[gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[maxim wexler]

Hi group.

For a 2.6.19 kernel w/ATI Rage128 card on a non-X box.
I've been experimenting with the framebuffer and
following the 

http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Framebuffer:Bootsplash:Grubsplash

I'd like at the least for the entire page to appear in
elinks at once without having to scroll from side to
side to read something

Under graphics support I chose <*>vesa-tng and default
mode 1024x768@72. Just guessing. FWIW using a
Mag-Innovision monitor XJ500T c 1996. Don't have a
clue of it's Hsync or Vsync specs.

I did emerge bootsplash but haven't config'd it yet.

According to a posting on this group I added 

video=vesafs:1024x768-72:ywrap:mtrr 

to the kernel line in grub.conf, installed the
bootloader and booted. 

This is what

$dmesg|grep -i vesa

reveals:

Kernel command line: root=/dev/hda3
video=vesafb:1024x768-72:ywrap:mtrr
vesafb: ATI Technologies Inc., R128, 01.00 (OEM: ATI
RAGE128)
vesafb: VBE version: 2.0
vesafb: protected mode interface info at c000:441b
vesafb: pmi: set display start = c00c4489, set palette
= c00c44c3
vesafb: pmi: ports = c810 c816 c854 c838 c83c c85c
c800 c804 c8b0 c8b2 c8b4
vesafb: no monitor limits have been set
vesafb: invalid resolution, width not specified
vesafb: probe of vesafb.0 failed with error -22

And elinks page still scroll sideways :(

Can somebody enlighten me?

Maxim





       
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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[Dan Farrell]

On Sat, 2 Jun 2007 13:53:36 -0700 (PDT)
maxim wexler <blissfix@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hi group.
> 
> For a 2.6.19 kernel w/ATI Rage128 card on a non-X box.
> I've been experimenting with the framebuffer and
> following the 
> 
> http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Framebuffer:Bootsplash:Grubsplash
> 
> I'd like at the least for the entire page to appear in
> elinks at once without having to scroll from side to
> side to read something
> 
> Under graphics support I chose <*>vesa-tng and default
> mode 1024x768@72. Just guessing. FWIW using a
> Mag-Innovision monitor XJ500T c 1996. Don't have a
> clue of it's Hsync or Vsync specs.
> 
> I did emerge bootsplash but haven't config'd it yet.
> 
> According to a posting on this group I added 
> 
> video=vesafs:1024x768-72:ywrap:mtrr 
> 
> to the kernel line in grub.conf, installed the
> bootloader and booted. 
> 
> This is what
> 
> $dmesg|grep -i vesa
> 
> reveals:
> 
> Kernel command line: root=/dev/hda3
> video=vesafb:1024x768-72:ywrap:mtrr

For me, 
| dan@pascal ~ $ cat /proc/cmdline 
| root=/dev/sda3 video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap vga=0x031b

See the comma?  Also, you don't need to use vga, but are you sure you
don't want an '@' where you have a '-' ?  
> 
> 
> 
>        
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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[maxim wexler]

> For me, 
> | dan@pascal ~ $ cat /proc/cmdline 
> | root=/dev/sda3 video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap vga=0x031b
> 

This doesn't work. Get dumped to a screen with the
error message:

'You passed an undefined node number'

Then a request to pick 0-9 modes or use 'scan'

Choosing Scan freezes the console for about 15 secs
after which default(?) framebuffer boots.

Picking modes 7-9 leads to Unknown mode, invalid ID.

Picking modes 0-6 leads to the same default(?)
framebuffer.

> See the comma?  Also, you don't need to use vga, but
> are you sure you
> don't want an '@' where you have a '-' ?  

This was the model I followed in the posting

http://groups.google.ca/group/linux.gentoo.user/browse_thread/thread/114f64c0165ab4f3/2007d4aca55bd086?lnk=st&q=framebuffer+1024x768-60+fish&rnum=1&hl=en#2007d4aca55bd086

BTW, some googling revealed that that my monitor has
the following specs:

EISA ID:0, Horiz Khz: 30.0-70.0; Vert Hz: 50.0-120.0

Any idea how and where to incorporate this info?

mw


 
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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[maxim wexler]

> also, gentoo has a doc:
>
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=10

That gives the best explanation. Now dmesg | grep -i
vesa concludes with:
<...>
vesafb: framebuffer at 0xf0000000, mapped  to
0xd1900000, using 10240k,total 16384k
fb1: VESA VGA frame buffer device.

But, the screen looks the same. I started out with
1024x768 then changed to 1280x1024 but certain web
pages still do not fit the screen. For example, a 
trip to the above handbook address using elinks is an
exercise in frustration. As you scroll down using the
down arrow the page jumps from side to side making it
very difficult to follow.

