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Your hardware is an association.
When presented with the text on the screen "boot:" then the options below can be given.
Options must have the kernel name before the option.
Adding the vga=771 option:
boot: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-k7 root=/dev/hda1 ro quiet splash
boot: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-k7 root=/dev/hda1 ro quiet splash vga=771
Options can be used together such as in this example:
/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-k7 root=/dev/hda1 ro quiet splash noapic nolapic
These options are used by the kernel, and will apply to any system at any time. The file "Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt" in the relevant linux-source package provides more information.
| Option | Impact |
| vga=xxx | Set framebuffer resolution to VESA mode xxx. Check here for a list of possible modes. |
| acpi=off OR noacpi | This parameter disables the whole ACPI system. This may prove very useful, for example, if your computer does not support ACPI or if you think the ACPI implementation might cause some problems (for instance random reboots or system lockups). |
| acpi=force | Activates the ACPI system even if your computer BIOS date is older than 2000. This parameter overwrites acpi=off and can also be used with current hardware if the ACPI support is not activated despite apm=off. |
| pci=noacpi OR acpi=noirq | These parameters disable the PCI IRQ routing |
| pci=acpi | This parameter activates the PCI IRQ routing |
| acpi_irq_balance | ACPI is allowed to use PIC interrupts to minimize the common use of IRQs. |
| acpi_irq_nobalance | ACPI is not allowed to use PIC interrupts. |
| acpi=oldboot | Deactivates the ACPI system almost completely; only the components required for the boot process will be used. |
| acpi=ht | Impact Deactivates the ACPI system almost completely; only the components required for hyper threading will be used. |
| noapic | Disable the "Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC)". |
| nolapic | Disable the "local APIC". |
| apm=off OR noapm | Disable the Advanced Power Management. |
| irqpoll | Changes the way the kernel handles interrupt calls (set it to polling). Can be useful in case of hardware interrupt issues. |
| xforcevesa | Force X to start using VESA driver. Usefull for some notebooks with uncommon video interfaces. |
These options will cause the initrd to pause execution and spawn a shell. Only one option at a time may be specified (the last wins). See also:
| Option | Impact |
| break=top | Break before any scripts are run (including usplash) |
| break=modules | Break before any modules are loaded |
| break OR break=premount | Break before the premount scripts are run (ie: udev) |
| break=mount | Break before the root partition is mounted |
| break=bottom | Break before the 'bottom' scripts are run |
| break=init | Break just before control is handed over to /sbin/init. |
(This list is far from complete, please feel free to add some options.)
These options are usually used when installing a system, and are picked up by the installer program or start-up scripts, and not by the kernel.
| Option | Impact |
| debian-installer/framebuffer=false | Disable framebuffer. |
| hw-detect/start_pcmcia=false | Don't start PCMCIA. Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, one of the stranger names for a piece of hardware. Your hardware is an association.
|
| netcfg/disable_dhcp=true | Force static network config. |
| bootkbd=uk | Set keyboard map. Use a two letter ISO country code to get the right letters on the right keys. This option can help with password problems. |
(This list is far from complete, please feel free to add some options.)
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