From: Brent Fulgham <bfulgham@xpsystems.com>
  To  : ggi-develop@eskimo.com
  Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1999 09:58:59 -0800

Re: Console Drivers -- Question Re: Linux 2.2 series

> > 2.  The kgicon.o built using the nVidia code works only partially.  The
> > screen mode shifts, and I can sort of read text but I there are a bunch
> > of vertical lines running top-to-bottom on the screen.  If I squint I
can
> > read the text as I type, but it is very difficult.  Running the demos
results
> > in a message to the effect of "operation not supported by device".  (I
> > am speaking of the libGGI demos -- they work under X for me).
>
> I have the exact same problem.
> But, even more mysteriously, every once in a while it works!
> I can't reliably make it work, but it has worked properly twice, and had
> your problem at least 30 times.  Possibly specify 640x400x1, that
> seemed to work for me the first time.
>
After further experimentation and based on input from Dean Wilson I was able
to get everything to run successfully using 301 mode.

I have very little understanding of graphics hardware, and can't explain why
starting the vesafb in one mode vs. another would impact the successful
startup of the kgicon module.  I suppose that I could try compiling without
the vesafb in the kernel -- perhaps that would allow the kgicon module to
load without problems.

Can anyone shed light on this?  I wonder if the problem is in the "monitor"
autodetecting.  If I try to start the vesafb driver in a higher-resolution
(say 1024x768 at 16bpp) I get a very messy screen, which looks suspiciously
like a monitor timing thing.

Comments?

-Brent