Linux Desktop Hacks

Jazz Up Your Debian System Boot #8

Chapter 1, Booting Linux

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23

HACK

Use your favorite editor to modify your /etc/apt/sources.list file to include the

following line:

deb http://www.bootsplash.de/files/debian unstable main

Then update the package database and install the necessary files:

# apt-get update

# apt-get install sysv-rc-bootsplash

# apt-get install bootsplash bootsplash-theme-newlinux

If you are running a Debian-based distribution instead of

true-blue Debian, you will probably have problems install-

ing these packages. You must convert your Debian-based

distribution into a true Debian system for these instructions

to work. This process isn’t difficult, but it is different for

each Debian-based product, and an explanation of the neces-

sary steps is beyond the scope of this book.

When Debian installs the bootsplash package, the installation dialog pre-

sents a list of existing initrd images it finds, and it asks you to make a choice

about your initrd file. If you created an initrd file called initrd.img-2.6.8.1,as

in the previous example, select that file from the list. In this case, the instal-

lation program will append the boot splash information to your existing

initrd file.

If you do not have or need an initrd file for this kernel, select

none from the

list. In this latter case, the configuration program creates an initrd file for

you called initrd.splash.

Set Up Your Bootloader

Most people use either LILO or GRUB as their bootloaders, so let’s take a

look at both. But first, you must decide what screen resolution and color

depth you want for your frame-buffer consoles. The bootloader uses a com-

mand something like the following:

vga=791

The decimal number 791 sets the console to 1024x768 with 64,000 colors.

This is usually the safest number to use (not all video cards support all com-

binations of resolutions and color depths). You can experiment with others.

Table 1-1 shows you which numbers represent the various resolutions and

color depths.

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Chapter 1, Booting Linux

#8 Jazz Up Your Debian System Boot

HACK

The LILO bootloader is controlled by the settings in the /etc/lilo.conf file.

These settings determine which operating system or kernel version your

machine boots with, and which configuration options are passed to Linux at

boot time.

Here is a sample entry in the /etc/lilo.conf file that supports the boot splash

and frame-buffer console. Notice the line that sets the

vga mode to the deci-

mal number

791. This number specifically refers to the frame-buffer console

resolution 1024x768 at 16-bit (64,000 colors) color depth (see Table 1-1).

The line

append="splash=silent" tells the boot splash sequence not to show

all the steps Linux takes during boot time. Instead, you will see a progress

bar. If you would rather see all the boot information, change that line to

append="splash=verbose". If you choose "splash=silent", you can still press

the F2 key during the boot process to switch to verbose mode. However,

once you press F2 to switch to verbose mode, you cannot switch back to

silent mode.

If you have an initrd image, such as initrd.img-2.6.8.1, set up your LILO

entry like this (substitute your kernel version where appropriate):

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8.1

label=Linux

root=/dev/hda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img-2.6.8.1

append="splash=silent"

vga=791

If you do not have an initrd image and you selected none during boot splash

configuration, set up your LILO entry more like this (substitute your kernel

version where appropriate):

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8.1

label=Linux

root=/dev/hda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.splash

append="splash=silent"

vga=791

Whenever you modify your /etc/lilo.conf file, you must run the command

lilo for the changes to take effect.

Table 1-1. Frame-buffer decimal codes

Color depth 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024

8-bit 769 771 773 775

15-bit 784 787 790 793

16-bit 785 788 791 794

24-bit 786 789 792 795