--- /usr/src/etc/rc.syscons	Sun Aug 18 15:05:29 2002
+++ /etc/rc.syscons	Sun Sep 29 16:54:35 2002
@@ -171,21 +171,40 @@
 	;;
 esac
 
-# set this mode for all virtual screens
+# Use ${allscreens_flags) and ${allscreens_kbdflags} for all virtual terminals:
 #
+vt_list() {
+	# Assume that VTs are the /dev/ttyv* devices which the shell
+	#	redirection mechanism can successfully open; it should
+	#	mean that the device has been kernel-configured as a VT.
+	for ttyv in /dev/ttyv*; do
+		if { : <${ttyv}; } 2>/dev/null; then
+			## keep the braces to redirect the error messages
+			echo "${ttyv}"
+		fi
+	done
+}
+
 if [ -n "${allscreens_flags}" ]; then
+	# load the "vesa" kernel module if it looks like one of the "VESA" or
+	#	"132" modes has been requested and it's not already loaded.
+	if [ "${allscreens_flags#VESA} != "${allscreens_flags}" -o \
+	     "${allscreens_flags#132} != "${allscreens_flags}" ] ; then
+		if ! kldstat -n vesa >/dev/null 2>&1; then 
+			kldload vesa >/dev/null
+		fi
+	fi
+	# continue
 	echo -n ' allscreens'
-	for ttyv in /dev/ttyv*; do
-		vidcontrol ${allscreens_flags} < ${ttyv} > ${ttyv} 2>&1
+	for vt in $(vt_list); do
+		vidcontrol ${allscreens_flags} < ${vt}
 	done
 fi
 
-# set this keyboard mode for all virtual terminals
-#
 if [ -n "${allscreens_kbdflags}" ]; then
 	echo -n ' allscreens_kbd'
-	for ttyv in /dev/ttyv*; do
-		kbdcontrol ${allscreens_kbdflags} < ${ttyv} > ${ttyv} 2>&1
+	for vt in $(vt_list); do
+		kbdcontrol ${allscreens_kbdflags} < ${vt}
 	done
 fi