*BSD News Article 63398


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From: pascal@nike.rz.uni-konstanz.de (Pascal Gienger)
Subject: Old Compaq386/20e and freebsd 2.1.0 - display problems
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Organization: Universitaet Konstanz
Summary: 
Keywords: FreeBSD 2.1.0, Compaq 386/20e, display
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Date: 1 Mar 96 11:03:44 GMT
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I just tried to install (for fun) FreeBSD 2.1.0 on a very old
Compaq 386/20e with 640k + 8192k of RAM. Installation worked somewhat
(after 5 or 6 tries to boot kernel from installation floppy) but after
Install, booting stops with a system reset after loading the kernel.
I tried to built another (on another machine), eliminating all drivers
I don't need. With the fixit floppy and my installed partition, I managed
to ftp this kernel to my system.
I repeated the step for a kernel with "vt0" enabled and "sc0" disabled.
Booting the kernel with sc0 again stops with system reset.
Booting the kernel with vt0 gives normal system start... But I don't see
any character on my screen, but I am able to login remotely... (after
adding a user using "adduser" without seeing what I typed in... :-)  ).
The last line I can see on my screen is "total 0x25ca6a entry point=0x100000".

I think the problem is due to the very old Video hardware of this
Compaq (onboard). 

What can be done (besides disabling the onboard video adapter and using
a newer video card) ?

The onboard video claims to be "compatible with IBM VGA"...

Pascal
-- 
Pascal.Gienger    Zentrale Rechner Rechenzentrum Universitaet Konstanz
@uni-konstanz.de  Voice: +49 7531 16074
                  Fax  : +49 7531 20370