2.6.0 vs. vga option

2.6.0 vs. vga option

[Norman Diamond]

On a machine with a Neomagic NM2200 [MagicGraph 256AV] VGA controller, under
2.6.0, boot parameter vga=0x317 causes a blank screen and might be hanging
the entire machine.  There is no response to Ctrl-Alt-Del.  Holding the
power switch for 4 seconds results in a warning beep from the BIOS and then
power down.

This is very similar to problems that were reported during 2.6.0-test days,
with an older Neomagic chip and smaller screen.  I don't recall if
Ctrl-Alt-Del might have yielded a reboot at that time.

As always, this can be fixed by booting 2.4.20.  Or by omitting the vga=
parameter.

Oddly, I have found some combination of drivers to compile as built-in and
some to compile as modules, so that early in the boot sequence the screen
automatically switches from 80x25 to somewhere around 128x40 even without
the vga= parameter.  No free penguin though.

Re: 2.6.0 vs. vga option

[James Simmons]

I have the smae hardware. Give my latest patch a try.

http://phoenix.infradead.org/~jsimmons/fbdev.diff.gz


> Oddly, I have found some combination of drivers to compile as built-in and
> some to compile as modules, so that early in the boot sequence the screen
> automatically switches from 80x25 to somewhere around 128x40 even without
> the vga= parameter.  No free penguin though.
> 
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Re: 2.6.0 vs. vga option

[Zwane Mwaikambo]

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003, Norman Diamond wrote:

> On a machine with a Neomagic NM2200 [MagicGraph 256AV] VGA controller, under
> 2.6.0, boot parameter vga=0x317 causes a blank screen and might be hanging
> the entire machine.  There is no response to Ctrl-Alt-Del.  Holding the
> power switch for 4 seconds results in a warning beep from the BIOS and then
> power down.
>
> This is very similar to problems that were reported during 2.6.0-test days,
> with an older Neomagic chip and smaller screen.  I don't recall if
> Ctrl-Alt-Del might have yielded a reboot at that time.
>
> As always, this can be fixed by booting 2.4.20.  Or by omitting the vga=
> parameter.
>
> Oddly, I have found some combination of drivers to compile as built-in and
> some to compile as modules, so that early in the boot sequence the screen
> automatically switches from 80x25 to somewhere around 128x40 even without
> the vga= parameter.  No free penguin though.

This sounds similar to;

http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1458

I just got back from holiday so i'll look further into it, feel free to
add yourself to the Cc list for the bug.