| ID | Project | Category | View Status | Date Submitted | Last Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0000655 | AlmaLinux-10 | General | public | 2026-07-20 19:24 | 2026-07-20 19:24 |
| Reporter | jiazixin | Assigned To | |||
| Priority | normal | Severity | text | Reproducibility | always |
| Status | new | Resolution | open | ||
| Platform | x86_64 | OS | almalinux | OS Version | 9.8 |
| Summary | 0000655: Anaconda text-mode installer uses an abnormally large 16x32 console font on AlmaLinux 9.8 | ||||
| Description | During an automated AlmaLinux 9.8 x86_64 installation using iPXE and Kickstart text mode, the Anaconda interface on TTY1 switches to an abnormally large 16x32 console font. Environment: - Distribution: AlmaLinux 9.8 - Architecture: x86_64 - Virtualization platform: Proxmox VE 8.4.19 - Installation method: iPXE with Kickstart - Kickstart mode: text - Installation locale: en_US.UTF-8 - Anaconda version: anaconda-34.25.7.14-1.el9.alma.1 - Virtual framebuffer driver: bochs-drmdrmfb - Framebuffer resolution: 1280x800 The framebuffer resolution is correct and the issue is limited to the virtual console used by Anaconda. Measured console settings: TTY1, where Anaconda is running: - Terminal size: 25 rows and 80 columns - Console font: 16x32x512 TTY2, the installer shell: - Terminal size: 50 rows and 160 columns - Console font: 8x16x512 Both virtual consoles use the same 1280x800 framebuffer. Therefore, the problem is not caused by a low framebuffer resolution or browser/noVNC scaling. Anaconda explicitly changes the font only on TTY1. The Anaconda log confirms the font change: console fonts found for locale en_US.UTF-8: ['eurlatgr'] setting console font to eurlatgr console font set successfully to eurlatgr After Anaconda loads eurlatgr on TTY1, the console changes from the normal 8x16 font to 16x32. This halves the number of available rows and columns and makes the text-mode installer interface abnormally large. The same Proxmox environment does not show this behavior when installing AlmaLinux 9.7 or AlmaLinux 10.2. The issue is reproducible with AlmaLinux 9.8. | ||||
| Steps To Reproduce | 1. Create an x86_64 virtual machine on Proxmox VE 8.4.19. 2. Start the AlmaLinux 9.8 installer through iPXE using the official AlmaLinux 9.8 kernel and initrd images. 3. Supply a Kickstart file that contains: text lang en_US.UTF-8 4. Wait for Anaconda to start on TTY1. 5. Observe that the Anaconda text interface uses an abnormally large font. 6. Switch to the installer shell using Ctrl+Alt+F2. 7. Check the TTY1 console size and font: stty -F /dev/tty1 size showconsolefont -C /dev/tty1 -i 8. Check the TTY2 console size and font: stty size showconsolefont -i 9. Check the framebuffer: cat /proc/fb cat /sys/class/graphics/fb0/virtual_size Actual results: TTY1: 25 80 16x32x512 TTY2: 50 160 8x16x512 Framebuffer: 0 bochs-drmdrmfb 1280,800 Reproducibility: Always Expected result: Anaconda TTY1 should use a normal console font suitable for a 1280x800 framebuffer. It should use the same 8x16 font and 160x50 terminal dimensions as TTY2, consistent with the behavior observed on AlmaLinux 9.7 and AlmaLinux 10.2. | ||||
| Additional Information | Possible upstream regression: This issue appears to be related to the RHEL 9.8 Anaconda change introduced in anaconda-34.25.7.13 for RHEL-144834: https://redhat.atlassian.net/browse/RHEL-144834 The relevant change sets the Anaconda display mode before locale initialization: anaconda.display_mode = opts.display_mode startup_utils.initialize_locale(opts, text_mode=anaconda.tui_mode) Comparison: https://github.com/rhinstaller/anaconda/compare/anaconda-34.25.7.12...anaconda-34.25.7.13 With text mode detected during locale initialization, Anaconda calls get_locale_console_fonts() and set_console_font(). The RHEL 9 Anaconda implementation invokes: setfont eurlatgr The Anaconda log from this reproduction confirms that exact operation. On TTY1, it results in a 16x32 font and an 80x25 terminal, while TTY2 remains at 8x16 and 160x50. The AlmaLinux-specific Anaconda patches appear to be limited to branding, repository configuration, subscription/CDN removal, and installer colors. They do not appear to modify the localization or console-font selection code. This is therefore likely an upstream RHEL 9.8 Anaconda regression exposed by the RHEL-144834 text-mode locale initialization change, rather than a Proxmox framebuffer or AlmaLinux-specific branding issue. Relevant upstream source: https://github.com/rhinstaller/anaconda/blob/rhel-9/pyanaconda/localization.py | ||||
| Tags | almalinux-9.8, anaconda, console-font, ipxe, kickstart, Proxmox, text-mode | ||||
- Anonymous
