diff --git a/kernel/kernel.h b/kernel/kernel.h
index db234e7..e650f75 100644
--- a/kernel/kernel.h
+++ b/kernel/kernel.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // kernel.h
 // Author: Josh Holtrop
 // Date: 08/16/04
-// Modified: 08/28/04
+// Modified: 01/04/05
 
 #ifndef __HOS_KERNEL_H__
 #define __HOS_KERNEL_H__ __HOS_KERNEL_H__
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	u32_t	width;		// width in pixels or columns if vid_mem == 0
 	u32_t	height;		// height in pixels or columns if vid_mem == 0
 	u32_t	vid_mem;	// amount of memory for video buffer
-	u32_t	bpp;		// bits per pixel - 16/24/32
+	u32_t	bpp;		// bits per pixel - 15/16/24/32
 } __attribute__ ((packed)) real_mode_param_t;
 
 /* returns true to callee if we should jump to a real mode module */
diff --git a/rmmod/conio.inc b/rmmod/conio.inc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..619ccdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rmmod/conio.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+; conio.inc
+; real mode console input / output functions
+; Author: Josh Holtrop
+; Date: 01/04/05
+; Modified: 01/04/05
+
+
+con_getkey:
+	xor	ax, ax
+	int	0x16
+	ret
+
+
+con_move_cursor:		;con_move_cursor(word location)
+	push	bp
+	mov	bp, sp
+	push	ax
+
+	mov	ax, [bp + 4]
+	mov	[cursor], ax
+	call	con_write_cursor
+
+	pop	ax
+	pop	bp
+	ret
+
+
+con_clear:
+	pusha
+
+	mov	ax, 0xB800
+	mov	es, ax
+	mov	di, 0
+	mov	ax, 0x0720
+	mov	cx, 2000
+	rep stosw
+	mov	[cursor], word 0
+	call	con_write_cursor
+
+	popa
+	ret
+
+
+con_putstring:			;con_putstring(char *str)
+	push	bp
+	mov	bp, sp
+	pusha
+
+	mov	si, [bp + 4]
+putstring_loop:
+	lodsb
+	or	al, al
+	jz	putstring_done
+	mov	ah, 0x07
+	push	ax
+	call	con_putc
+	add	sp, 2
+	jmp	putstring_loop
+
+putstring_done:
+	popa
+	pop	bp
+	ret
+
+
+con_putc:			;con_putc(char chr)
+	push	bp
+	mov	bp, sp
+	pusha
+	
+	mov	ax, 0xB800
+	mov	es, ax
+	mov	di, [cursor]	
+	mov	ax, [bp + 4]
+	cmp	al, 10
+	jz	putc_return
+	stosw
+	jmp	putc_update
+putc_return:
+	mov	ax, di
+	mov	bl, 160
+	div	bl		; quotient in al, remainder in ah
+	shr	ax, 8
+	sub	di, ax
+	add	di, 160
+putc_update:
+	mov	[cursor], di
+	call	con_write_cursor
+	popa
+	pop	bp
+	ret
+
+
+con_write_cursor:
+	pusha
+
+	mov	ax, [cursor]
+	shr	ax, 1
+
+	mov	bl, al
+	mov	dx, 0x03D4
+	mov	al, 0x0E
+	out	dx, al
+
+	inc	dx
+	mov	al, ah
+	out	dx, al
+
+	dec	dx
+	mov	al, 0x0F
+	out	dx, al
+
+	inc	dx
+	mov	al, bl
+	out	dx, al
+
+	popa
+	ret
+
+
+cursor:	dw 0
+
diff --git a/rmmod/rmmod.asm b/rmmod/rmmod.asm
index 8bf587e..f93d146 100644
--- a/rmmod/rmmod.asm
+++ b/rmmod/rmmod.asm
@@ -2,9 +2,12 @@
 ; real mode module for HOS
 ; Author: Josh Holtrop
 ; Date: 09/20/04
+; Modified: 01/04/05
 
 %define VIRT_OFFSET 0xC0000000
-	
+
+%include "rmmod.inc"
+
 ; the bootstrap process will jump us to 0x0:0x5010 so we'd better be ready for it
 [org 0x5000]
 [bits 16]
@@ -29,15 +32,39 @@ start_refreshed:
 
 ; begin real-mode code initialization, etc...
 
