivers. But if I build these kernels from 
>>>> source, changing the default config only by building-in the same 
>>>> modules, it works fine.
>>>>
>>>> The last time I tried this with a post-2.4 kernel, it worked, but that 
>>>> was a 2.5 kernel, and I haven't needed any video performance since.
>>>>
>>>> Is this typical, should it just work, or ??? I have multiple systems to 
>>>> try, and all with work fine if I build in the exact same modules.
>>> Not sure if this is your exact issue, but it may help anyway.
>>>
>>> To get the FB module inserted whenever you install a distro kernel,
>>> create /etc/sysconfig/mkinitrd with contents:
>>>
>>>         MODULES="radeonfb"
>>>
>>> Put any module options in /etc/modprobe.conf before rebuilding the
>>> initrd.
>>>
>>> I use the radeonfb on my Thinkpad to deal with a suspend power issue,
>>> and those two steps work for me.
>>>
>> Thanks for the thought, I have the distro kernel installed, but I can 
>> set that and wait, or try to just do a mkinitrd. From the somewhat 
>> sparse docs it looks as if this does the same thing as using "--preload" 
>> which I was trying, but it certainly won't hurt to try again!
> 
> Once the options are in /etc/modprobe.conf, you can go ahead and remake
> the current kernel's initrd.  In fact, I think if you
> have /etc/sysconfig/mkinitrd set up, you don't even need to specify the
> module when you mkinitrd by hand.  That's the implication here, anyway:
> 
>         http://www.ces.clemson.edu/linux/fc6_setup.shtml#radeon

Thanks for the useful link.

-- 
Bill Davidsen <davidsen at tmr.com>
   "We have more to fear from the bungling of the incompetent than from
the machinations of the wicked."  - from Slashdot