Hello

I need some guidance in regards to getting my ATI rage 128 graphics acceleration working on Debian Sarge 2.6.6

I have followed a few guides, I seem? to have x configured correctly, with glx & ati r128 modules)

Where do I need to start in getting this to work, in terms of modules to load etc.

(acceleration must be possible, as it works fine w/Knoppix),

It would be good to get this fixed - this is the last thing that I need to fix-up in my install (left until last as not really a top priority, but it would be good to have the odd game of Tux Racer every now & then!)

Best Regards

Oh, I tried that myself, and I must confess that after a dozen tries or so, I gave up . And then I just used a partition of my harddisk to install knoppix on it.

Maybe no very sophisticated solution, right? But it WORKS, that's the point.

If you have configured X correctly, what then is not working? What errors do you get? The modules should load themselves based on your configuration of the X config file. Or have you got that set to still use VESA or something?

here is my config file:

Section "Files"
FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font server
# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection
Section "Module"
Load "GLcore"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "speedo"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "gb"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "ati"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
HorizSync 31-115
VertRefresh 50-160
Option "DPMS"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Generic Video Card"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1600x1200" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "Generic Mouse"
EndSection
Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection


and here is my error log (looks like Direct rendering is disabled?) Is this all I need to enable, if so, how do I do that?

(II) R128(0): Using 8 bits per RGB (8 bit DAC)
(II) Loading sub module "int10"
(II) LoadModule: "int10"
(II) Reloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/linux/libint10.a
(II) R128(0): initializing int10
(II) R128(0): Primary V_BIOS segment is: 0xc000
(--) R128(0): Chipset: "ATI Rage 128 GL RF (AGP)" (ChipID = 0x5246)
(--) R128(0): Linear framebuffer at 0xd8000000
(--) R128(0): MMIO registers at 0xdfefc000
(--) R128(0): BIOS at 0xdfec0000
(--) R128(0): VideoRAM: 16384 kByte (128-bit SDR SGRAM 1:1)
(**) R128(0): Using external CRT for display
(WW) R128(0): Can't determine panel dimensions, and none specified.
Disabling programming of FP registers.
(II) R128(0): PLL parameters: rf=2950 rd=65 min=12500 max=25000; xclk=9000
(II) Loading sub module "ddc"
(II) LoadModule: "ddc"
(II) Reloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libddc.a
(II) Loading sub module "vbe"
(II) LoadModule: "vbe"
(II) Reloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvbe.a
(II) R128(0): VESA BIOS detected
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE Version 2.0
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE Total Mem: 16384 kB
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE OEM: ATI RAGE128
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE OEM Software Rev: 1.0
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE OEM Vendor: ATI Technologies Inc.
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE OEM Product: R128
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE OEM Product Rev: 01.00
(II) Loading sub module "ddc"
(II) LoadModule: "ddc"
(II) Reloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libddc.a
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE DDC supported
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE DDC Level 2
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE DDC transfer in appr. 2 sec.
(II) R128(0): VESA VBE DDC read successfully
(II) R128(0): Manufacturer: CRN Model: 7 Serial#: 0
(II) R128(0): Year: 1997 Week: 0
(II) R128(0): EDID Version: 1.1
(II) R128(0): Analog Display Input, Input Voltage Level: 0.700/0.300 V
(II) R128(0): Sync: Separate Composite SyncOnGreen
(II) R128(0): Max H-Image Size [cm]: horiz.: 40 vert.: 30
(II) R128(0): Gamma: 2.80
(II) R128(0): DPMS capabilities: StandBy Suspend Off; RGB/Color Display
(II) R128(0): redX: 0.625 redY: 0.340 greenX: 0.285 greenY: 0.605
(II) R128(0): blueX: 0.150 blueY: 0.065 whiteX: 0.283 whiteY: 0.298
(II) R128(0): Supported VESA Video Modes:
(II) R128(0): 720x400@70Hz
(II) R128(0): 640x480@60Hz
(II) R128(0): Manufacturer's mask: 0
(II) R128(0): Supported Future Video Modes:
(II) R128(0): #0: hsize: 1600 vsize 1280 refresh: 87 vid: 39849
(II) R128(0): #1: hsize: 1600 vsize 1200 refresh: 92 vid: 24745
(II) R128(0): #2: hsize: 1280 vsize 1024 refresh: 85 vid: 39297
(II) R128(0): #3: hsize: 1024 vsize 768 refresh: 85 vid: 22881
(II) R128(0): #4: hsize: 800 vsize 600 refresh: 85 vid: 22853
(II) R128(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) R128(0): clock: 249.5 MHz Image Size: 395 x 295 mm
(II) R128(0): h_active: 1800 h_sync: 1872 h_sync_end 2080 h_blank_end 2368 h_border: 0
(II) R128(0): v_active: 1440 v_sync: 1442 v_sync_end 1445 v_blanking: 1484 v_border: 0
(II) R128(0): Monitor name: Cornerstone
(II) R128(0): Monitor name: Color 50/115
(II) R128(0): Ranges: V min: 50 V max: 160 Hz, H min: 31 H max: 115 kHz, PixClock max 250 MHz
(==) R128(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
(II) R128(0): Generic Monitor: Using hsync range of 31.00-115.00 kHz
(II) R128(0): Generic Monitor: Using vrefresh range of 50.00-160.00 Hz
(II) R128(0): Clock range: 12.50 to 250.00 MHz
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "1792x1344" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "1856x1392" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "1920x1440" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "1920x1440" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "960x720" (hsync out of range)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "2048x1536" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "2048x1536" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (hsync out of range)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "2048x1536" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (hsync out of range)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "1920x1440" (width too large for virtual size)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "1856x1392" (width too large for virtual size)
(II) R128(0): Not using default mode "1792x1344" (width too large for virtual size)
(--) R128(0): Virtual size is 1600x1200 (pitch 1600)

