Re: Volari-XP Display Driver (was RPM install file conflict)

[Rick Stevens <rstevens vitalstream com>]

John Morfit (VA/NQL) wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: redhat-install-list-bounces redhat com
> > [mailto:redhat-install-list-bounces redhat com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 3:19 PM
> > To: Getting started with Red Hat Linux
> > Subject: Re: RPM install file conflict
> >
> >
> > John Morfit (VA/NQL) wrote:
> >
> > > John Morfit (VA/NQL) wrote:
> > >
> > > Ooh! I have an unsupported display adapter that's giving me 
> >
> > visual fits (XGI Volari-XP5). I found some web pages that 
> > recommended using the Volari V3 RPM for RH9 to get the 
> > Volari-XP5 running (neither Dell nor XGI have released any 
> > Linux drivers for the Volari-XP5).
> >
> > > Hmmm... Can I somehow edit an Xorg X11 configuration file 
> >
> > to direct it to the existing RHEL4 trident_drv.o?
> >
> > You could edit it, but the RH9 driver is unusable.  The internal
> > structure of kernel modules between 2.4 and 2.6 is radically different
> > and completely incompatible.  In fact, 2.6 kernel modules 
> > have the ".ko"
> > suffix to make sure they're differentiated from old 2.4 modules (with
> > the ".o" suffix).
> >
> > I'd recommend you get a newer video card if you can.  If the video is
> > built into your motherboard, I'd still try to get an AGP or even a PCI
> > card to replace it and see if you can disable the on-board 
> > video in your
> > BIOS.  If you're truly stuck with that hardware, my guess is that the
> > vesa driver would work, but it'll limit you to an 800x600
> > non-accelerated display at best.
> >
> > I'm sorry I can't be of more help.
>
>
> Rick,
> You've provided some ideas (not sure if I can implement them or not), for which I'm thankful.

"Even a blind pig finds the occasional truffle." :-)

> Yes, the VESA 800x600 driver was auto-installed and provides weird, very hard to read colors. It also implemented 29 lines of display area in SH while only showing 25 lines. Very hard to use!

Sounds like it picked up a bad mode when it probed your monitor.  That's
a common-enough occurance.

> I squinted really hard, and edited anaconda-ks.cfg to provide VESA generic with 1024x768 resolution and 24 bit color depth. I also selected the Trident CyberbladeXP driver in the Applications>System Settings>Display>Hardware>Video Card. Then I logged out. Startx failed, so I delected xorg.conf and restored the backup.

A hint:  While looking at the GUI screen, "CTRL-ALT-F1" through
"CTRL-ALT-F6" will get you to a standard text mode command line login.
There are six of them and then correspond to the six virtual consoles.
Also, while looking at the GUI screen, a "CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE" will
restart the X system and return you to the GUI login.

When in one of the text-mode screens, holding down ALT and pressing F1
through F6 will switch you between the virtual consoles.  And since the
GUI runs on virtual console 7, "ALT-F7" will return you to the GUI.
Neat, eh?  Now you know more than you ever wanted to.

> Now with startx, I get proper colors! Go figure. And SH has 25 lines displayed & implemented (I can use Emacs properly!).

Yet another quote:  "There are stranger things in heaven and earth than
are dreamt of in your philosophy."  And in Linux, on occasion it seems.

Weird! :-p

> Thanks,

You're welcome, sir.
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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens vitalstream com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-    Reality: A crutch for those who can't handle science fiction    -
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