How to Clear Screen Artifacts in TTY: Complete Guide

To get rid of alternative screen remnants in TTY, you need to use the correct clearing commands and possibly configure terminal parameters. Your combination of TerminusBold 12x24 and VirtIO GPU may require additional settings for proper screen clearing.

Contents

• Main TTY clearing methods
• Terminal parameter configuration
• Specific solutions for VirtIO GPU
• Permanent cleanup configuration
• Alternative approaches

Main TTY clearing methods

The most effective ways to clear alternative screen remnants in TTY are:

1. Using the reset command - the most reliable complete terminal reset

   bash

   reset
   

2. Combination of ANSI escape sequences - allows precise control over clearing

   bash

   echo -e "\033[2J\033[H"  # Clear screen and move cursor to beginning
   

3. Using tput commands - low-level terminal control

   bash

   tput reset
   

As mentioned in the documentation, the tput reset command is especially effective for restoring the terminal after working with fullscreen applications.

Terminal parameter configuration

For your configuration with the TerminusBold 12x24 font, additional configuration may be required:

1. Check current font settings:

   bash

   showconsolefont
   

2. Temporarily change font size (if current one causes artifacts):

   bash

   setfont ter-v12b
   

3. Configure terminal parameters:

   bash

   stty sane  # Restore standard terminal parameters
   

As discussed in Arch Linux, clearing issues are often related to incorrect terminal parameter configuration after using fullscreen applications.

Specific solutions for VirtIO GPU

VirtIO GPU may require special approaches to screen clearing:

1. Using VidControl (if available):

   bash

   vidcontrol -f default
   

2. Force redraw through kernel:

   bash

   echo 1 > /sys/class/tty/tty0/active
   

3. Configure GRUB boot parameters for proper VirtIO operation:

   bash

   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="console=tty1 nomodeset"
   

It’s worth noting that as mentioned in discussions, the console=tty1 parameter can help solve screen clearing issues on virtual machines.

Permanent cleanup configuration

To avoid recurring problems, set up permanent parameters:

1. Editing /etc/default/console-setup:

   bash

   sudo nano /etc/default/console-setup
   

   Add parameters:

   FONTFACE="TerminusBold"
   FONTSIZE="12x24"
   ACTIVE_CONSOLES="/dev/tty[1-6]"
   

2. Automatic clearing on system login:
   Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.profile:

   bash

   # Clear terminal artifacts on startup
   [ "$TERM" = "linux" ] && reset
   

3. Configure GRUB for proper operation:
   Edit /etc/default/grub:

   bash

   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="console=tty1 quiet splash"
   sudo update-grub
   

As shown in configuration examples, proper font and terminal parameter configuration significantly improves TTY performance.

Alternative approaches

If standard methods don’t work, consider alternative solutions:

1. Using fbterm for improved font rendering:

   bash

   sudo pacman -S fbterm
   

2. Running through tmux/screen for session isolation:

   bash

   tmux new-session
   

3. Manual screen buffer management:

   bash

   # Full clear while preserving history
   clear && history -c
   

As noted by Arch Linux users, for complex cases with screen artifacts, a combination of methods may be required.

Sources

1. Clearing TTY after working with applications
2. Configuring fonts in Linux console
3. Changing TTY fonts
4. Screen clearing issues
5. Configuring GRUB for console
6. Choosing fonts for TTY

Conclusion

1. For quick clearing, use the reset command or the ANSI escape sequence combination \033[2J\033[H
2. For a permanent solution, configure parameters in /etc/default/console-setup with your TerminusBold 12x24 font
3. When working with VirtIO GPU, add the console=tty1 parameter to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX
4. For complex cases, consider using fbterm or tmux for session isolation
5. Regularly check terminal status with the stty sane command after working with fullscreen applications

The optimal solution for your configuration is a combination of reset and proper GRUB boot parameter configuration, which should completely eliminate alternative screen artifacts.