(II) Loading sub module "fb"
(II) LoadModule: "fb"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libfb.a
(II) Module fb: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: XFree86 ANSI C Emulation, version 0.2
(II) Loading sub module "ramdac"
(II) LoadModule: "ramdac"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libramdac.a
(II) Module ramdac: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 0.1.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.6
(II) Loading sub module "xaa"
(II) LoadModule: "xaa"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libxaa.a
(II) Module xaa: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 1.1.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.6
(II) Loading sub module "shadowfb"
(II) LoadModule: "shadowfb"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libshadowfb.a
(II) Module shadowfb: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: XFree86 ANSI C Emulation, version 0.2
(II) R128(0): Page flipping disabled
(!!) R128(0): For information on using the multimedia capabilities
of this adapter, please see http://gatos.sf.net.
(--) Depth 24 pixmap format is 32 bpp
(II) do I need RAC? No, I don't.
(
(==) R128(0): Write-combining range (0xd8000000,0x1000000)
(WW) R128(0): Static buffer allocation failed -- need at least 22500 kB video memory
(II) R128(0): Memory manager initialized to (0,0) (1600,2621)
(II) R128(0): Reserved area from (0,1200) to (1600,1202)
(II) R128(0): Largest offscreen area available: 1600 x 1419
(II) R128(0): Using XFree86 Acceleration Architecture (XAA)
Screen to screen bit blits
Solid filled rectangles
8x8 mono pattern filled rectangles
Indirect CPU to Screen color expansion
Solid Lines
Dashed Lines
Scanline Image Writes
Offscreen Pixmaps
Setting up tile and stipple cache:
32 128x128 slots
9 256x256 slots
4 512x512 slots
(II) R128(0): Acceleration enabled
(==) R128(0): Backing store disabled
(==) R128(0): Silken mouse enabled
(II) R128(0): Using hardware cursor (scanline 4808)
(II) R128(0): Largest offscreen area available: 1600 x 1418
(**) Option "dpms"
(**) R128(0): DPMS enabled
(II) R128(0): Direct rendering disabled
(==) RandR enabled
(II) Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM
(II) Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension
(II) Initializing built-in extension XTEST
(II) Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD
(II) Initializing built-in extension LBX
(II) Initializing built-in extension XC-APPGROUP
(II) Initializing built-in extension SECURITY
(II) Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA
(II) Initializing built-in extension XFree86-Bigfont
(II) Initializing built-in extension RENDER
(II) Initializing built-in extension RANDR
(II) Keyboard "Generic Keyboard" handled by legacy driver
(**) Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
(**) Configured Mouse: Protocol: "PS/2"
(**) Option "CorePointer"
(**) Configured Mouse: Core Pointer
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
(**) Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
(**) Configured Mouse: Emulate3Buttons, Emulate3Timeout: 50
(**) Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
(**) Configured Mouse: ZAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
(**) Configured Mouse: Buttons: 5
(**) Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
(**) Generic Mouse: Protocol: "ImPS/2"
(**) Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
(**) Generic Mouse: always reports core events
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
(**) Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
(**) Generic Mouse: Emulate3Buttons, Emulate3Timeout: 50
(**) Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
(**) Generic Mouse: ZAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
(**) Generic Mouse: Buttons: 5
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Generic Mouse" (type: MOUSE)
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Configured Mouse" (type: MOUSE)
(II) Configured Mouse: ps2EnableDataReporting: succeeded
(II) Generic Mouse: ps2EnableDataReporting: succeeded
Warning: font renderer for ".pcf" already registered at priority 0
Warning: font renderer for ".pcf.Z" already registered at priority 0
Warning: font renderer for ".pcf.gz" already registered at priority 0
Warning: font renderer for ".snf" already registered at priority 0
Warning: font renderer for ".snf.Z" already registered at priority 0
Warning: font renderer for ".snf.gz" already registered at priority 0
Warning: font renderer for ".bdf" already registered at priority 0
Warning: font renderer for ".bdf.Z" already registered at priority 0
Warning: font renderer for ".bdf.gz" already registered at priority 0
Warning: font renderer for ".pmf" already registered at priority 0
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
SwitchToMode - scrn: 0 clock: 74250
hdsp: 640 hbeg: 672 hend: 752 httl: 864
vdsp: 480 vbeg: 480 vend: 482 vttl: 505 flags: 37
Checking against clock: 229500 (229500)
hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
Checking against clock: 56300 (56300)
hdsp: 800 hbeg: 832 hend: 896 httl: 1048
vdsp: 600 vbeg: 601 vend: 604 vttl: 631 flags: 5
Checking against clock: 74250 (74250)
hdsp: 640 hbeg: 672 hend: 752 httl: 864
vdsp: 480 vbeg: 480 vend: 482 vttl: 505 flags: 37
SwitchToMode - Succeeded
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 74250
GetModeLine - hdsp: 640 hbeg: 672 hend: 752 httl: 864
vdsp: 480 vbeg: 480 vend: 482 vttl: 505 flags: 37
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 74250
GetModeLine - hdsp: 640 hbeg: 672 hend: 752 httl: 864
vdsp: 480 vbeg: 480 vend: 482 vttl: 505 flags: 37
SwitchToMode - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
Checking against clock: 229500 (229500)
hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
SwitchToMode - Succeeded
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5
GetModeLine - scrn: 0 clock: 229500
GetModeLine - hdsp: 1600 hbeg: 1664 hend: 1856 httl: 2160
vdsp: 1200 vbeg: 1201 vend: 1204 vttl: 1250 flags: 5

