Puppy 1.0.3 with Xfree86-4.4.0 iso released

[pakt]

did you modprobe agpgart before starting the Xsession ?

Oops! Did miss the 'modprobe agpgart' part, but it didn't make any difference in the end as /dev/agpgart is still missing.

Output from 'ls -l /dev/agpgart' is:
crw-rw---- 1 root video 10, 175 Feb 9 18:40 /dev/agpgart

I checked my Linux books. In /sbin/MAKEDEV (the one in Kanotix - quite a convoluted file with lots of variables ), I found the definition (or part of it anyway) for /dev/agpgart and tried using mknod to create it.

I think I almost succeded, but the group 'video' doesn't exist. Tried defining the group, but the syntax for 'addgroup' is different from the one in Kanotix

in /etc/group (Kanotix):
video44:paul

[Guest]

From RedHat 9.0 & Slackware 9.1

crw-r--r-- 1 root root 10, 175 Jan 30 2003 /dev/agpgart


owner is root & group is root

mayhaps this may work ?

[Guest]

crw-r--r-- 1 root root 10, 175 Jan 30 2003 /dev/agpgart

mayhaps this may work ?

YES We finally did it

I'm writing this from Puppy with a screen resolution of . . . wait for it . . . 1280x1024 on my Dell Inspiron 510m with an external 17" screen.

Wow, the icons are almost too small now

Even if there are some details still left to be worked out, at least we got i810 support to work. This should help other Puppy users using this chipset

I created the device /dev/agpgart like this:

# mknod /dev/agpgart c 10 175

I'm using a working XF86Config from Kanotix. I have not yet tried

# X -configure

which I believe will create a new XF86Config in the home directory.

I took a screen snapshot, but the file is 189K - maybe too large to attach.

OK, time to get used to working with Puppy, now that I have a little space on my desktop for the applications

Thanks to all for support and encouragement, especially bladehunter!

[pakt]

Whoops, that last post is from me - in all the excitement I forgot to log on during the first run of Mozilla in Puppy...

[Guest]

Excellent....


When you finally get a smooth running system let me know and we'll incorporate all the details into the next XFree86 release if Barry doesn't put XFree into "MainStream Puppy".

I know there is still a few issues left to play with like keybaord mapping and cleaning up the fonts and what not but least we got you going.

[ccoupe]

I'm using the 1.0.3-Atheros to get my wireless card running (thanks) but there seems to be a bug in the XF86 4.4 so that the videowizard does not work and X is running a large desktop than I actually have. I worked around it for me by removing the larger size from the /etc/XF86config file.

Looks to me like the new X doesn't support the switch -listmodes

[thoughtjourney]

Bladehunter, pakt: you guys are amazing! I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to see Puppy properly!

FYI, I pretty much just followed the steps you guys laid out:

1. copied my configuration from Vector linux (that took ages to set up, another story!)
2. downloaded the i810 driver, as per bladehunter's instructions.
3. modprobed agpgart
4. ran mknod /dev/agpgart c 10 175

It's all good. Really, great job, guys!

[Guest]

No bug in XFree86, that wizzard was for a completely different driver (kdrive)

[Flash]

<snip>
I took a screen snapshot, but the file is 189K - maybe too large to attach.
<snip>

You can reduce the size with Mtpaint. Open the image in Mtpaint (File->Open, then find the image) then click Image->Scale canvas and choose the size you want. Leave "Fix aspect ratio" and "Smooth" boxes checked. I know you can crop the image first if you want, but I haven't done that so you're on your own there.

[ccoupe]

Bladehunter,

I'm not complaining, I'm only reporting. I'm up and running.

But, there is a bug. Boot the 1.0.3-Athernos. From the command line, before typing "xwin", try "X -listmodes". I get the help (bad option) screen. That's of no use for parsing valid screen sizes in the videowizard script. Wether it is a Puppy problem or your X server version I don't know. I'm only reporting the bug, not assigning blame. Just pointing out that the wizard script doesn't work with your XF86 4.4 I can only run 800X600@16 and the bug gives me a 1024X768 desktop on a 800X600 monitor.

The Atheros drivers do work (much thanks, X11 bitching aside). My very ancient laptop was going to the landfill until I found Puppy and with your iso the laptop isn't trailer trash. It's borderline. 133Mhz, 80MB, 2GB, and a half dead cd reader. Compaq Armada 1594DT, if memory serves.

[Guest]

Like I said the Stock Puppy XServer and the XFree86 are completely different animals, as far as I know XFree86 has never supported the list modes option.