FWIW if I drop to the grub prompt and use
grub>vbeprobe I get 'vbeprobe 0xffffff00 is not found
or supported'

If I use grub> testvbe 1280 I get
'mode 0x400 not supported'. For 1024, it's 
'0x400 not supported'. For 800, it's '0x300 not
supported'. For 640, '0x200 not supported'.

Which is weird cause the monitor is clearly using
*some kind of mode*. 

If I manually enter the kernel line at the prompt w/o
mentioning the framebuffer at all one is installed
anyway which is just like all the others :(

mw


       
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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[Dan Farrell]

On Sat, 2 Jun 2007 20:19:12 -0700 (PDT)
maxim wexler <blissfix@yahoo.com> wrote:

> > also, gentoo has a doc:
> >
> http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=10
> 
> That gives the best explanation. Now dmesg | grep -i
> vesa concludes with:
> <...>
> vesafb: framebuffer at 0xf0000000, mapped  to
> 0xd1900000, using 10240k,total 16384k
> fb1: VESA VGA frame buffer device.
Thke vesafb driver is built into the kernel, right?  You need it right
away when booting.  No sense in fiddling around with initrd's, just put
it in the kernel.  
> But, the screen looks the same. I started out with
> 1024x768 then changed to 1280x1024 but certain web
> pages still do not fit the screen. For example, a 
> trip to the above handbook address using elinks is an
> exercise in frustration. As you scroll down using the
> down arrow the page jumps from side to side making it
> very difficult to follow.
That does sound frustrating.  Let me provide some qotes:
|
|video=vesafb:mtrr:3,ywrap,1024x768-32@85
|
I still think your boot line isn't quite right.  May I see the updated
version from /proc/cmdline ?

> If I manually enter the kernel line at the prompt w/o
> mentioning the framebuffer at all one is installed
> anyway which is just like all the others :(

Yes, that's why I think the boot command line isn't quite right.  The
kernel loads the driver eventually, if it's not specified the settings
at boot, just like all other drivers get loaded, and if they find
hardware to support, generally say something on the console.  By the
time vesafb loads on your system, it's already initialized the console
and it's too late to give it the resolution you want.  




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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[maxim wexler]

> Thke vesafb driver is built into the kernel, right? 

Right.

> I see the updated
> version from /proc/cmdline ?
 
root=/dev/hda3
video=vesafb:mtrr3,ywrap,1280x1024-24@86
                                        
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                     have change these back and forth
                     using different freqs, res's &   
       
                     color depths -- makes no
difference

And see the results of vbeprobe in a fresh post.

mw


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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[Dan Farrell]

On Sun, 3 Jun 2007 11:04:22 -0700 (PDT)
maxim wexler <blissfix@yahoo.com> wrote:

> > Thke vesafb driver is built into the kernel, right? 
> 
> Right.
> 
> > I see the updated
> > version from /proc/cmdline ?
>  
> root=/dev/hda3
> video=vesafb:mtrr3,ywrap,1280x1024-24@86
>                                         
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>                      have change these back and forth
>                      using different freqs, res's &   
>        
>                      color depths -- makes no
> difference
have you tried with just '1280x1024' ?
> And see the results of vbeprobe in a fresh post.
I don't have any experience with this, but I'm going to look into it.  
> mw
> 
> 
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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[maxim wexler]

> have you tried with just '1280x1024' ?

No help

<slaps his forhead> Of course, when the LiveCD boots
the framebuffer comes up in a usable configuration. So
I boot the CD and chroot.

In chroot #fbset -s is completely different than in
"regular"  mode.

Here's #fbset -s after the PC boots as usual:

mode "640x480-60"
    # D: 25.171 MHz, H: 31.463 kHz, V: 59.930 Hz
    geometry 640 480 640 480 8
    timings 39729 48 16 33 10 96 2
    rgba 8/0,8/0,8/0,0/0
endmode

Which is quite useless to me.

Here it is in chroot:

mode "1024x768-76"
    # D: 78.653 MHz, H: 59.949 kHz, V: 75.694 Hz
    geometry 1024 768 1024 768 16
    timings 12714 128 32 16 4 128 4
    rgba 5/11,6/5,5/0,0/0
endmode

More like it!

Now if only I can get non-chroot to accept the chroot
modes. So I copied the better mode to the
/etc/fb.modes. But when I give it #fbset
1024x768-76(or anything else) it answers:

/etc/fb.modes:5: syntax error

But line 5(if that's what the '5' refers to) has the
same format in both versions. Neither of which were
touched by human hands. 

