Baslinux mailing list

[sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>]

On Fri, 25 Mar 2005, David Moberg wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "sindi keesan" <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>
>
> > > I will build an FB kernel, with those patches. Per usual, look on my
> > > website tomorrow for the zimage, and other stuff that you need.
>
> It's ready now.

Downloaded them.  Your site still refers to 'some of' the netpbm programs 
and they claim to have over 220 but you list 100+

Could you also post the relevant parts of your .config file for the new 
kernel so that I can modify mine and recompile my own kernel?  (I included 
sound support in my kernel for sb16, about 460K kernel).

> > The Framebuffer HOWTO had a list of things to compile into the
> > kernel suh as 'unified accelerated driver' and various cards such
> > as Matrox:
> >
> > I may have missed something: Advanced low-level drivers;  Mono, 2 4
> > 8 16 24 and 32 bpp packed, VGA text, Video selection, framebuffer
> >
> > For Matrox also Matrox acceleration and the modules for specific cards.
> > fbmatrox?  For other cards fbvesa.

> I included both. matroxfb is a module.

I also downloaded your vesafb.tar.gz.  Will try to get to this next week.
I will look in Slackware 7.1 for modules that you did not include.

> > I could not follow what exactly to do with the framebuffer-capable
> > kernel. Maybe you could try it first and list what you did?  I
> > think you need to set it up with an X-server but then all
> > frame-buffer cards will work the same, right? The parport zip drive just 
> > arrived.  Too many new toys all at once
> > - your boot floppy for parport zip linux, the netpbm programs, and
> > now a Kdrive.
> >
> > >
>
> OK. You need to switch kernels, of course. Grab the bzImage.gz from my
> website. Uncompress it before use. Also get the vesafb.tar.gz file.

> Now set up your bootloader to use my bzImage. When you boot into the new
> kernel, you need to set the resolution you want. To do that, pass the
> vga=xxxx boot parameter to the kernel. Pick one of the following for
> xxxx:

Is this text mode only?

With regular VGA you can set vga=ask.  Then use restoretextmode -w to 
write whatever mode you are in to a file and resizecons to  choose modes 
after booting.  Can you do that with fb too?

Resizecons messes up my MDA display so I usually leave it at 80x25 and 
just change in order to use a text browser in VGA once in a while.

The list I found also includes 1600 at 256 colors.

>    | 640x480  800x600  1024x768 1280x1024
> ----+-------------------------------------
> 256 |  0x301    0x303    0x305    0x307
> 32k |  0x310    0x313    0x316    0x319
> 64k |  0x311    0x314    0x317    0x31A
> 16M |  0x312    0x315    0x318    0x31B

> If you get a screen at the resolution you picked, you're ready to get
> into X. So unpack the vesafb.tar.gz file, make sure you've got all the
> fonts from BL3 installed, then first run
>
> mknod /dev/fb0 c 29 0

(and you can also set up an fb1, I think it was c 29 32, for dual-monitor 
systems with Matrox as second video chip).

> to set up the framebuffer device. Then, run xfbdev from the vesafb.tar.gz
> package. You should see the familiar large black X on salt-and-pepper
> background.

Is this an X server?  Or a program that eliminates the need for an 
X-server and operates like svgalib but at higher resolution (goes to 
1600).  I will try it and see what happens next week.  (I am supposed to
be working once in a while not just playing with linux).

Will try in both BL2 and BL3.

Links2 from Delilinux is compiled to use one of:
X (any X server including Xvesa)  if you go into X and type links2 -g
svgalib - type links2 -g -mode (and a mode such as 640x480x256)
fb - from CLI type links2 -g without any mode (if you don't have an fb
device it tells you so and won't load).


> > So there is a default scroll mode?  Shift-Page Up?  (I had to remap
> > my 84-key keyboard to use also PgUp).
>
> Yes.
>
> > Many thanks.  I will gladly be the guinea pig.  I have Trio64 and
> > Virge already installed and can also try the Matrox if need be.
>
> Directions for the matrox to follow later.

I will try this first with S3 Virge.  Then some day attempt to use two VGA 
monitors with Matrox as the second.  It is not suitable for use in DOS 
with pictview.

The matrox needed more changes made to the kernel.  See the HOWTO for 
matrox or dual-head systems.

> David
> --
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keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org
SDF Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf.lonestar.org