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Kernel ModeSetting (short: KMS)

Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) provides faster mode switching for X and console. It also provides native-resolution VTs on some laptops and netbooks which, prior to this, would use some standard mode, e.g. 800×600 on a 1024×600 panel.

To enable, you need:

Intel GfxCards

i915 driver

From xserver-xorg-video-intel version 2:2.9.1-2, KMS is enabled by default on Linux, by the way of the file /etc/modprobe.d/i915-kms.conf. So from Squeeze on, no hand modification should be necessary anymore.

Known bugs

AMD/ATI GfxCards

radeon driver

From xserver-xorg-video-radeon version 1:6.12.192-2, KMS is enabled by default on Linux, by the way of the file /etc/modprobe.d/radeon-kms.conf. So from Squeeze on, no hand modification should be necessary anymore.

Known bugs

nVidia GfxCards

nouveau driver

KMS is enabled by default on Linux in Debian kernels from Squeeze on, so no hand modification should be necessary. KMS is required for using the xserver-xorg-video-nouveau package.

Known bugs

Disabling KMS

On Intel and Radeon cards KMS is disabled at run time in Debian kernel images by default.1 It is enabled via modprobe configuration files provided by the xserver-xorg-video-intel and xserver-xorg-video-radeon packages. nVidia cards have KMS enabled in the kernel by default.

To disable KMS for Intel and Radeon cards, either:

To disable KMS for nVidia cards, either:

If you want to use the proprietary driver, the nvidia-kernel-common package blacklists nouveau for you.

Setting via Grub

Configuring the KMS via Grub can be done via the /etc/default/grub config file by doing something similar to the following:

# echo "GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=1152x864x24" >> /etc/default/grub
# update-grub

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