Anyways I know there's nothing wrong with the card or
monitor. The BIOS? Doesn't seem to hamper the CD.

mw


 
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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[Nick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 600 bytes --]

> Here it is in chroot:
> 
> mode "1024x768-76"
>     # D: 78.653 MHz, H: 59.949 kHz, V: 75.694 Hz
>     geometry 1024 768 1024 768 16
>     timings 12714 128 32 16 4 128 4
>     rgba 5/11,6/5,5/0,0/0
> endmode
> 
> /etc/fb.modes:5: syntax error
> 

Remove the rgba line from fb.modes, and it should work OK. I don't
think it's necessary, and mine works without it.

Good luck,

-Nick

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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[maxim wexler]

--- Nick <gentoo-user@njw.me.uk> wrote:

> > Here it is in chroot:
> > 
> > mode "1024x768-76"
> >     # D: 78.653 MHz, H: 59.949 kHz, V: 75.694 Hz
> >     geometry 1024 768 1024 768 16
> >     timings 12714 128 32 16 4 128 4
> >     rgba 5/11,6/5,5/0,0/0
> > endmode
> > 
> > /etc/fb.modes:5: syntax error
> > 
> 
> Remove the rgba line from fb.modes, and it should
> work OK. I don't
> think it's necessary, and mine works without it.

Nope. PC still boots with lame framebuffer.

Now it's:

#fbset -s /dev/fb0
Unknown video mode '/dev/fb0'

But, #fbset -s -fb /dev/fb0

mode "640x480-60"
    # D: 25.171 MHz, H: 31.463 kHz, V: 59.930 Hz
    geometry 640 480 640 480 8
    timings 39729 48 16 33 10 96 2
    rgba 8/0,8/0,8/0,0/0
endmode

Line 5 has been replaced

#fbset -s /dev/fb1
Unknown video mode '/dev/fb1'

And for #fbset -s -fb /dev/fb1

mode "1280x1024-60"
    # D: 108.944 MHz, H: 63.599 kHz, V: 59.999 Hz
    geometry 1280 1024 1280 1024 32
    timings 9179 217 79 32 1 137 3
    vsync high
    rgba 8/16,8/8,8/0,0/0
endmode

Line 5 is baaaaaack! I don't think fbset even looks at
/etc/fb.modes, least not with the -fb option.

FWIW:
 
$cat /proc/fb
0 ATY Rage 128
1 VESA VGA

???



       
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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[Nick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 921 bytes --]

On Mon, Jun 04, 2007 at 08:21:19AM -0700, maxim wexler wrote:
> 
> --- Nick <gentoo-user@njw.me.uk> wrote:
> 
> > > Here it is in chroot:
> > > 
> > > mode "1024x768-76"
> > >     # D: 78.653 MHz, H: 59.949 kHz, V: 75.694 Hz
> > >     geometry 1024 768 1024 768 16
> > >     timings 12714 128 32 16 4 128 4
> > >     rgba 5/11,6/5,5/0,0/0
> > > endmode
> > > 
> > > /etc/fb.modes:5: syntax error
> > > 
> 
> Nope. PC still boots with lame framebuffer.
> 

Did you try just running "fbset -a 1024x768-76" on the command
line, after bootup? If this works (and it just doesn't set itself
correctly when booting) you could add this command to
/etc/conf.d/local.start

This is how I do it on my machine.

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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[maxim wexler]

> Did you try just running "fbset -a 1024x768-76" on
> the command
> line, after bootup? If this works (and it just

Well, well, well. I've tried this command before
--shoulda mentioned it. What happened was that the
screen would try to change itself but drop back into
default(?) mode with a lot of staticky looking stuff
all over the screen.

But, this time, boom! Now everything is scrunched into
the upper left hand corner of the screen. I've maxed
out the settings in the screen control panel on the
monitor itself and managed to move the text to a band
down the center of the screen with margins of about
two inches. Now instead of no  margins, they're too
big.

I tried adjusting the command but whatever I enter it
replies; "Unknown video mode '800x600-60'"
for example. or "Unknown video mode '1024x768-60'".

But the display is otherwise just like with the boot
CD.

And the bare fbset command reveals the new mode.

Another thing: doesn't the -a switch set (a)ll the
consoles? Not in this instance.

Now for my finale, hot off the hard drive there is:

localhost ~ # fbset -fb /dev/fb0

mode "1024x768-76"
    # D: 78.653 MHz, H: 59.949 kHz, V: 75.694 Hz
    geometry 1024 768 1024 768 16
    timings 12714 128 32 16 4 128 4
    accel true
    rgba 5/10,5/5,5/0,0/0
endmode

localhost ~ # fbset -fb /dev/fb1

mode "1280x1024-60"
    # D: 108.944 MHz, H: 63.599 kHz, V: 59.999 Hz
    geometry 1280 1024 1280 1024 32
    timings 9179 217 79 32 1 137 3
    vsync high
    rgba 8/16,8/8,8/0,0/0
endmode

If I try using the last mode the screen goes blank for
about a solid minute then reverts back to the first.

