Ubuntu – How to increase console-mode resolution

display-resolutiontty

When my computer goes to console mode (booting up, shutting down or Ctrl + Alt + F1)), the text is super big. I can't take a screenshot of it, but it looks like a 640 x 480 resolution. My monitor normally works at 1440 x 900.

I remember that the console text that appeared while installing from the CD was nice and small.

How can I make the console text look like it looked while booting from the CD?

Best Answer

I've found a solution that works from this forum post

In short:

Open /etc/default/grub with your favorite editor as root.

Localize the line that says GRUB_GFXMODE= ... and change it to the resolution you want. Add another line for a new variable called GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD with the same resolution. It should look similar to this:

GRUB_GFXMODE=1440x900x32
GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD=1440x900x32

Save and exit. Then edit as root /etc/grub.d/00_header

Localize the line that says if [ "x${GRUB_GFXMODE}" = "x" ] ; then GRUB_GFXMODE=... . As before, change the resolution there to the one you want and add another line for payload:

if [ "x${GRUB_GFXMODE}" = "x" ] ; then GRUB_GFXMODE=1440x900x32 ; fi
if [ "x${GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD}" = "x" ] ; then GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD=1440x900x32 ; fi

Finally, locate the line that says set gfxmode=${GRUB_GFXMODE} and add a line for payload below it. It should look like this:

set gfxmode=${GRUB_GFXMODE}
set gfxpayload=${GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD}

Save and exit.

Still as root, refresh grub with

update-grub2

Reboot, and both the grub menu and the console should have nicer resolutions.

Finished!

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