Re: [Linux-fbdev-devel] bugs in G450 framebuffer console under linux 2.4.17

[Carl W. S. <ch...@re...>]

once a long time ago, Petr Vandrovec was kind enough to write: 

> In that case:
> (1) Get kernel 2.4.17
> (2) Download ftp://platan.vc.cvut.cz/pub/linux/matrox-latest/mga-2.4.17.gz
> (3) Apply patch (zcat mga-2.4.17.gz | (cd /usr/src/linux-2.4.17; patch -p1))
> (4) Run kernel configuration tool and answer yes for G100-G550 support,
>     G450 dualhead support, and for Matrox /proc interface support. You can
>     answer yes to something else too, but these three are mandatory.
> (5) Make sure that BIOS uses ATI for its output
> (6) Reboot and pray
> (7) You should get nice picture on ATI (either from BIOS, vgacon or atyfb)
>     and nice picture on both G450 heads (though you'll see nothing on them
>     except color dots after bootup; con2fb & matroxset is your friend)
> (8) If (7) did not happen, send me contents of all
>     /proc/driver/mga/fb*/* you'll find (you should find one 'bios' and
>     one 'pins' for each Matrox video card in your box).

sorry about the delay. holidays eat into time, and fighting my way back out
from under all my mailing lists took longer than I thought. :(

I patched my kernel and gave it a try. 

here's the results of my tests:

test #1
settings:
PCI (ATI Xpert 98  - Mach64 chip) primary display (as set in the BIOS).
no video= options
result:
nothing readable on any of the 3 heads.
ATI - blank; tho there were some white pixels scrolling by on the left side
of the screen at boot time.
Matrox Head #1 - generally bluish pattern of 'snow' (in regular linear
patterns).
Matrox Head #2 - purplish pattern of 'wavy lines'

rebooted, and did it again to see if result was repeatable. same thing
happened.

test #2
settings:
PCI primary
passed video=matrox:vesa:0x11A
result:
framebuffer console appeared on Matrox Head #1
ATI - completely blank, tho still getting some sort of signal.
Matrox Head #1 - got fb console
Matrox Head #2 - same wavy purple pattern as in test #1

logged in, and copied the contents of /proc/driver/mga/fb0/ to:
www.redchrome.org/misc/bios
www.redchrome.org/misc/pins

I don't have a con2fb utility, but I do have a con2fbmap utility. tried
experimenting with it, but didn't see any results. tried (as root)
'con2fbmap tty1 /dev/fb1' and 'con2fbmap tty1 /dev/fb2'; but didn't see any
results. 
I didn't have a copy of your 'matroxset' program on hand, so I didn't test
to see what I could do with that.

test #3
settings:
AGP primary
no video= options
result:
no working console. :(

ATI - no signal
Matrox Head #1 - black with vertical white 'pinstripes'
Matrox Head #2 - the purple wavy lines again

how much does the information about the unreadable framebuffer colors &
patterns actually help? can one gain more information knowing that something
showed 'black with white pinstripes' rather than 'horizontal purple
wavy-line patterns'?

Carl Soderstrom
-- 
Network Engineer
Real-Time Enterprises
(952) 943-8700