Baslinux mailing list

[<keesan2 AT cyberspace.org>]

> > > 1.) Why links2 does not work under svgalib.

> > I get a blank screen with a very large arrow.  
> 
> So do I but the screen is a bit scrambled and the computer hanged.


> > What specifically is not working for you?  What happens when you try to
> > use Links 2?
> 
> Is it because I do not have a video card?

An onboard video chip should work as well as a video card.  Syschk says
your chip is Vesa 1.1 compatible. 

I don't know if svgalib requires that the video chip be Vesa 1.2
compatible.  Read the documentation for svgalib.  I have had scrambled
screens (pieces of the screen in the wrong place) with cards that were
Vesa 1.1 compatible when the program require Vesa 1.2.  Can you disable
onboard video and add a video card which is Vesa 1.2 compatible? 
If you cannot, you may not be able to run programs that need svgalib.
 
> > > 2.) Why ptftotext for dos failed to work in dos.
> > 
> > I have written Doug Kaufman (who compiled pdftotext for DOS and Linux)
> > with your error message from the DOS pdftotext asking him for ideas.  I
> > told him you have a math coprocessor.
> 
> No, I do not, as information from syschk showed.

In the SYSCHK report which you posted there is a line near the beginning
that says 

Coprocessor:  Internal 

In the IRQ list a few pages down there is a line:

IRQ13 = Internal (Math Coprocessor)

I think this means that you have an internal math coprocessor which is
using IRQ13.

  
> > > 3.) Will Xvesa work for my system?
> > 
> > You appear to have VESA 1.1, which will not work with Xvesa since Xvesa
> > needs VESA 2.0.  Does whatvga2 also tell you that you have VESA 1.1?
> 
> Yes. 

There is a manual page for svgalib (in man7) which lists the supported
chipsets.  Try to find your chipset in that manual page.

For instance it says it works with Trident TVGA 8900C and possibly A and
B.  I have plain 8900 and it works with that too, but my 8900 is one of
those rare ones that is Vesa 1.2 compatible so it may be using the Vesa
not the Trident driver.  

It works with most Oak and Tseng and S3 chips, etc.  

There are a set of test programs that you can use to make sure svga is
working with your computer.  Most of them crashed my computer.

I think you are trying to accomplish something impossible by using your
particular computer with Linux, since it has 4M RAM and an uncommon video
chip.  But this is a good way to learn something.

> > 
> >  
> > > ############################################################################
> > >            Advanced Personal Systems  SYSCHK Information Printout
> > >               Saturday, May 31, 2003  Version: 2.45
> > >                           -----------------------
> > >                            * Unregistered Copy *
> > >                           -----------------------
> > > PROCESSOR----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >                                Model: AT clone
> > >                            Processor: Intel i486DX or i487SX-25
> > >                          Coprocessor: Internal
> > 



> > You do have a math coprocessor.