Ubuntu – Proper way to change terminal resolution in Ubuntu Server 13.04?

The answer I found was a combination of How do I increase console-mode resolution? and How to use ubuntu server full screen in virtualbox? The former provided information for changing grub's display resolution, and the latter assisted me in diagnosing why the former wasn't resulting in any resolution change.

Combining the two answers:

1. Identify the resolution that your VirtualBox environment supports. Reboot the system and keep the Shift key till the grub windows appears then hit c. This will drop you into the grub console. Enter the commend vbeinfo to see a list of resolutions. Select the resolution that works for you (in my case, 1152x864x32).

2. Edit /etc/default/grub to modify/create a line GRUB_GFXMODE=1152x864x32 (where you replace the resolution with the one appropriate for your environment).

3. Edit /etc/grub.d/00_header to modify the line

   if [ "x${GRUB_GFXMODE}" = "x" ] ; then GRUB_GFXMODE=auto ; fi
   

   to

   if [ "x${GRUB_GFXMODE}" = "x" ] ; then GRUB_GFXMODE=1152x864x32 ; fi
   

   (again, replacing the resolution)

4. Update grub and reboot: update-grub2 && shutdown -r now

Grub should boot at the new, higher resolution, and then that resolution should continue through after you are logged in.

1. Get supported video mode info (to achieve this, I had to install hwinfo)

>sudo apt-get install hwinfo

Then check supported modes (I was interested in setting the resolution to 1280x1024 and set the highest color depth available, so I'm going to check this.)

    sudo hwinfo --framebuffer |grep 1280x1024

The best available mode was shown like this

    > Mode 0x031b: 1280x1024 (+3840), 24 bits
    > Mode 0x0345: 1280x1024 (+5120), 24 bits

Strange as it is, 0x0345 worked from the above two modes only.

2. Edit /etc/default/grub

    sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Uncomment #GRUB_GFXMODE="some value", and change it to your resolution, also add GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX line, like in the example below. Also modify GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT to reflect the video mode chosen.

    GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="video=0x0345"
    GRUB_GFXMODE=1280x1024x24
    GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=1280x1024x24

Save the changes you have done.

3. Update grub

    sudo update-grub

4. Reboot:

    sudo reboot

If all went smooth, Ubuntu will boot in the resolution you set, for me 1280x1024x24 was fine.

Finally I managed to refine this solution, it's not partial any more.

If connecting with putty, cygwin, you will not experience this issue and the settings above will not change your terminal experience.