Re: [9fans] ATI Xpert98 "OEM" Edition - doesn't work with Plan9

Re: [9fans] ATI Xpert98 "OEM" Edition - doesn't work with Plan9

[forsyth]

>>The Xpert98 should work; hopefully all that's
>>wrong is the recognition of the card for what it is.

i could be wrong, but i suspect a table in /sys/src/9/pc/vgamach64xx.c
and one or more switch statements in /sys/src/cmd/aux/vga/mach64xx.c
will also need to have the ('G'<<8)|'R' case added for the device to work.

and it still might not work.  i had bad luck with one supposed xpert98 oem
model but others worked.

still, i've built a new install diskette, which might work.  i'll send you details
by email.

Re: [9fans] ATI Xpert98 "OEM" Edition - doesn't work with Plan9

[Douglas A. Gwyn]

Russ Cox wrote:
> I think Doug was talking about ...

Oops, sorry I got the installed path wrong -- working
solely from (obviously faulty) memory.

> Currently the install script gets this right: ...

Great!  Makes life easier (once one knows about it).

Re: [9fans] ATI Xpert98 "OEM" Edition - doesn't work with Plan9

[Russ Cox]

	to ship you a retail Xpert 98.)  Don't forget there are two
	vgadb files, one on the floppy and one in /n/9fat (use Plan 9
	command "9fat:" before trying to edit the latter); once you
	have the system running you need to also fix up the /n/9fat
	version and reboot.

There's no vgadb in the boot (9fat) partition.

I think Doug was talking about the one on the floppy
(a:\vgadb) and one in /lib/vgadb in the installed system.
In earlier releases if you had to edit a:\vgadb you also
had to edit /lib/vgadb post-install.  Currently the
install script gets this right: it copies a:\vgadb into
/lib/vgadb after the installation.  So you needn't worry
about that.

Russ

Re: [9fans] ATI Xpert98 "OEM" Edition - doesn't work with Plan9

[Douglas A. Gwyn]

Keith Nash wrote:
> I have obtained an ATI Xpert 98 "OEM" card.  Like the real Xpert 98 it uses
> the Rage XL chipset and has 8Mb of RAM.

According to ATI's Web site before its recent restructuring,
there are actually a couple of different chipsets (XL vs. LT PRO)
used for products named "Xpert 98".

> 0xC0080  CB 90 90 0D 0A 41 54 49 20 52 41 47 45 20 53 44   .....ATI RAGE SD
> 0xC0090  52 41 4D 20 42 49 4F 53 20 50 2F 4E 20 31 31 33   RAM BIOS P/N 113
> Is there any way to get this card to work with Plan9?

Yes, the Plan 9 installation guide (troubleshooting section)
should explain how to do this.  Basically, edit vgadb to
add another entry that matches a unique portion of the BIOS,
e.g. at C0085 "ATI RAGE SDRAM".  Then it might either work or
"sort of" work, the latter case consisting of bad framing in
Rio (multiple panes, tearing, or something of the sort), in
which case the MACH64 driver needs to be hacked to use
different timing.  (Probably easier to get somebody in the US
to ship you a retail Xpert 98.)  Don't forget there are two
vgadb files, one on the floppy and one in /n/9fat (use Plan 9
command "9fat:" before trying to edit the latter); once you
have the system running you need to also fix up the /n/9fat
version and reboot.

Re: [9fans] ATI Xpert98 "OEM" Edition - doesn't work with Plan9

[Keith Nash]

Thanks for the help - the installation is now one step forward.  It tries to
switch to graphics, but then produces garbage.  My monitor (a Dell M770,
Hsync 30-69 kHz, Vsync 48-160Hz) just says "Signal Out Of Range".  I haven't
got a 'scope so I can't examine the signals. I notice that in the default
PLAN9.INI, the monitor is selected as "multisync75".  In case this is the
problem, I tried changing this to "micron-17FGx", since the frequency range
for this monitor is stated in VGADB to lie within the range of my M770.  No
difference.  Any suggestions?

Best wishes,

Keith.


----- Original Message -----
From: Russ Cox <rsc@plan9.bell-labs.com>
To: <9fans@cse.psu.edu>; <k.j.nash@usa.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 5:06 PM
Subject: Re: [9fans] ATI Xpert98 "OEM" Edition - doesn't work with Plan9


> The Xpert98 should work; hopefully all that's
> wrong is the recognition of the card for what it is.
>
> After making the boot disk, edit a:\vgadb
> and look for the section with all the Mach64
> entries.
>
> Add the marked line (without the >>>)
>
> 0xC0000-0xC0200="MACH64GB"
> 0xC0000-0xC0200="MACH64GM"
> >>> 0xC0000-0xC0200="MACH64GR"
> 0xC0000-0xC0200="MACH64GZ"
>
> and try booting again.
>
> Russ
>

Re: [9fans] ATI Xpert98 "OEM" Edition - doesn't work with Plan9

[Russ Cox]

The Xpert98 should work; hopefully all that's
wrong is the recognition of the card for what it is.

After making the boot disk, edit a:\vgadb
and look for the section with all the Mach64
entries.

Add the marked line (without the >>>)

	0xC0000-0xC0200="MACH64GB"
	0xC0000-0xC0200="MACH64GM"
>>>	0xC0000-0xC0200="MACH64GR"
	0xC0000-0xC0200="MACH64GZ"

and try booting again.

Russ

[9fans] ATI Xpert98 "OEM" Edition - doesn't work with Plan9

[Keith Nash]

Dear 9fans,

I have bought the Plan 9 boxed set, and I am keen to install the software on
a PC.  However, I have had grave difficulties finding a PCI graphics card
that will cooperate with the Plan9 installer.  The ATI Xpert 98 PCI is no
longer available in Europe, and although mwave still has stock, it will not
ship outside North America.

I have obtained an ATI Xpert 98 "OEM" card.  Like the real Xpert 98 it uses
the Rage XL chipset and has 8Mb of RAM.  Unfortunately, it will not run the
Plan9 installer from floppy: it never gets beyond the initial text screen.
Its BIOS does not correspond to any of the settings in /lib/vgadb: instead
it is

0xC0080  CB 90 90 0D 0A 41 54 49 20 52 41 47 45 20 53 44   .....ATI RAGE SD
0xC0090  52 41 4D 20 42 49 4F 53 20 50 2F 4E 20 31 31 33   RAM BIOS P/N 113
0xC00A0  2D 37 32 33 30 31 2D 31 30 30 20 0D 0A 00 28 43   -72301-100 ...(C
0xC00B0  29 20 31 39 38 38 2D 31 39 39 39 2C 20 41 54 49   ) 1988-1999, ATI
0xC00C0  20 54 65 63 68 6E 6F 6C 6F 67 69 65 73 20 49 6E    Technologies In
0xC00D0  63 2E 42 4B 34 2E 33 2E 30 34 2F 34 2E 33 32 38   c.BK4.3.04/4.328
0xC00E0  20 78 6C 37 32 33 2E 30 31 20 6D 6C 76 36 31 31    xl723.01 mlv611
0xC00F0  20 00 4D 41 43 48 36 34 47 52 50 43 49 4D 54 53    .MACH64GRPCIMTS
0xC0100  44 55 4E 38 00 00 4A 00 00 A0 04 1C EC 02 00 00   DUN8..J.........

Is there any way to get this card to work with Plan9?

Even if I manage to find a non-OEM (boxed retail) Xpert98, will it
necessarily have the correct BIOS, or might the BIOS be an "upgraded"
version?

Best wishes,

Keith Nash,
k.j.nash@usa.net
Worcester, UK.