recompiled kernel=screen goes blank?

[Fanatic]

i'm trying to recompile my kernel from 2.4.20 to 2.4.22 with slack 9 in order to enable IDE support for my NForce2 chipset and partly to remove any options I'll most likely never use.. the only problem is that when I've recompiled my kernel, updated lilo etc, and try to boot into the new kernel, then all that happens is that my keyboard diodes start blinking and my screen goes blank.. these are the options I've enabled in my new kernel:

Enable loadable module support=y
Set version info on all module symbols=y
kernel module loader=y
networking support=y

PCI support=y
PCI device name database=y
support for hotpluggable devices=y
system V IPC =y
Sysctl support=y
kernel support f/ a.out binaries=y
kernel support f/ ELF binaries=y
kernel support f/ MISC binaries=y
ACPI support=y
Button=y
Fan=y
Processor=y

P'n'P support=y

Floppy disk support=y
Loopback device support=M

packet socket=y
UNIX domain sockets=y
TCP/IP networking=y
IP multicasting=y
IP tunneling =M

Enhanced IDE/MFM/RLL support=y
Enhanced IDE/MFM/RLL disk/cdrom/tape/floppy support=y
Include IDE/ATA-2 support=y
use mulitmode by default=y
Include IDE/ATAPI cdrom support=y
SCSI emulation support=M
Generic PCI IDE support=y
sharing PCI IDE interrupts support=y
Generic PCI busmaster DMA support=y
AMD & NVidia IDE support=y

SCSI support=M
SCSI disk support=M
SCSI CD-rom support=M
SCSI generic support=M

Input core support=y
Mouse support=y

virtual terminal=y
support f/ console on virtual terminal=y
Unix98 PTY support=y
/dev/apggart support=y
NVIDIA chipset support=y
Direct Rendering Manager (XFree86)=y

Reiserfs support=y
Enable debug mode f Reiserfs=y
virtual memory file system support=y
ISO 9660 CD rom file system support=M
Microsoft Joilet CD-Rom extensions=y
NTFS file system support=M
/proc file system support=y
/dev/pts file system f/ Unix98 PTYs=y
second extended fs support=y

NFS file system support=M
NFS server support=M

NLS ISO8859-15 (western european languages w/ euro support)=M

VGA text console=y
video mode selection support=y

sound card support=M
SBLive! support=M

support for USB=y
UHCI Alternate Driver support=y
USB Mass Storage support=M
USB full HID support=y
HID input layer support=y

EDIT: maybe I should add that in my previous attempt to recompile my kernel I picked M for every option above that can be chosen as a module, and thats when I get the blank screen, now I just get the "ECSB too big" message at boot (and with that a refusal to boot at all)

[hard candy]

Try these instructions for compiling a slackware kernel- works great:
compiling a kernel (http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49035) The first post.
Unless you're using a laptop, deselect acpi.
Select "init RAM disk support"
Good luck.

[bascule]

Presuming that the machine boots normally even though you can't see anything....

Some where in lilo.conf under your new kernel you will see a line like this:

vga=788

or some other number. Change it to vga=ask and you will then be given a choice of res to boot into.

Pretty sure that's what it is. I've never succeeded in a hi-res console supporting recompile :rolleyes:

[Fanatic]

Okay, I'll try those options, but i was wondering about modules.. should I try and compile everything (i.e those options that can be selected as modules) as modules or should I try and compile certain options directly into the kernel?

[Hayl]

Originally posted by Fanatic
Okay, I'll try those options, but i was wondering about modules.. should I try and compile everything (i.e those options that can be selected as modules) as modules or should I try and compile certain options directly into the kernel?

it's entirely up to you.

it's a good idea to have any file systems you use all the time compiled right into the kernel as opposed to modules - it allows you to avoid having to use an image to boot.

if you are doing USB, you should compile all the options under input core cupport as modules; they work better as modules and if they are compiled right in, can cause subtle problems with other things as well - firewire and usb disks, for example. i don't know why this is but it is true.

[Fanatic]

Originally posted by bascule
Presuming that the machine boots normally even though you can't see anything....

Some where in lilo.conf under your new kernel you will see a line like this:

vga=788

or some other number. Change it to vga=ask and you will then be given a choice of res to boot into.

Pretty sure that's what it is. I've never succeeded in a hi-res console supporting recompile :rolleyes:

Here's my /etc/lilo.conf:

Start LILO global section
append="hdc=ide-scsi"
boot= /dev/hda
#compact
prompt
timeout=50
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024*768*64k
vga= 791
# Normal VGA console
vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024*768*64k
vga= 791 (not a typo, there are two entries in my lilo.conf that are exactly the same)
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024*768*32k
vga= 790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024*768*256
vga = 773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800*600*64k
vga = 788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800*600*32k
vga = 787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800*600*256
vga = 771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640*480*64k
vga = 785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640*480*32k
vga = 784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640*480*256
vga= 769
ramdisk = 0 #paranoia setting
# End LILO global section

image = /boot/vmlinuzold
root = /dev/hda1
label=old

image= /boot/bzImage
root = /dev/hda1
label = new

read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

should I remove all vesa/vga settings and just replace them with "normal vga console vga=ask"?

EDIT: fixed the problem, bascule was right

[bascule]

http://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/davej/misc/post-halloween-2.5.txt


- Blank screen after decompressing kernel?
Make sure your .config has
CONFIG_INPUT=y, CONFIG_VT=y, CONFIG_VGA_CONSOLE=y and CONFIG_VT_CONSOLE=y
A lot of people have discovered that taking their .config from 2.4 and
running make oldconfig to pick up new options leads to problems, notably
with CONFIG_VT not being set.

[Satanic Atheist]

First off - Fanatic:

Comment out ALL of those VGA= lines because all you're doing is altering the monitor resolution a load of times (or defaulting to the last one). You should only have ONE option selected. 773 is a good compromise if you don't run video at the command prompt.

Second off - bascule

To enable a framebuffer console on a custom kernel is easy. Just select "Console Framebuffer Support" and "VesaFB Support". Do not select your specific chipset FB support because it will not work.

James