From owner-freebsd-current@freebsd.org Mon Mar 20 21:58:17 2017 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@mailman.ysv.freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1]) by mailman.ysv.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id AE4F1D1355C for ; Mon, 20 Mar 2017 21:58:17 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bsd-lists@bsdforge.com) Received: from udns.ultimatedns.net (static-24-113-41-81.wavecable.com [24.113.41.81]) (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (Client did not present a certificate) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 91A931CB4 for ; Mon, 20 Mar 2017 21:58:17 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bsd-lists@bsdforge.com) Received: from ultimatedns.net (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by udns.ultimatedns.net (8.14.9/8.14.9) with ESMTP id v2KLwLvd052756 for ; Mon, 20 Mar 2017 14:58:27 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from bsd-lists@bsdforge.com) To: "FreeBSD CURRENT" From: "Chris H" Subject: Are textmode consoles/terminals still supported? Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2017 14:58:27 -0700 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=fixed MIME-Version: 1.0 Message-id: <05ff1f84a0f3856823fda4b08266f211@ultimatedns.net> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.23 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2017 21:58:17 -0000 I'm attempting to get a video card that DTRT on FreeBSD. I started with the graphics provided by an AMD A6-7470K, only to discover it's not yet supported. So I forked out for a recent nvidia card, and build/installed a new world/kernel. Everything seemed to be as one would expect, except there was an issue with loader.efi. So I had to move mine aside, and use the one off the install media (tho I understand the (u)efi has since been fixed). Now, I'm attempting to obtain textmode. The text stripped from a tty, and pasted to a new file in a textmode editor -- ee(1) for example; pads the line with spaces to EOL, and prefaces each line following the first line with rubbish (about 1 to 2 characters worth). So "graphics mode" or vt(4) isn't going to get it, for me. Textmode, and syscons(4) has always worked as expected, and I thought I'd try to re-enable it, or get textmode via vt(4). But all attempts fail. excerpt from my KERNCONF device vga options VESA device sc options SC_PIXEL_MODE device vt device vt_vga device vt_efifb However, following the advice on the freebsd wiki, querying the value in sysctl(8) returns: # sysctl hw.vga.textmode sysctl: unknown oid 'hw.vga.textmode' OK how bout vidcontrol(1) # vidcontrol -i adapter vidcontrol: obtaining adapter information: Inappropriate ioctl for device So, it appears from my standpoint that textmode is no longer supported? FWIW: FreeBSD trump.whitehouse.gov.test 12.0-CURRENT FreeBSD 12.0-CURRENT #0 r314700: Sun Mar 5 09:01:30 PST 2017 root@trump.whitehouse.gov.test:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/TESTKERN amd6 Thank you for anything that might help me obtain textmode again. --Chris