sabbat
asked on
ATI AGP Xpert@Play video card with OS/2
I have an Xpert@play video card (8mb - AGP) which uses the 3D Rage Pro Chipset from ATI Technologies. When I install the OS/2 drivers on Warp 4.0 with no fix packs according to instructions and re-boot, my screen has garbage on it. For instance the windows have "extended" edges, the icons eventually become "hashed" and the font seems to be large for the space alotted to each letter (ie. instead of OS/2 SYSTEM, I might see O/2SYTEM, and not alway the full characters!). This happens at all resolutions! I called ATI and no one has reported this problem. The video driver install correctly identifies the card as a 3D Rage Pro, but incorrectly identifies the AGP as PCI. This did not bother me, but may be the root of my problem. The video card works fine under Win95 and OS/2 in straight VGA mode (no special drivers installed). If the problem is that OS/2 doesn't support the AGP, when will it?
ASKER
- the ones included with Warp 4,
(none included on CD?)
- the ones on IBM's "Online Device Driver" web-site
(directs you to ATI's web site)
- the ones packaged with the video-card,
(most of my attempts have used these)
- the latest ones downloaded from ATI?
(also tried see below)
I have tried ATI's supplied drivers on 4.35 CD. I have also downloaded drivers for a different card, the 3D Rage II+ chipset (there are no OS/2 drivers for the 3D Rage Pro chipset on ATI's web site - but there are drivers included on the CD - go figure). ATI's web site, alludes to the fact that these are the correct drivers for this card.
Your answer seems to lead me to believe that even though OS/2 currently doesn't support AGP, it will recognize the card as PCI and that should not matter. OS/2 will not be able to take advantage of the AGP features, but should be able to use the card as a PCI display device minus AGP specific features, is this correct. My test shows that I can change resolutions, etc. it is just that I cannot get a satisfactory display at those higher resolutions (back to the original problem).
(none included on CD?)
- the ones on IBM's "Online Device Driver" web-site
(directs you to ATI's web site)
- the ones packaged with the video-card,
(most of my attempts have used these)
- the latest ones downloaded from ATI?
(also tried see below)
I have tried ATI's supplied drivers on 4.35 CD. I have also downloaded drivers for a different card, the 3D Rage II+ chipset (there are no OS/2 drivers for the 3D Rage Pro chipset on ATI's web site - but there are drivers included on the CD - go figure). ATI's web site, alludes to the fact that these are the correct drivers for this card.
Your answer seems to lead me to believe that even though OS/2 currently doesn't support AGP, it will recognize the card as PCI and that should not matter. OS/2 will not be able to take advantage of the AGP features, but should be able to use the card as a PCI display device minus AGP specific features, is this correct. My test shows that I can change resolutions, etc. it is just that I cannot get a satisfactory display at those higher resolutions (back to the original problem).
Have you tried posting your question to
the USENET newsgroup named:
comp.os.os2.setup.video
in the (faint) hope that you'll get
a different answer?
the USENET newsgroup named:
comp.os.os2.setup.video
in the (faint) hope that you'll get
a different answer?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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If the foregoing answer does not work, I have another solution ...
> If the foregoing answer does not work, I have another solution ...
Why not "break secrecy" and post it here?
If SABBAT likes your idea, then the current "proposed answer"
can be "rejected", and SABBAT can ask you to post
a "proposed answer" (of a few words), and can "accept" it.
Why not "break secrecy" and post it here?
If SABBAT likes your idea, then the current "proposed answer"
can be "rejected", and SABBAT can ask you to post
a "proposed answer" (of a few words), and can "accept" it.
> Why not "break secrecy" and post it here?
> If SABBAT likes your idea, then the current "proposed answer"
> can be "rejected", and SABBAT can ask you to post
> a "proposed answer" (of a few words), and can "accept" it.
The reason is that it is frustrating to have questions locked with fairly basic (obvious) answers -- like, install fixpack, reinstall drivers. Sure, this sometimes works. But, it is more appropriate for an FAQ than an answer here. Anyway, such an answer could be a footnote to a real answer.
Nonetheless, I will try your suggestion and give away my answer here, since I have no hope of ever achieving point greatness (much less locking an answer before you!)
Answer for Sabbat:
IBM has released new Rage family drivers in the form the the GRADD package.