It's no bug, it just was never going to work, was never designed to work.I know I maybe should have made this clearer but it was really thrown together as a bit of a challenge to get i810 chips going and the "Evil NeoMaigc" card in my lappy. I know it needs a polish and will prolly get one, depending on whether my lovely girlfriend kills me before I get a chance.

To tell the truth I'm not too sure if it is able to change screen resolution on the fly. The xserver if my version is the one used in most distros (tho many are using Xorg now) where as Barry's is more inclined towards smaller linux distros, but I dont know if you've noticed but XFree is just a tad quicker, you wont notice so much on modern machines but earlier pentiums you can really notice the difference. I know this from my 300Mhz laptop (tho I could never get kdrive to work), I did have FDO's framebuffer driver going but XFree is definitely more responsive.

[ccoupe]

No prob. I just wanted to leave a heads up, this could happen to you, message on the forum. But, if our pup file get merged into the next pup...

What is the command to list the modes on your X11 server?

I'm not being picky. Ok, I am, but the only thing I dislike more than modules magic is X11 magic. I just have a wee bit more of a conceptual problem wih X11 magic. Every time I think I know my way through the confif files, something changes. Again, thanks for the Atheros mods

[Guest]

I think the on;y way is to browse through the config file


#X --help doesn't show a option to list supported modes

[BarryK]

Excellent....

When you finally get a smooth running system let me know and we'll incorporate all the details into the next XFree86 release if Barry doesn't put XFree into "MainStream Puppy".

I know there is still a few issues left to play with like keybaord mapping and cleaning up the fonts and what not but least we got you going.

What you guys are doing is great!
I've been thinking that I might leave consideration of merging any of the atheros and x 4.4.0 stuff until after Pup 1.0.4. I've got a rather long to-do list at the moment.
Instead, you might want to bring out a 1.0.4-based version with your own kernel, atheros and 4.4.0...

[Guest]

Yep sounds like a plan......If you can let me know kernel version and config (prolly wont need framebuffer support) we can get rocking.....give me some time to download the kernel source and that....

I don't know if you've had a chance to try it out yet, but if you have do you have any suggestions for it to be more to your liking....

[pakt]

bladehunter, I've now tested the i810 driver on an old desktop with i815 graphics as well as my laptop with i855 graphics.

It looks like your iso, with the addition of

- the i810 driver
- the device /dev/agpgart
- 'modprobe agpgart' in a startup script

is what's needed to have it work on PCs with i810 graphics.

I haven't had any problems with fonts so far, so it looks good. Just some dead keys on the keyboard (AltGr-keys mainly). I don't know how to fix that yet.

The biggest hurdle is in creating the XF86Config file (that is, if you don't already have one).

Using

# X -configure

creates a minimal XF86Config which didn't work at all on the i815 desktop. Just got blinking lines.

I've found a Knoppix live CD to be a quick & dirty way of creating a good working XF86Config. Just rename XF86Config-4 to XF86Config and use it with your iso.

Worked very well on both machines, booting directly to highest resolution. Even the mouse scroll wheel works.

ccoupe: Like bladehunter said, X doesn't list the possible video modes like Xvesa does. However, Knoppix has excellent hardware detection and using it (as mentioned above) will create an XF86Config file with video modes that suit your hardware.

See this as a stop-gap solution. Perhaps we can use some of Knoppix hardware detection scripts in Puppy

[ccoupe]

FWIX, I tried X -config in Puppy and then starting X11 with that generated file. Not a pretty event -- that wedged the laptop hard. Even the power on/off switch wouldn't work. Go figure.

Clearly, mainstream Puppy and Bladehunter's Pup use different X servers and for whatever reason (probably many) the commands the servers respond to are different.

Does anyone know if the regular X11 command "xdpyinfo" will provide the info that a video wizard script could parse? For technical reasons, I can't test it on my Fedora Core 2 system. It's also worth noting that the /var/log/XFree86.log of Bladehunters seems to have some mode lines in there but I'm not a /bin/sh scripter and I try to avoid knowing X11 details whenever I can. But, the info is out there.

[iuvius]

Any chance of a 1.0.4 modded to run with the i810 upgrade?

[MU]

The ISO is available again:
http://dotpups.de/isos/

Mark

[grinnalot]

Hello Folks,

I was very happy reading this post. As long as i cannot get my Linux machines on the internet (also a project, but waiting for a router) I thought this to be a nice way to fiddle with Xfree on my Compaq Armada 1520D (133 MHz, 48 MB, 4G described elswhere).

Big Problem.... CD won't boot !

Anybody else out there with the same prob ?

Grinnalot