Here's the summary. Basically, the buyer chose to save on costs because
the reseller was willing to pop the matrox board in. So, I'm stuck.
But, it is no big deal as the users will rarely use the console.
------- Forwarded Messages
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 15:45:06 -0700
From: Jim Surlow <jsurlow_at_hydra.acs.uci.edu>
Subject: DU: Matrox video - more than 640x480 16colors?
To: alpha-osf-managers_at_ornl.gov
We just got a 433au running 4.0C. It has a matrox video board.
Is there anyway I can get more than 16 colors and more than 640x480?
When I compile the kernel (or use the generic kernel), it comes
up with 'vga0: generic VGA driver'
>From uerf:
vga0 at pci0 slot 12
640x480 VGA, 16 colors
vga0: generic VGA driver
Any way around this?
Thanks,
Jim Surlow
UC Irvine
------- Message 2
From: Dave Cherkus <cherkus_at_homerun.unimaster.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 19:15:50 -0400 (EDT)
I doubt it. There is a 'last gasp' code path that treats
anything it doesn't understand as a plain-old-vga (i.e.
not even super-vga) device. That's what's running your
board. There's no matrox support in du.
- --
Dave Cherkus ------- UniMaster, Inc. ------ Contract Software Development
Specialties: UNIX Internals/Kernel TCP/IP Alpha Clusters Performance ISDN
Email: cherkus_at_UniMaster.COM When the music's over, turn out the lights!
------- Message 3
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 97 19:19:53 -0400
From: "Dr. Tom Blinn, 603-884-0646" <tpb_at_zk3.dec.com>
Jim,
As far as I know, there's no support for the Matrox card in Digital UNIX; I
didn't think we were shipping UNIX workstations with that card; it sounds
like a manufacturing error to me.
I'm checking with a colleague who deals with the workstation group as well
as managing the "commodity" video driver support; I suspect the answer is
"you were shipped an invalid configuration and Digital should replace that
video card with one that's supported at no cost to you". But I might be
wrong, so don't get too excited until I get confirmation one way or the
other from the responsible parties.
Tom
Dr. Thomas P. Blinn, UNIX Software Group, Digital Equipment Corporation
110 Spit Brook Road, MS ZKO3-2/U20 Nashua, New Hampshire 03062-2698
Technology Partnership Engineering Phone: (603) 884-0646
Internet: tpb_at_zk3.dec.com Digital's Easynet: alpha::tpb
ACM Member: tpblinn_at_acm.org PC_at_Home: tom_at_felines.mv.net
------- Message 5
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 97 16:02:59 -0400
From: "Dr. Tom Blinn, 603-884-0646" <tpb_at_zk3.dec.com>
> Tom,
>
> Thank you.
>
> I was under the impression when I made the recommendation that they
> were going to get VGA (granted I figured 256 colors). I thought I
> had some docs either from DEC or the authorized reseller that showed
> that it was a normal install (but I guess it is only for NT).
>
> Let me know what you find.
>
> Thank you very much,
>
> Jim
As I promised, I checked with my colleague who works with the workstation
group and manages the "commodity" graphics support.
There is no support for the Matrox Millenium, so all you'll get is generic
VGA.
No real Personal AlphaStation 433au (that is, the UNIX version) should have
been shipped to you with that graphics adapter, as far as we know. There
are other "commodity" adapters that are supported by Digital UNIX that do
work in super VGA mode at, typically, 1024x768 or 1280x1024 (depending on
the monitor and software configuration).
We are wondering if what you got is really a Personal AlphaStation 433a,
which is the Windows NT version. If so, you would be lucky to get one of
the SCSI adapters that's supported by Digital UNIX, since most of the NT
systems come with Adaptec SCSI that we don't support in UNIX.
If you really do have a Personal AlphaStation 433au with Digital UNIX on it
from the factory, then we think someone screwed up the build (it happens),
and you should push for the right graphics card. If you got the system from
a reseller, it's possible they took a Personal AlphaStation 433a and stuck a
UNIX system disk into it, and shipped it to you without making sure that it
had a good graphics card; it's possible to run Digital UNIX on most of the
Personal AlphaStation 433a models, but you might not get the full graphics
support if it's the Matrox Millenium.
Tom
Dr. Thomas P. Blinn, UNIX Software Group, Digital Equipment Corporation
------- Message 6
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 97 19:00:32 -0400
Sender: zander_at_sheridanc.on.ca
Jim,
I had the same problem with my AS400 and a ATI mach64 card. When I phoned DEC
they told me that changes to the OS in 4.X meant that you had to set up the
firmware to see it before the OS will load a driver for it.
All I had to do was run ISACFG from the ARC prompt and replace the VGA section
with MACH64. I have no idea what the parametre will be for the matrox board,
even if it was supported.
If you cannot change this setting from VGA then you are stuck with a max of
640x480.
later.
- --
Mark Zander mark.zander_at_sheridanc.on.ca
Network Systems Analyst
Sheridan College (905) 845-9430 ext. 2166
1430 Trafalger Rd (905) 815-4011 fax.
Oakville, Ont. "Don't think of it as loosing hair,
L6H 2L1 think of it as gaining forehead...""
------- End of Forwarded Messages
Received on Thu Nov 13 1997 - 23:06:50 NZDT