set console mode in Ubuntu

Changing the resolution of the ubuntu console. The following works on a Thinkpad T22 with an old intel graphics chipset, using Ubuntu Server 9.10 (Karmic Koala):

In /etc/default/grub setup the following variables:

GRUB_PRELOAD_MODULES="vbe"
GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768x16

In /etc/grub.d/00_header search for the line (setting of the mode for the grub menu):

set gfxmode=${GRUB_GFXMODE}

and add the following line directly after that line

set gfxpayload=keep

this tells grub to use the same resolution for the console as set for the grub menu with GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768x16. The section of the File should read:

  set gfxmode=${GRUB_GFXMODE}
  set gfxpayload=keep
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod ${GRUB_VIDEO_BACKEND}

The command

sudo update-grub

should update the file /boot/grub/grub.cfg on my system it did not work for every change, but the following command did:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc

you have to select keep the current configuration file.

For the usaga of the configured resolution in the console, the system needs a framebuffer module fbcon and a framebuffer graphics driver module. For my old intel chipset vesafb is the correct choice.

In /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-framebuffer.conf you have to mark the line blacklist vesafb as a comment like this:

#blacklist vesafb

In /etc/initramfs-tools/modules tell the system to load the needed modules by adding the following lines:

fbcon
vesafb

after that, you have to create a new boot image with

sudo update-initramfs -u

reboot and pray.