ATI Xpert for KDE on FBSD4.2

[deleeuw]

hey all,
I have a FreeBSD 4.2 (which runs great) and am trying to set up the video for X11 (XF86Config). My card is an ATI Xpert2000 (Rage 128 chipset). I've gone into the graphic xf86config and setup my card using "ATI RAge 128 (generic)" and a chipset of "generic", leaving RAMDAC ad ClockSet blank. I've set up my screen to be just the basic Super VGA
(option #2). Finally, I set the mode to be 8bit 800x600 (I've also tried 640x480).
When I go into KDE, everything is HUGE. I check the xf86config, and it lists the mode (for all screens) at 320x200. When I replace those lines to read
mode="800x600"
I the same 320x200 resolution.
the Xfee86 site said to use "r128" in the config file, but then my X Server can't even load.
Naturally, ATI's site didn't give me any specs regarding the Ramdac or the Clockset, and the place from where I got my computer gave me no docs on the card (I'm gonna call them to get it).
What can I do?

THX

[scott_R]

I don't have an ATI card, but if you run linux on your computer also, you can simply copy your XFree86 config file to your bsd installation, and is should work fairly well. (Well, you'll have to change the /dev device names to freebsd equivalents, but other than that, you should be in good shape. Or just mount your Linux installation, and compare the two files.

[deleeuw]

Funny you should mention that.
I had in fact copied my linux xf86config to my bsd and
voila I had a usable KDE desktop--pretty much grey scale, but
I worked.
When I tried, however, to browse within netscape, I coulnt load any images--Netscape, in fact, self-terminated. I figured it had something to do with the copy of xf86config.
So I reran XF86Config, with no success, after which I decided to use my linux copy again.
BUT, when I did, it would't work anymore! Basically, it gave me a HUGE list
with each line starting with "SVGA" (the server I had selected),
followed by resolutions and refresh rate and ending with the word "deleted"
My guess is the SVGA server was going thru all the variations and deleted them from the process, as the video card /monitor combo couldn't support anything above 320x200 (or so I assume).
I might try it copying and using the linux version again, after deleting the .XF86Confing*** attempts listed in the /tmp.

Thnx

[xulfralos]

Most ATI cards use either the Mach32 or Mach64 Xserver, not the SVGA Xserver. Try that.

4.2 is an awfully old version of FreeBSD. Are you sure you don't mean XFree86 is 4.2.x?

[deleeuw]

OK, a little change:
I chose a rinky-dink a generic vga16--it came up as it used to:
grey scale et al. Its livable, but when I open up Netscape 4.08,
I get the same situation where no pictures are able to be loaded
(as well as getting bombarded with windows about my color depth).
I figure its related to my video card--but I had this same situation when I selected an SVGA card (after originally importing the Linux version of xf86config). But I'm wondering if there's a way to tweak it, without having to do the hit-and-miss selection of video cards etc.
The netscape messages refer to the -visual command line switch, so I'm gonna have to research that.

As far as my copy of BSD, I bought it 2 years ago, and when it boots up, it does say FreeBSD 4.2.
Does a later version of BSD have less problem?

THX

[scott_R]

Probably. Two years is a long time in the Open Source world. One thing that I would recommend is trying to upgrade to a mozilla browser, or at least a newer netscape version. Those old netscapes were notorious for messing up and draining memory. Even the netscape 4.7 series of browsers were full of headaches.

Also, maybe post your xfree86 config, so we can help you out a little easier. One more question, did you have xfree86 autodetect? Using xf86cfg -textmode (I think that's the command, I get confused sometimes, the important part is the textmode configuration) can be easier for some people.

[deleeuw]

I'll post my latest XF86Config when I get home. I had used the text-based xf86config, as well as the graphic interface. I'm gonna look at NS to see if I can download a later version (I might just cave and buy BSD5!)

THX

[xulfralos]

You can always do an ftp install for free, provided you have a fast Internet connection.

FreeBSD 4.2 is not really the issue here, but the version of XFree86 is. Getting a fairly recent version (post 4.2.x) should help to alleviate this issue. FreeBSD 5.0 comes with X 4.2.0 by default now.

[deleeuw]

BTW, for those who are interested:




Section "Monitor"
Identifier "SYL01bf"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "Unknown"


HorizSync 30-70


VertRefresh 50-160



Section "Device"
Identifier "ATI Rage 128"
VendorName "ATI RAGE128"
VideoRam 32768
EndSection


# The kernel framebuffer server
Section "Screen"
Driver "fbdev"
Device "Generic VGA Card"
Monitor "Probed Monitor"
Subsection "Display"
# Depth 16
Depth 16
Modes "default"
EndSubsection
EndSection

# The 16-color VGA server
Section "Screen"
Driver "vga16"
Device "Generic VGA Card"
Monitor "SYL01bf"
Subsection "Display"
Modes "640x480" "800x600"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection

# The Mono server
Section "Screen"
Driver "vga2"
Device "Generic VGA Card"
Monitor "SYL01bf"
Subsection "Display"
Modes "640x480" "800x600"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection


# The svga server
Section "Screen"
Driver "svga"
Device "ATI Rage 128"
Monitor "SYL01bf"
DefaultColorDepth 32

Subsection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "800x600"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection

# The accel server
Section "Screen"
Driver "accel"
Device "ATI Rage 128"
Monitor "SYL01bf"
DefaultColorDepth 32

Subsection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "800x600"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection