Re: [gentoo-user] X Windows setup questions on my new machine

[Mick <michaelkintzios@gmail.com>]

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On Saturday 26 June 2010 23:48:46 Christopher Swift wrote:
> On 26 June 2010 22:36,  <waltdnes@waltdnes.org> wrote:
> > 1) Text sucks on webpages, and other GUI apps.  For a sample, see...
> > http://clients.teksavvy.com/~walterdnes/misc/webtext.png where I snipped
> > 2 sentences from the CNN webpage.  How can I fix it?
> > 
> > 2) Back in 2000, one of the things that drove me to linux was the
> > availability of true console text mode, and also true console text mode
> > apps.  Up till now, I've used text mode when possible, because it's a
> > lot easier on my eyes.  I'm realistic about using X for web browsing and
> > spreadsheets, and other GUI-oriented stuff.  But email and text files
> > should be textmode, dammit.
> > 
> >  However, my new machine's Intel integrated graphics chip doesn't agree.
> > X will *NOT* work unless I enable i915 DRM driver in make menuconfig,
> > like so...
> > 
> > <*>   Intel 830M, 845G, 852GM, 855GM, 865G (i915 driver)  --->
> > 
> >  This results in framebuffer being *FORCED* on.
> > 
> > <*> Direct Rendering Manager (XFree86 4.1.0 and higher DRI support
> > -*- Lowlevel video output switch controls
> > -*- Support for frame buffer devices  --->
> > 
> >  Let's just say that framebuffer video on a 1920x1200 24" LCD "sucketh
> > to the max".  I get 74 rows by some ridiculous number of columns of
> > miniscule, virtually unreadable font.  This is with the default VGA
> > boot, not with VGA=6.  Is there any way I can get rid of framebuffer
> > mode, while retaining X functionality?  Why the bleep does X Windows
> > require framebuffer, anyways?  The "lspci -vv" output for my video card
> > is listed below...
> > 
> > 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Clarkdale
> > Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 12) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
> >        Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. Device 7636
> >        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop-
> > ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
> >        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort-
> > <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
> >        Latency: 0
> >        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 31
> >        Region 0: Memory at fb800000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
> >        Region 2: Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
> >        Region 4: I/O ports at cc00 [size=8]
> >        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
> >        Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
> >                Address: fee0f00c  Data: 4199
> >        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2
> >                Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA
> > PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
> >                Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
> >        Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features
> >                AFCap: TP+ FLR+
> >                AFCtrl: FLR-
> >                AFStatus: TP-
> >        Kernel driver in use: i915
> > 
> > --
> > Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>
> 
> I had a similar problem with fonts in X and I used the following
> walkthrough guide to fix it:
> http://www.kev009.com/wp/2009/12/getting-beautiful-fonts-in-gentoo-linux/

Walter, have you tried to find the vga modes that your card supports using 
vbetools (you'll need vbetest) or running 'hwinfo --vbe' ?

Then you can experiment with the different settings until you get a font size 
that suits your needs.

-- 
Regards,
Mick

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