VGA problems

[Steven Plite splite@wdni.com]

>> prompt.  /tmp/x contains:

>>	tag =3D3D Tnone; expected Tfile

>> I tried fiddling with the entry for the PowerGraph X-24 in /lib/vgadb,=
 such
>> as commenting out the lines following "link=3D3Dvga".  No help.  I als=
o
>> changed the BIOS ID string, to make sure vga(8) was actually recognizi=
ng my
>> card.  It is.

> 1) i don't understand the error in /tmp/x, it's nothing to do with aux/=
vga,
> try running ramfs first;

If it's the "3D" bit in the error message that's throwing you, I have no =
idea
where that came from.  Ignore it.  I'll look into ramfs anyway, though.

> 2) i don't understand the reference to "link=3D3Dvga", you haven't been=

> fiddling with aux/vga without a licence have you?

Again, ignore the "3D".  (Maybe this stupid HP mailer is dorking my mail =
up.)
And, no I haven't been fiddling with "aux/vga".  (I don't know enough x86=

machine language to patch the binary... :)  I was only modifying /lib/vga=
db.

> my understanding here is that you have a supported vga card but an
> unsupported monitor.  using the line "monitor=3Dvga" in plan9.ini and t=
he
> distributed /lib/vgadb should work for resolutions of 640x480x[18] and
> 800x600x[18].  then you need to either find a suitable entry in the mon=
itor
> section of /lib/vgadb (one of the 'multisync... entries) or craft one
> yourself.

No, that's not it.  All my experiements *have* been using "monitor=3Dvga"=
 and
640x480x1 resolution.  My problem is that my supposedly supported card do=
esn't
appear to work.  Any attempt to get it to change into a VGA mode (I've tr=
ied
640x480x1 and 1024x768x1) causes my PC to lock up.

I tried Plan 9 on a different machine with a Cirrus Logic 5430 PCI VGA ad=
aptor.
When I first booted it into 640x480x1, aux/vga rightly complained that it=

couldn't find a match for it in /lib/vgadb, then switched into 640x480.  =
Okay,
fine.  Add an entry to vgadb, restart, everything's cool.

I would expect the same thing to work with my X-24.  I even commented the=

entry for it in vgadb out, so that aux/vga would assume a vanilla VGA car=
d and
switch to 640x480x1.  No dice.  Locks every time.

Again, the only reason I'm still yammering about this is that this card i=
s
claimed to be supported.  Has anyone outside BL gotten this sucker to wor=
k?
If not, maybe the docs and /lib/vgadb should to be updated so the next po=
or
sucker doesn't get his hopes up. :)

BTW, is the 4-floppy dist going to be updated with fixes from time to tim=
e, or
is the current version "it" until the next major CD-ROM release?

Thanks again for you help.
_________________________________________________________________________=
______
Steven Plite  <splite@wdni.com>       Open Systems Eng. & Support, Weyerh=
aeuser
    "This is the roller coaster of endless and violent vomit."	-- Jason F=
ox