Hi, I have compiled and installed a 2.6.20-smp kernel but it seems that I can either enable framebuffer with vga=791 boot parameter but no longer be able to run X, or leave out the vga=791 in the boot parameter and be able to run X. I am trying to get usplash to work. With vga=791 I was able to see the usplash screen but X failed. Without vga=791 usplash failed with "bogl_init: Cannot open /dev/fb0: No such file or directory". I was successful in getting usplash to work and boot into gnome with a generic Debian 4.0 installation. Can someone tell me what kernel config parameters I need to set to get both framebuffer and X support?

First of all, what is 2.6.20-smp kernel? Where did you get it? That's not a naming convention from kernel.org.

Secondly, what did you use for a config file? Did you copy "/boot/config-`uname -r`" (note the backquotes) as your config file (.config)?

Open xconfig or menuconfig.
Go to "Graphics support" > "Support for frame buffer devices"
Also further down "Graphics support" you will find "Console display driver support".

Its in those areas that you will find your answer.