Solution
For Linux:
Add the vga=normal nomodeset
kernel boot parameters.
You can add them via your bootloader (e.g. GRUB2) configuration to persist them, or in e.g. GRUB2 press e
on the menu entry and add them at the end of the linux
line to apply them to a single boot.
For GRUB2:
Use the /etc/default/grub
setting GRUB_TERMINAL="console"
(see manual).
This prevents GRUB2 to go into graphical VGA mode (the one that allows it to e.g. display a logo at the top), and forces it to display its menu in the classical console fashion instead.
If you do not use /etc/default/grub
but use GRUB2 commands instead (e.g. if you generate grub.cfg
itself, like NixOS does), you can use the commands that GRUB_TERMINAL
generates for you directly:
terminal_output console
terminal_input console
(Side note: You can also enable the serial console and afterwards use GRUB_TERMINAL="console serial"
to make it work in the iLO's VSP
mode in addition; for more on that, see my VSP answer.)
Explanation
TEXTCONS
only supports a standard VGA terminal.
Details:
vga=normal
because TEXTCONS does apparently not support extended VGA modes (which allow more than 80x25
characters).
GRUB2 will print something about vga=normal
being deprecated, but that
is just its own opinion, Linux did not deprecate the boot option.
nomodeset
to prevent the kernel to do the "kernel mode switch" that gives modern computers pretty higher-resolution virtual terminals.
This is also explained at https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=c02700808&docLocale=en_US. I don't know what the 3
in nomodeset 3
shown there at the end of the kernel parameters means, but it seems it is unnecessary.
Monitor is in graphics mode or an unsupported text mode.
is shown, usually inputs (e.g. pressing keys) still works, even though you cannot see what happens.