- a precise description of the problem

I'm only able to see the first three lines of the kernel loading when using vesafb-tng.
The hole rest is completly scrambled across the screen.

- the model and manufacturer of your graphics board

ATI Technologies Inc., FireGL 5000

- the exact kernel version you are using (including patchset versions);
  if you have applied the vesafb-tng patch manually, make sure you include
  the version of the patch you used as well

linux-2.6.16_rc1-git3 (with gentpatches-2.6.16-pre)

- the output of `dmesg` (make sure the messages that are displayed during the
  boot are not scrolled out of the log buffer!)

[need to reboot first!]

- the kernel command line parameters you are using in GRUB/LILO

kernel  (hd0,1)/boot/kernel-2.6.16_rc1-git3-tng root=/dev/sda2 video=vesafb:640x480-32@60

- `cat /usr/src/.config | grep _FB`

CONFIG_FB=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_FILLRECT=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_COPYAREA=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_IMAGEBLIT=y
# CONFIG_FB_MACMODES is not set
CONFIG_FB_MODE_HELPERS=y
# CONFIG_FB_TILEBLITTING is not set
# CONFIG_FB_CIRRUS is not set
# CONFIG_FB_PM2 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_CYBER2000 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ARC is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ASILIANT is not set
# CONFIG_FB_IMSTT is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VGA16 is not set
CONFIG_FB_VESA=y
# CONFIG_FB_VESA_STD is not set
CONFIG_FB_VESA_TNG=y
CONFIG_FB_VESA_DEFAULT_MODE="640x480@60"
# CONFIG_FB_HGA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_S1D13XXX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_RIVA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_I810 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_INTEL is not set
# CONFIG_FB_MATROX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_RADEON_OLD is not set
# CONFIG_FB_RADEON is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ATY128 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ATY is not set
# CONFIG_FB_SAVAGE is not set
# CONFIG_FB_SIS is not set
# CONFIG_FB_NEOMAGIC is not set
# CONFIG_FB_KYRO is not set
# CONFIG_FB_3DFX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VOODOO1 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_CYBLA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_TRIDENT is not set
# CONFIG_FB_GEODE is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VIRTUAL is not set
CONFIG_FB_SPLASH=y

- `cat /proc/fb0/vbe_info`

Version:    3.0
Vendor:     (C) 1988-2005, ATI Technologies Inc. 
Product:    M26P-GL
OEM rev:    01.00
OEM string: ATI ATOMBIOS

- `cat /proc/fb0/modes`

320x200-15
320x200-16
320x200-32
320x200-32
320x240-15
320x240-16
320x240-32
320x240-8
512x384-15
512x384-16
512x384-32
512x384-8
640x350-15
640x350-16
640x350-32
640x350-8
640x400-15
640x400-15
640x400-16
640x400-16
640x400-32
640x400-32
640x400-8
640x400-8
640x400-8
640x480-15
640x480-16
640x480-32
640x480-32
640x480-8
720x400-15
720x400-16
720x400-32
720x400-8
800x600-15
800x600-16
800x600-32
800x600-32
800x600-8
1024x768-15
1024x768-16
1024x768-32
1024x768-32
1024x768-8
1152x864-15
1152x864-16
1152x864-32
1152x864-8
1280x1024-15
1280x1024-15
1280x1024-16
1280x1024-16
1280x1024-32
1280x1024-32
1280x1024-32
1280x1024-8
1280x1024-8
1400x1050-15
1400x1050-16
1400x1050-32
1400x1050-8
1600x1200-15
1600x1200-16
1600x1200-32
1600x1200-8

- `fbset -i`

mode "640x480-60"
    # D: 23.845 MHz, H: 29.844 kHz, V: 60.048 Hz
    geometry 640 480 640 480 32
    timings 41937 80 16 13 1 63 3
    vsync high
    rgba 8/16,8/8,8/0,0/0
endmode

Frame buffer device information:
    Name        : VESA VGA
    Address     : 0xc0000000
    Size        : 15360000
    Type        : PACKED PIXELS
    Visual      : MONO01
    XPanStep    : 0
    YPanStep    : 0
    YWrapStep   : 0
    LineLength  : 0
    Accelerator : No