it isn't bound automatically so you need bind -b '#v' /dev to make it appear in /dev, or use echo -n 'size 800x600x8' >'#v/vgactl' that's probably still not what you intend, because VGA being what it is, a host of major and minor register values need to be adjusted in most cases, in a device-dependent way. use aux/vga, described by vga(8). read the manual page first, though. aux/vga eventually sets the using vgactl, but sets all those registers first, if it can. it needs to be done outside rio.