Thinstation screen resolution is wrong

We have been using Thinstation for some time now and have found several issues with screen resolution on different hardware. To the credit of the developers of Thinstation, this is not an issue with Thinstation itself, but more of an issue with Linux not natively supporting all the different video cards out there. In order to get the correct resolution, the proper video card driver module must be included in your Thinstation build.

The most generic method we have found to make this work is to not include any video drivers except the default VESA driver. This will make Thinstation work correctly on a lot of different hardware (but not all). On the hardware which doesn't work, the system will usually boot with the incorrect resolution and you will get the error:

You passed an undefined mode number.
Press <RETURN> to see a list of video modes available...

Thinstation may or may not include the video driver for your graphics card as a module. If it doesn't you will have to find that driver and build it into the Thinstation kernel.

We've also found that many video drivers simply need a change to the X configuration options. As an example, see our thinstation with onboard intel video cards article.

If you have a specific video card you're having trouble getting working, it's a good idea to search the Thinstation Mailing List. Usually you'll find other people who have found a way to get the video card working and if not you can post your question there.

Author: DPAK
Created: Dec 19 2005 (last modified Mar 24 2006)
Categories: Thinstation
TechByte #114

Warning: By visiting this site and/or by using any information contained herein, you agree to the Techbytes.ca terms of use.

Comment posted by 'Anonymous' on Mar 24 2006 @ 04:18:15
How do we add the package to the kernel?
Comment posted by 'dpak' on Mar 24 2006 @ 16:21:22
I've never actually recompiled the Thinstation kernel, but it should be very similar to recompiling any other Linux kernel. It's a fairly long and sometimes complicated process, but there are many articles online which describe how to add modules to and recompile the kernel. You'll need the full Thinstation distribution and a Linux system in order to do this. The Thinstation mailing list is an excellent resource for more information. I've also updated this article with a few new bits of information.
Comment posted by 'elmosbox@yahoo.com' on Apr 8 2008 @ 03:05:00
Which is version of thinstation that included network driver for Attansic L2 Fast Ethernet from ASUS P5GC-MX/1333 motherboard?