This page explains how to set up a uvesafb framebuffer to increase the amount of text visible on the console, and make it look pretty at the same time.

Install the following packages:

• direct=yes|media-gfx/splashutils {{EnableFlag|fbcondecor}}
• direct=yes|media-gfx/splash-themes-livecd
• direct=yes|media-gfx/splash-themes-gentoo
• direct=yes|media-gfx/bootsplash-themes
• direct=yes|sys-apps/v86d

Configure the kernel with the following options. Make sure to build <tt>uvesafb</tt> directly into the kernel, and not as a module if you want to make use of the framebuffer during boot.

2.6.28-gentoo-r1|<code>0@@</code>

Select a theme from <tt>/etc/splash/</tt>, and then build the kernel and initramfs with the following command. <tt>natural_gentoo</tt> is a nice grey theme, which looks good on high resolutions. It is assumed that any other required options, such as lvm, have been specified in <tt>/etc/genkernel.conf</tt> - otherwise modify the command as needed.

<source lang="bash"> genkernel --splash=natural_gentoo --splash-res=1280x1024 all </source>

There's a pretty black grub theme on art4linux.org. Download and extract the tarball, and copy the black theme to <tt>/boot/grub/gentoo_black.xpm.gz</tt>. <source lang="bash"> wget http://art4linux.org/system/files/Gentoo-grubsplash.tar.gz tar -zxf Gentoo-grubsplash.tar.gz cp Gentoo-grubsplash/black.xpm.gz /boot/grub/gentoo_black.xpm.gz </source>

Edit the grub config to add the <tt>video</tt>, <tt>splash</tt> and <tt>console</tt> options as below:

/boot/grub/grub.conf|<syntax lang="grub"> default 0 timeout 8 splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/gentoo_black.xpm.gz title Gentoo Linux 2.6.29 root (hd0,0) kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.29-gentoo root=/dev/ram0 real_root=/dev/mapper/badger-root ramdisk=8192 init=/linuxrc doscsi dolvm video=uvesafb:mtrr:3,ywrap,1280x1024@60 splash=verbose,fadein,theme:natural_gentoo console=tty1 initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.29-gentoo </syntax>

Finally, add <tt>fbcondecor</tt> to the boot runlevel

<source lang="bash"> rc-update add fbcondecor boot </source>