Kernel 2.4.x video problems

Kernel 2.4.x video problems

[Chris Boot]

Hi all,

I've got a few questions pertaining to video in recent kernels (2.4.x, x >=
10) on both an iMac DV SE/500 (Summer 2000, ATI Rage 128 Pro) and a G4 Dual
533 (ATI Radeon).

First of all, I can only boot the iMac using the novideo kernel argument.
If I attempt to use video=aty128fb with or without any vmode parameters, the
screen just remains black.  I can type blindly and reboot, and got a dmesg.
Nothing out of the ordinary.  If there are any ways of getting verbose
messages from the kernel or the driver itself, I would be rather grateful.

Second, the G4/533 works fine with no arguments, but it remains in 640x480,
8-bit color.  As soon as I try to get some accelerated video using the
Radeon FB driver, the screen remains blank as in the iMac.  A dmesg this
time does in fact yield a message: "radeonfb: could not claim FB region" or
something similar (not by the machine at the moment).  Anyone know what's
causing this?

I can provide full output of either of the dmesg's or lspci's or whatever.

Thanks very much,

--
    .-.         Chris Boot
    /v\        bootc@mac.com
   // \\
  /(   )\    L   I   N   U   X
   ^^-^^    >Phear the Penguin<


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Re: Kernel 2.4.x video problems

[benh]

>
>Hi all,
>
>I've got a few questions pertaining to video in recent kernels (2.4.x, x >=
>10) on both an iMac DV SE/500 (Summer 2000, ATI Rage 128 Pro) and a G4 Dual
>533 (ATI Radeon).
>
>First of all, I can only boot the iMac using the novideo kernel argument.
>If I attempt to use video=aty128fb with or without any vmode parameters, the
>screen just remains black.  I can type blindly and reboot, and got a dmesg.
>Nothing out of the ordinary.  If there are any ways of getting verbose
>messages from the kernel or the driver itself, I would be rather grateful.
>
>Second, the G4/533 works fine with no arguments, but it remains in 640x480,
>8-bit color.  As soon as I try to get some accelerated video using the
>Radeon FB driver, the screen remains blank as in the iMac.  A dmesg this
>time does in fact yield a message: "radeonfb: could not claim FB region" or
>something similar (not by the machine at the moment).  Anyone know what's
>causing this?

for radeon, can you try with a recent 2.4.18pre4 ? It should work
(it does for me actually). You should probably get XFree 4.2.0 to fully
benefit from accel though.

I'm not sure what's up with aty128fb, it should work, but you aren't
the only one to report a problem. I'll check this out.

Ben.


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Re: Kernel 2.4.x video problems

[Chris Boot]

Hi Ben,

>> I've got a few questions pertaining to video in recent kernels (2.4.x, x >=
>> 10) on both an iMac DV SE/500 (Summer 2000, ATI Rage 128 Pro) and a G4 Dual
>> 533 (ATI Radeon).
>>
>> First of all, I can only boot the iMac using the novideo kernel argument.
>> If I attempt to use video=aty128fb with or without any vmode parameters, the
>> screen just remains black.  I can type blindly and reboot, and got a dmesg.
>> Nothing out of the ordinary.  If there are any ways of getting verbose
>> messages from the kernel or the driver itself, I would be rather grateful.
>>
>> Second, the G4/533 works fine with no arguments, but it remains in 640x480,
>> 8-bit color.  As soon as I try to get some accelerated video using the
>> Radeon FB driver, the screen remains blank as in the iMac.  A dmesg this
>> time does in fact yield a message: "radeonfb: could not claim FB region" or
>> something similar (not by the machine at the moment).  Anyone know what's
>> causing this?
>
> for radeon, can you try with a recent 2.4.18pre4 ? It should work
> (it does for me actually). You should probably get XFree 4.2.0 to fully
> benefit from accel though.

Thanks, I'll give it a spin when I get my hands on that G4 again.  The
problem is that it's a friend's computer and he's away for a few weeks now,
so it won't be until about three weeks time if even that.

> I'm not sure what's up with aty128fb, it should work, but you aren't
> the only one to report a problem. I'll check this out.

I've got that running in the end.  I had to use
"video=aty128fb:vmode:16,cmode:32", the modedb way didn't work.  I may even
have a "noaccel" in there, but I can't remember to be honest.  I can look
into it further if you wish, I did attach a dmesg with the aty128fb
debugging enabled to a message I sent to linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, so
check the archives there for it.

Thanks,

--
Chris Boot
bootc@mac.com

"Use the source, Luke." - Obi-Wan Gnuobi


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