Strangely, ATI has never released updated drivers on their site (they stopped with the release of Warp 3 driver updates).
1. Go to http://ps.software.ibm.com
2. Select "Downloads & News" from the menu on the left column
3. Select "fix packages"
4. Select "All Fix Packages by Product"
5. Select "OS/2 Warp V400"
6. Select "Search" from the menu at the top of the page
7. Type "gradd" into the query editor and hit the search button
8. Select the most recent gradd drivers listed (as of this writing, graddbb.071)
9. Download the fixpack, and unzip it.
10. Install the fixpack to a floppy diskette.
a. Insert blank floppy.
b. From the directory to which you unzipped graddbb.zip, type "loaddskf graddbb.dsk a:"
11. Type "setvga" at a command prompt, or reboot and type "Alt-F1" followed by "F2" to reset your system to VGA, and reboot.
12. Check the readme.txt on the floppy diskette to which you installed to gradd drivers for additional info.
13. Go to a command prompt and type "a:setup ati" (or whatever command is given for setting up the system, as specified in the readme.txt file).
14. When installation of the drivers is complete, you will need to reboot, then reset your resolution, then reboot again.
If this works, I ask that you reject Otta's answer and give me an opportunity to follow up with a reference to this answer (per Otta's suggestion) so that I get credit.
- Jeff
P.S. Forget about AGP for now under OS/2 at least.
> If SABBAT likes your idea, then the current "proposed answer"
> can be "rejected", and SABBAT can ask you to post
> a "proposed answer" (of a few words), and can "accept" it.
The reason is that it is frustrating to have questions locked with fairly basic (obvious) answers -- like, install fixpack, reinstall drivers. Sure, this sometimes works. But, it is more appropriate for an FAQ than an answer here. Anyway, such an answer could be a footnote to a real answer.
Nonetheless, I will try your suggestion and give away my answer here, since I have no hope of ever achieving point greatness (much less locking an answer before you!)
Answer for Sabbat:
IBM has released new Rage family drivers in the form the the GRADD package.
Strangely, ATI has never released updated drivers on their site (they stopped with the release of Warp 3 driver updates).
1. Go to http://ps.software.ibm.com
2. Select "Downloads & News" from the menu on the left column
3. Select "fix packages"
4. Select "All Fix Packages by Product"
5. Select "OS/2 Warp V400"
6. Select "Search" from the menu at the top of the page
7. Type "gradd" into the query editor and hit the search button
8. Select the most recent gradd drivers listed (as of this writing, graddbb.071)
9. Download the fixpack, and unzip it.
10. Install the fixpack to a floppy diskette.
a. Insert blank floppy.
b. From the directory to which you unzipped graddbb.zip, type "loaddskf graddbb.dsk a:"
11. Type "setvga" at a command prompt, or reboot and type "Alt-F1" followed by "F2" to reset your system to VGA, and reboot.
12. Check the readme.txt on the floppy diskette to which you installed to gradd drivers for additional info.
13. Go to a command prompt and type "a:setup ati" (or whatever command is given for setting up the system, as specified in the readme.txt file).
14. When installation of the drivers is complete, you will need to reboot, then reset your resolution, then reboot again.
If this works, I ask that you reject Otta's answer and give me an opportunity to follow up with a reference to this answer (per Otta's suggestion) so that I get credit.
- Jeff
P.S. Forget about AGP for now under OS/2 at least.
On my Warp 4 system I tried to install ATI's 8 meg AGP EXPERT@PLAY card and experienced the same problem. After installing pixpak 6 and the card's updated drivers the problem wasn't resolved. What I had to do was upgrade my system BIOS software. I have an ASUS P2L97-S AGP mother board, and the card worked fine when I upgraded the BIOS's software to revision 1001.
Hope this helps.
- Peter
Hope this helps.
- Peter
so it identifies it as PCI.
Which Device Drivers are you using:
- the ones included with Warp 4,
- the ones on IBM's "Online Device Driver" web-site,
- the ones packaged with the video-card,
- the latest ones downloaded from ATI?
> If the problem is that OS/2 doesn't support the AGP,
> when will it?
Good question. Only IBM knows, and some of of "non-disclosure"
policy prevents any IBMer from answering.