What's even more confusing is that in the .config I
have 

CONFIG_FB_VESA_DEFAULT_MODE="1280x1024-32@60".

Why doesn't it try that since now my command line has
just "video=vesafb" with *no* parameters at all? And
no complaints in dmesg.

mw



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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[Nick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1674 bytes --]

> But, this time, boom! Now everything is scrunched into
> the upper left hand corner of the screen. I've maxed
> out the settings in the screen control panel on the
> monitor itself and managed to move the text to a band
> down the center of the screen with margins of about
> two inches. Now instead of no  margins, they're too
> big.
>
> ...
>
> mode "1024x768-76"
>     # D: 78.653 MHz, H: 59.949 kHz, V: 75.694 Hz
>     geometry 1024 768 1024 768 16
>     timings 12714 128 32 16 4 128 4
>     accel true
>     rgba 5/10,5/5,5/0,0/0
> endmode
 
Okay, this is somewhat of a guess, but perhaps some of the timings
are incorrect, as this controls "margins" (see fbset manpage).

First it may be wise to change the first timing setting (pixclock)
to 0 (at least for now), as this'll auto-select that setting.

For the others, perhaps you could experiment with the settings
individually, using fbset, to get an idea of whether they may have a
part to play in this most odd problem. Something like "fbset -left
100".

> Another thing: doesn't the -a switch set (a)ll the
> consoles? Not in this instance.

Yes, it should, and does for me...
 
> What's even more confusing is that in the .config I
> have 
> 
> CONFIG_FB_VESA_DEFAULT_MODE="1280x1024-32@60".
> 
> Why doesn't it try that since now my command line has
> just "video=vesafb" with *no* parameters at all? And
> no complaints in dmesg.

As far as I can see it should... Hmm...

Sorry I can't be more help.

Good luck

-Nick

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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[maxim wexler]

> Sorry I can't be more help.
> 

Geert Uytterhoeven, who's listed as the author at the
end of man fbset, pointed out that since I only have
one video card, I only need one framebuffer, whereas I
had two: ATI and VESA. So I reconfig'd w/o VESA and
removed the video=vesafb... from the kernel line in
grub.conf.

Then I put fbset -a 1024x768-76 in local.start and
rebooted. The framebuffer opens up beautifully.
Without the scrunch or big margins but still only in
the one console and it doesn't switch until the boot
process gets to the .start file. Rather have a
continuous high-res o/p from the start like with the
bootCD.

I think I should put it in /etc/inittab but where?
Does it matter? Or maybe it should be
video=aty128fb...on the kernel line. Still some
tweaking to do. But I think most of the heavy lifting
is over.

Thanks Dale.

Maxim.


       
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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[Nick]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1185 bytes --]

On Mon, Jun 04, 2007 at 07:58:45PM -0700, maxim wexler wrote:
> Geert Uytterhoeven, who's listed as the author at the
> end of man fbset, pointed out that since I only have
> one video card, I only need one framebuffer, whereas I
> had two: ATI and VESA. So I reconfig'd w/o VESA and
> removed the video=vesafb... from the kernel line in
> grub.conf.
> 
> Then I put fbset -a 1024x768-76 in local.start and
> rebooted. The framebuffer opens up beautifully.

Excellent :) Always helps to ask someone who known what they're
talking about

> I think I should put it in /etc/inittab but where?
> Does it matter? Or maybe it should be
> video=aty128fb...on the kernel line. Still some
> tweaking to do. But I think most of the heavy lifting
> is over.

I would have thought video=aty128fb:1024x768@76 in grub.conf should
do it. Have a look at /usr/src/linux/Documentation/fb/aty128fb.txt
for a few other options.

I wouldn't mess around with inittab if you can possibly help it.

Glad to hear it's mostly working,

-Nick

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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[maxim wexler]

> I would have thought video=aty128fb:1024x768@76 in
> grub.conf should

Yep, that did it. For *all* the consoles

> Glad to hear it's mostly working,
> 
> -Nick
> 

Thanks Nick. Did I call you Dale yesterday? Sorry.

mw


 
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Re: [gentoo-user] framebuffer questions

[Dan Farrell]

On Tue, 5 Jun 2007 07:25:48 -0700 (PDT)
maxim wexler <blissfix@yahoo.com> wrote:

> > I would have thought video=aty128fb:1024x768@76 in
> > grub.conf should
> 
> Yep, that did it. For *all* the consoles
> 

After all this time, the problem was just having two different
frambuffer drivers in there at once?  I guess they were tripping over
each other.  
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