+	call	con_clear
+
+	mov	ax, 0x4F00
+	mov	di, vbe_info_block
+	int	0x10
+	cmp	ax, 0x004F
+	jz	vesa_present
+	jmp	no_vesa
+
+vesa_present:
+	ccall	con_putstring, txt_vesa
+	mov	ax, [VideoModePtr]
+	mov	es, ax
+	mov	si, [VideoModePtr + 2]
+
+	jmp	end_rmmod
+
+no_vesa:
+	ccall	con_putstring, txt_novesa
 
 
-; get ready to go back to pmode and return to kernel initialization
+
+
+
+end_rmmod:			; get ready to go back to pmode and return to kernel initialization
+	call	con_getkey
 	mov	ebx, [dat_retn]
 	lgdt	[gdtrlin32]
 	mov	eax, cr0
 	or	eax, 0x01
 	mov	cr0, eax
 	jmp	KERNEL_CODE_LIN32:segmented_start
+
 [bits 32]
 segmented_start:
 	lgdt	[gdtrbs32]
@@ -53,43 +80,8 @@ offset_continue:
 
 
 [bits 16]
-; putString(int position, char *str)
-putString:
-	push	bp
-	mov	bp, sp
-	push	ds
-	push	es
-	push	edi
-	push	esi
-	push	eax
 
-	mov	ax, 0xb800
-	mov	es, ax
-	xor	ax, ax
-	mov	ds, ax
-	mov	ax, [bp + 4]
-	mov	di, ax
-	shl	di, 1
-	mov	ax, [bp + 6]
-	mov	si, ax
-
-putString_loop:
-	lodsb
-	stosb
-	cmp	al, 0
-	jz	putString_loop_done
-	mov	al, 0x07
-	stosb
-	jmp	putString_loop
-putString_loop_done:
-
-	pop	eax
-	pop	esi
-	pop	edi
-	pop	es
-	pop	ds
-	pop	bp
-	ret
+%include "conio.inc"
 
 ;-------------------------------------------------------
 gdtrlin32:
@@ -154,6 +146,22 @@ KERNEL_DATA_BS32 equ $-gdtbs32
 gdt_endbs32:
 
 
-dat_rmadd		dd	0
-dat_initrd		dd	0
-dat_retn		dd	0
+txt_vesa:	db "VESA found. Please select:", 10, 0
+txt_novesa:	db "VESA not found, using 80x25 console mode... press any key", 10, 0
+
+dat_rmadd:		dd	0
+dat_initrd:		dd	0
+dat_retn:		dd	0
+
+vbe_info_block:
+VbeSignature:	db	"VBE2"
+VbeVersion:	dw	0
+OemStringPtr	dd	0
+Capabilities:	times 4 db 0
+VideoModePtr:	dd	0
+TotalMemory:	dw	0
+OemSoftwareRev:	dw	0
+OemVendorName:	dd	0
+OemProductName:	dd	0
+OemProductRev:	dd	0
+Reserved:	times 478 db 0
diff --git a/rmmod/rmmod.inc b/rmmod/rmmod.inc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..330a396
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rmmod/rmmod.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+; rmmod.inc
+; Author: Josh Holtrop
+; Date: 01/04/05
+; Modified: 01/04/05
+
+%macro jzfar 1
+        jnz     %%skip
+        jmp     %1
+%%skip:
+%endmacro
+
+%macro jnzfar 1
+        jz     %%skip
+        jmp     %1
+%%skip:
+%endmacro
+
+%macro ccall 2
+	push	%2
+	call	%1
+	add	esp, 2
+%endmacro
+
+%macro ccall 3
+	push	%3
+	push	%2
+	call	%1
+	add	esp, 4
+%endmacro
+
+%macro ccall 4
+	push	%4
+	push	%3
+	push	%2
+	call	%1
+	add	esp, 6
+%endmacro
+
+%macro ccall 5
+	push	%5
+	push	%4
+	push	%3
+	push	%2
+	call	%1
+	add	esp, 8
+%endmacro
+