You may not have support compiled into the kernel for direct rendering. Are you using a customized kernel?

I am at present using kernel 2.6.7 that is supplied with Slack 10. I''m going to do a recompile this weekend, and I'll make sure it is included

rgds

this site has a script that will get and compile the ati proprietary driver for you.

http://kanotix.com/files/

edit: actually, that script won't work if ur using slackware...it may be better to post in the slack forum.

thanks for the link

acceleration does not work with either my deb or Slack install. This should help me fix my Deb insta..

Hmm, seem to have it fixed. I think the problem was the resolution that I was using, vs the amount of video ram my card has.

Seems the ATI r128 has 16mb video ram

Acceleration works fine under 1024x768 with video ram set at 16834, with 367 fps

# Increasing the resolution above this with same video ram results in segmentation errors.

# Increasing the resolution to 1280x1024 w/video ram @ 32768 just results in a very messed up x window display.

Looks like I will have to update my ageing ATI card at some point. I never realised it was so 'underpowered' until I was given a 21 inch unix station monitor whilst running upto 1600x1200 resolutions under x.


What graphics card would you currently recommend to buy for linux??

i'd say your best buy would be an nvidia geforce fx 5200 (not the greatest for 3d gaming, but quite good nonetheless). you can pick one up for $60 (circuit city) or less (ebay/online retailer search). it can easily handle a 2d desktop resolution of 1600x1200.

although debian's mantra is free as in speech software, it is important to note that nvidia's proprietary drivers do perform quite well. compared to ati, nvidia has gone a long way to make it easy to install and use a proprietary video driver on a gnu/linux system.

anything nvidia. i hate to say it cause i love ATI, but its too much of a headache in linux. the fx5200 is probably your best bet. make sure its 128bit memory and not the cheapo 64bit.

Cheapo55 dollars): http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...140-040&depa=0

Fast: (82 dollars): http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...145-083&depa=0


the fast one is 128bit memory vs 64bit and 256mb versus 128mb.

if you want to do some doom3 gaming, then get an fx 5700 ultra and you wont regret it. anything else, then the 5200's above should do the job.

Thanks fro your suggestions

I've treated myself to a nvidia fx5200 128mb. Time to retire the old ATI, and give my PC a new breath of life!

nice, have fun with ur new toy