Peter Jensen wrote:

> Magnus wrote:
>
>> I am frequently using the console instead of X.
>
> So am I.
>
>> I have been using both kernel 2.4.x and 2.6.x though the same problem
>> appears rather often i.e. the bottom 1/3 of the console looks strange
>> and I can only use 2/3 of the console for editing and command line
>> etc.
>
> Strange ... Never heard of it before ...
>
>> It does not help to type e.g. "clear" or "tput clear"...
>
> How about 'reset'?
>
>> Is this a well known problem?
>
> How did you configure the kernel? Home-brew or did you use some sort of
> configuration tool?
>
>> I am not using any frame buffer features.
>
> Define "features". Are you using frame buffer at all? Perhaps X is
> messing with the graphics card in some way. I've seen it do that from
> time to time when I'm forced to kill X. I restore the console with
> 'textmode' from 'media-libs/svgalib'. First I had to run 'savetextmode'
> in a working configuration, though.


Thanks Peter!

I will try a reset next time it happens.

The graphic card is integrated on the motherboard:
0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Matrox Graphics, Inc. MGA G200 AGP
(rev 03)

The strange thing is that this happens e.g. after I have been editing with
vim or after I have been reading a man-page. I have never seen this before
though I will try to do a reset next time. This happens also without using
X first.

Regards,
Magnus