RE: [aclug-L] Video card choice (was: Debian package management)

["Dale W Hodge" <dwh@xxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-aclug-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-aclug-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On
> Behalf Of Greg House
> Sent: Sunday, March 07, 1999 11:10 PM
> To: aclug-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [aclug-L] Video card choice (was: Debian package
> management)
>
>
> As an update to my previous message, here are my results.  I tried the S2
> Virge/GX2 card and it woudln't work at all.  W98 found it and used it ok,
> but Linux wouldn't even complete the boot.  It hung every time right after
> the line where it said it was probing the serial port (I think).
> I suspect
> some sort of PnP-based resource conflict, but I don't know for sure.
>
> At that point I stuck the STB card in there.  It worked better
> with the STB
> card (uses an S3 Virge/VX chipset), but I can't seem to get
> anything beyond
> 8bpp to work.
>
> Sort of disturbingly, it actually locks the entire machine when starting X
> at 16bpp (or with acceleration enabled...).  Down to the hardware
> level, the
> ATX hot power switch won't even turn the thing off!  The reset
> switch still
> works, but that's about it.  None of the ALT-Fn or Ctrl-Alt-Backspace,
> Ctrl-Alt-Delete, Ctrl-C, none of that does anything.
>
> When I've worked with other video cards, if X doesn't start right, you can
> just kill the X server with Ctrl-Alt-BS and try again.  This really stinks
> in terms of time 'cause you have to endure a reboot complete with fscks to
> clean up the mess left behind when you flipped the power off.  Kind of
> flying blind on the stuff too.  The README for the chipset says stuff like
> "you might try this option, or that option, or the other option"
> but doesn't
> really say what'll actually WORK.
>
> At this point, I think the point's moot 'cause I probably won't use these
> video cards for it, but I'm still curious why they're not working.  If
> anyone can give me a clue, I'd appreciate it.  In the mean time,
> it's off to

One possible point of conflict: Com4, ie /dev/ttyS3. Some video cards have
their hardware mapped to the same address range as com4. Another possibility
is mapped memory in the C000-FFFF range.  You need to check with your video
card documentation to see whether your card uses either of these features.
If so, you must make sure no other card tries to use the same range.  Linux
an Virge chipsets work fine, but you must check the documentation for the
correct xserver, as the virge is picky about xserver strings...

Good Luck!


- Dale W Hodge -

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