Baslinux mailing list

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

> > Do you have a better idea than using this TSR, other than paying (shudder)
> > for a different video card?  The S3s are perfect for Xvesa and svgalib.
>
> using a card-specific X... youll gain more than more video modes with
> it... youll get hardware accelerated 2d and sometimes even 3d
> (depending on card... the s3 virge supports 3d acceleration but doesnt
> have enough features to do so with opengl) functions rather than just
> a framebuffer.... a framebuffer is best suited to video and
> software-rendered games (like quake)... which is why its called a
> 'framebuffer'... using it for a gui puts more strain on the CPU than
> is necessary..

I use the framebuffer to see 132 columns and more rows.
I don't think I need acceleration for anything.  No games.
What do you mean by strain on the CPU?  xfbdev loads faster than Xvesa.
I have fast CPUs now.  Don't need Xvesa if I use the Virge X server (or 
xfbdev).

> > > > sdd653-d.exe  Shareware.  I used to use the older univesa to upgrade ISA
> > > > cards so they would display 1024 at 256 colors in DOS programs.

> shareware... the vidcard companies themselves will release DOS vesa
> TSRs (ATI has their own TSR) and if not.. if its a popular card like
> early s3 series then there will be free stuff for them...

I will try your smaller freeware driver instead for S3.
The early ATI cards are only 2MB RAM.

> > After loading SDD
> >
> > Xvesa -listmodes:
> >
> > Interrupt pointer doesn't point at ROM
> > Modes only up to 640x480, and 1 or 4-bit color except for 320x200x8, which
> > is similar to what i810 does with Xvesa, I think.
>
> interrupt pointer doesnt point at ROM because its pointing to the DOS
> based SDD TSR that cant be accessed from inside linux... the cards
> that do work after loading SDD are most likely given a shadow bios by
> the program in ram (similar to the system bios 'video shadow'
> function) the ones that dont have to be accessed -through- the running
> program... which isnt possible from inside linux but is from DOS...

Does this mean some other cards (such as S3) might still work with Xvesa?

(But not this Matrox which does not need SDD anyway).

> this is just -one- example of why not to use dos TSRs (and why its a
> bad idea IMO to boot linux from dos in the first place... linux is its
> own OS... it isnt a dos program...)

It saves the bother of isapnp tools to use AWE32 but now I have Timidity.

How else might I get framebuffer from the S3 Virge?

> imagine a TSR that hooked and replaced the bios int13 functions (the
> harddrive) or one that hooked irq8 (the clock)... have an idea of the
> problems that could happen in linux?

Things would not work right?  I don't follow the details.

> > Xvesa won't load even at 640x480x4. Interrupt pointer doesn't point at ROM
> > again.  Segmentation fault.
>
> like i said its pointing to the inaccessable dos program in ram rather
> than a bios

On some computers or with some video cards it points to himem.sys or 
emm386.exe?  At RAM not ROM?

> > Maybe it would still help the i810 but it could disable Xvesa entirely.
> >
> > I should check the Virge for Xvesa.  vesafb does not allow use of fbset to
> > change resolutions so xfbdev would work only at the resolution into which
> > you boot (vga=788, etc., on the loadlin line).
>
> ive never used framebuffer kernels... vesa or otherwise so i cant help 
> there...
> >

> > The Virge does not need Xvesa.  There is a Virge server.
>
> which would make the most use of the functions provided by the
> chipset... and is the best way to go... (note: beware buggy s3 bioses
> that may cause problems with the s3 X... if you encounter a buggy bios
> when using the s3 X you will know instantly... trust me...)

S3 has worked for me except one computer where nothing works with BL3 
Xvesa but works with BL2 and the same Xvesa.

What functions does the S3 server provide better than Xvesa or xfbdev?
I don't need speed for games.  Only use X for Opera or xpdf.  The limiting 
factor is download speed in Opera, and probably cpu speed for xpdf.


> > Sindi