Notes on older video adapters

ATI Mach64 chip set based adapters

• Early ISA bus versions of the ATI Pro Turbo and Xpression video adapters hang during the initial boot process. If your system hangs during boot when this video adapter is installed, contact ATI to obtain a BIOS update to correct this problem.

• The X server uses the BIOS on these graphics adapters to set graphics and text modes.

  To initialize your ATI adapter correctly, boot DOS and run the programs supplied by ATI, following the instructions for those programs. If you remove your ATI graphics adapter and then replace it, rerun the ATI initialization programs.

ATI Rage 128 video adapter hangs

If you are using an older ATI Rage 128 video adapter, the system might hang upon the first reboot after installing or upgrading.

Contact ATI Technical Support to obtain a BIOS update.

ATI Ultra Pro or Ultra Plus

• Some versions of the ATI Ultra Pro and ATI Ultra Plus graphics adapters only display in interlaced mode (even if you select a non-interlaced mode). This can result in an annoying, high-speed flicker on your display. To adjust monitor scan rates, boot DOS and run the configuration program supplied by the manufacturer.

• Using an ATI Ultra Pro (Mach32) EISA video adapter on fast 486 (33 MHz or faster) machines might cause a system hang while running the X server. This system hang is believed to be caused by a hardware timing problem. If you experience this hang more than once, contact your SCO OpenServer representative to obtain a modified Mach32 driver. The modified driver uses inlining of I/O functions to slow it down and avoid the hang.

ATI Ultra Pro or Ultra Plus -- Early 92

This grafinfo file is identical to the version provided in earlier operating system releases. It has been provided in this release for backwards compatibility. This version of the grafinfo file does not require that you initialize the adapter with the ATI DOS setup program, but ATI recommends it.

This version of the grafinfo file does not cause the X server to use the BIOS on these graphics adapters to set graphics and text modes. Instead, it sets graphics and text modes directly by initializing registers on the card.

Use this version of the grafinfo file if your ATI Ultra Pro or ATI Ultra Plus adapter hangs when accessing the Root Menu of the window manager.

Chips & Technology 6430x chip set based adapters including BOCA Voyager

• Because of a problem with the X drivers (ct8 and ct16), cards based on the CT6430x chip set (including the BOCA Voyager) will not ``run while switched''. This means that, when you switch away from the graphics multiscreen, the clients on that screen will not run. They will resume when you switch back to the graphics multiscreen.

• In some cases, cards using the CT6430x chip set hang the X server when used with Adaptec SCSI host adapters.

  If this happens, power cycle to reboot.

  If you experience this problem, we recommend you use a different video card or host adapter.

Cirrus Logic GD 5428 chip set based adapters

You might notice an unusual cursor appearance in some graphical applications, such as scomail(XC). The cursor might appear as a block of scrambled bits rather than the I-beam cursor. To fix this behavior, use this procedure:

1. Determine the mode you are using.

   If you are not sure of the mode, start the Video Configuration Manager and look for the mode information in the ``Video Adapter and Resolution'' field. Alternatively, you can look up the mode information in the /usr/lib/grafinfo/grafdev file.

2. Edit the file /usr/lib/grafinfo/cirrus/gd5428.xgi.

   Find the entry for the mode in use. For example, the entry for 1024x768-256 is similar to:

      MODE   1024x768-256-70 "1024x768 256 colors 70Hz non interlaced"
   

   Then, find the Data section for that mode description, which is similar to:

       DATA
         {
         XDRIVER     = "gd6_8";
         VISUAL      = "PseudoColor";
         DEPTH       = 8;
         PIXWIDTH    = 1024;
         PIXHEIGHT   = 768;
         WINDOWADDR  = 0xC0000;  /* address of memory window in GD5428 */
         CURSORADDR  = 0xFE000;  /* address of cursor data */
         CURSORSIZE  = 0x02000;
         }
   

3. Add the definition:

      GD5434  = 1;
   

   The example DATA section would look like this:

       DATA
         {
         XDRIVER     = "gd6_8";
         GD5434      = 1;
         VISUAL      = "PseudoColor";
         DEPTH       = 8;
         PIXWIDTH    = 1024;
         PIXHEIGHT   = 768;
         WINDOWADDR  = 0xC0000;  /* address of memory window in GD5428 */
         CURSORADDR  = 0xFE000;  /* address of cursor data */
         CURSORSIZE  = 0x02000;
         }
   

4. The cursor problem disappears the next time you start the X server.

Compaq QVision 1280 (2MB)

• If you use the Compaq EISA System Configuration Utility to enable or disable QVision High Memory Address (HMA) mode or to change the HMA address, rerun the Video Configuration Manager and re-select QVision 1280 to implement the change.

• The Compaq QVision 1280 grafinfo file is recreated each time you invoke the Video Configuration Manager if a QVision /I or /E adapter is installed in your EISA or EISA/PCI system. The grafinfo file is not recreated if a QVision 1280/P adapter is installed.

Diamond SpeedStar PRO

• The X server uses the BIOS on these graphics adapters to set graphics and text modes. Diamond supplies software to program the monitor type in EPROM in the adapter. This software only runs under DOS.

  To initialize your Diamond adapter correctly, boot DOS and run the programs supplied by Diamond, following the instructions for those programs. If you remove your Diamond graphics adapter and then replace it, rerun the Diamond initialization programs.

• You might notice an unusual cursor appearance in some graphical applications, such as scomail(XC). The cursor might appear as a block of scrambled bits rather than the I-beam cursor. To fix this behavior, follow the procedure given to solve this same problem for Cirrus Logic, except you must edit the file /usr/lib/grafinfo/diamond/sspro.xgi.

  ---

  NOTE: This fix might result in a small degradation of X server performance.

  ---

Diamond Viper PCI (2MB VRAM)

• If you switch from a graphics screen to a character screen and you are using a resolution of 1280x1024, the character multiscreen will not display correctly (it displays column 80 over column 1). To correct this behavior, use the following command:
  
  vidi v80x25

• During initial installation, Diamond Viper PCI adapters default to 16-color 640x480 IBM VGA. To get the full functionality of your adapter, use the Video Configuration Manager after completing the installation.

STB Horizon VL

Some versions of this adapter exhibit video noise in the hardware cursor at high refresh rates.