*BSD News Article 59284


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From: geert@fozzie.sun3.iaf.nl (Geert Bosch)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: ATI Mach-64 problems in Textmode!!!
Date: 9 Jan 1996 22:05:55 +0100
Organization: La Calandre Infortunee
Lines: 85
Message-ID: <4culbj$gab@fozzie.sun3.iaf.nl>
NNTP-Posting-Host: fozzie.sun3.iaf.nl
Keywords: FreeBSD, ATI, installation
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2]

I have a very strange problem with FreeBSD v2.05R (didn't receive the
new one yet) and my ATI Mach-64 Xpression PCI videocard with 1 MB DRAM.
The kernel loads fine, but after that I get (when it starts
initializing hardware) a strange video-effect occurs and my screen
turns black and it looks like the (black) picture isn't synchronized
anymore. I tried to disable all devices which were not needed,
(including the possibly conflicting 4th serial port at 0x2E8) but that
didn'd help. Replacing the ATI Mach-64 with an old ET4000 fixed the
problem.  Note that I'm not talking about X-Windows, but just the
normal text-mode.

This problem does not occur while running OS/2 or Linux. While using the ET4000
I compiled a few different kernels with any stuff not really neccessary
removed, but that didn't help. Also using the other terminal driver did
not help.

BTW. I also tried (by booting 'blind') if XFree would initialize my videocard
properly, but again no picture appeared although the X-Server was
detected and initialized properly. I tried using the standard VGA
driver, the SVGA driver and the ATI Mach-64 specific driver.

The manual of the ATI video card lists the following technical data:

   Video Memory Address
    * A000-BFFF plus the memory aperture address enabled through 
      the INSTALL program.
   Video BIOS Address
    * C000-C7FF
   Video Port Address
    * 102, 1CE, 1CF, 2E8, 2EC, 2ED, 2EE, 2EF, 3?4, 3?8, 3?9,
      3?A, 3?B, 3C0, 3C1, 3C2, 3C3, 3C4, 3C5, 3C6, 3C7, 3C8,
      3C9, 3CA, 3CC, 3CE, 3CF, 3DC, and all aliases; 46E8.
      (?=B for monochrome, ?=D for color operation)
   Video interrupt (Reserved for future use):
    * PCI -- system auto-configurable.

The OS/2 diagnostics program lists the following:

   Graphics Adapter Configuration
--------------------------------------
  Upgrade Module P/N   Unavailable
  Controller Type      PCI ATI-264CT
  Controller Revision  9
  Base I/O Address     2ECh
  Video BIOS Version   2.4, 1995/09/26
  Video BIOS P/N       113-32103-103
  VGA Functionality    Enabled
  Video Memory         1Mb - DRAM
  VGA Memory Boundary  Shared
  Monitor Type         Custom
  Power-Up Video Mode  VGA (CV80) Color pri.
  DAC Type             Built-in
  Aperture Status      8Mb @ 4032Mb
  Installed Modes      640x480 106Hz N.I. (max bpp = 16)
                       800x600 87Hz N.I. (max bpp = 8)
                       1024x768 75Hz N.I. (max bpp = 8)
                       1152x864 60Hz N.I. (max bpp = 8)
		       640x480 79Hz N.I. (max bpp = 24)
		       800x600 75Hz N.I. (max bpp = 16)


I'd like to be able to run FreeBSD on my system, even if it's textmode only,
so if anybody has solutions I'd really appreciate them. Please send a copy
of any follow-up by e-mail since I can hardly keep up with the news-flow.

Other system information of my system (if it's relevant):

  CPU : 486DX33 with 16 MB RAM
  Bus : PCI rev 2.0
        - ATI Mach 64 w/ 1 MB DRAM (Xpression)
	- NCR 810 SCSI controller with BIOS v3.02
	  (540 MB Quantum, Archive Viper 150S and DEC 2x CD-ROM connected)
        - 3COM Etherlink III (3C509) (ISA, at IRQ 10)
	- SB16 ASP Sound card (ISA, at IRQ 5)

Greetings,
   Geert

-- 
E-Mail: geert@sun3.iaf.nl 
 Phone: +31-53-4303054

-- 
E-Mail: geert@sun3.iaf.nl 
 Phone: +31-53-4303054