installation screen too big for laptop

rubidium · n00b Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 4

I'm trying to install gentoo on an old IBM thinkpad (a 385XD). So far I have been able to boot the liveCD using the sbootmgr.i floppy from slackware.

The problem is that default screen is too large for my small 800x600 laptop display. Several command lines go "below" the display-- I can't see what I am doing unless I do a "clear" on the command line. Also, the contrast is too low.

Is there a way that I can get rid of the background during install and just have a plain black and white "DOS-like" display?

michaelb · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:38 pm Post subject:

Try switching to the second console with <alt>F2 and see if that helps. With my live CD, the little graphical background and whatnot only shows up on the first.
_________________
Behold, The power of SEARCH!

dleifelohcs · Apprentice Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 160 Location: UNH

before you boot the livecd you are presented with the ability to choose options, I forget it but there's a command to not use framebuffers, or to limit it to 800x600... hit F2 before gentoo boots and you should see that

michaelb · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 4:05 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I was operating under the assumption that he was already booted and partway through the install process, but if you want to do it at startup, when the CD first boots, it comes to a point where you can pass arugments to the kernel, or even boot a different kernel entirely. The best bet would probably be: