Red Hat Bugzilla – Bug 54833
SiS630 & XFree86 4.x
Last modified: 2007-03-26 23:49:16 EDT
Description of Problem: I have Gericom Webboy laptop with SIS630 chipset as VGA. There is no possibility how to make this chipset working under XFree86 4.x in original RedHat, any beta, ... See my description on my www pages ... http://www.v0jta.net/gericom/gericom.php3?&menu=4#vga This chipset is working only and only if I - switch on VesaFB (SiS FB doesn't work too) - make the same bpp for FB as I want for X - make the same fb resolution as I want for X - download and use modified driver from my web pages mentioned few lines before If you do not follow these steps, you will see blank screen when X start and there is no possibility for switching between X and console. So, if someone is installing RedHat on laptop with SiS630 you must do upper steps in installer or tell them some info what to do. My pages mentions 4.0.x, but driver from latest 4.1 doesn't work too and with 3.3.6 server, it doesn't work too. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): Clear RH 7.2 Enigma downloaded at 2001/10/20 How Reproducible: Simple install and watch black screen when X starts. Actual Results: Working info ... http://www.v0jta.net/gericom/gericom.php3?&menu=4#vga Expected Results: Contact Rene Rebe (info on my pages) and ask him, which patch, etc. he used in past for this driver. Changes are from him and I think, that these changes should be passed to RH distro as patch to X drivers or directly to X. Additional Information: I played with this ago for a few days, when I bought laptop with this chipset, so I tried all possibilities how to use X (fb, nonfb, lot of drivers, 3.3.6, 4.0.x, 4.1.x, ...) and this one is working. I don't know others. This chipset is not only in Gericom laptops, this chipseet is in all cheaper laptops and there is a lot of people with non working laptops now. For instance message 5min old in XFree86 newbie list ... To: newbie@XFree86.Org Subject: [Newbie]ASUS Laptop?? I have XFree86 v3.3.6 and FreeBSD v4.3 I have no problems getting the Xserver to run but the picture is all wrong on my display please help me!technical specifications: Display 13,3" Active Matrix Color TFT,xga 1024*768... and i have also a integrated graphic card (SIS630) OK, it's FreeBSD, but X are in all distributions.
All I found at the link on your web page is a binary driver. If I am to patch the SiS support, I need source code in unified diff format against the currently shipping XFree86, which is now 4.1.0-3. If you can supply this patch or point out where I can obtain a source code patch for SiS, I would be more than glad to look into this, and update our source base, and feed the changes back upstream.
I never see this patch or source code, I have only binary drivers. But, if you are interested, I know two mans which are (or was) working on this driver - Rene Rebe rene.rebe@gmx.net - Ademar de Souza Reis Jr. ademar@connectiva.com.br Binary driver on my pages is from Rene Rebe. I think that Ademar is the right person now, he wrote me that he had a lot of SiS machines and he is working on driver. NOTE: Driver included in XFree86-4.1.0-3 is 'working', there is only problem with enabling LCD (ACKed by Ademar and Rene too) display. It means, that X starts, applications too, but nothing to see on LCD (external display works fine)
I would be glad to test their patches if they would like to submit them to me, or let me know where I can download them from. Thanks for looking into this.
OK, I investigate my time to gain patches from these boys, I will test them on my laptop with SiS630 & LCD and after that, I will write you ...
Heh, funny news, following patch is used, because sis_driver.c is not able to correctly initialize SiS chip. So, we must use VesaFB functions for correct initialization and after that we must skipt SiSPreSetMode and SiSSetMode. So, it's not some nice patch, it's ugly, but working patch. I think that you do not want to include this in XFree distributed by RH, do you? Other side, without this, no one with SiS630 & LCD will never run RedHat. Rene told me, that he have some new info and code from SiS, but this doesn't work too. It looks like to close this bug with WONTFIX resolution or any other idea? --- XFree86-4.1.0/xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/drivers/sis/sis_driver.c.orig Fri Jul 13 20:42:56 2001 +++ XFree86-4.1.0/xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/drivers/sis/sis_driver.c @@ -1210,7 +1210,9 @@ vgaHWRestore(pScrn, vgaReg, VGA_SR_MODE); if ((pSiS->Chipset == PCI_CHIP_SIS300) || +#if 0 (pSiS->Chipset == PCI_CHIP_SIS630) || +#endif (pSiS->Chipset == PCI_CHIP_SIS540)) { SiSPreSetMode(pScrn); SiSSetMode(pScrn, pScrn->currentMode); @@ -1550,7 +1552,9 @@ ScrnInfoPtr pScrn = xf86Screens[scrnIndex]; SISPtr pSiS = SISPTR(pScrn); if ((pSiS->Chipset == PCI_CHIP_SIS300) || +#if 0 (pSiS->Chipset == PCI_CHIP_SIS630) || +#endif (pSiS->Chipset == PCI_CHIP_SIS540)) return SiSSetMode(xf86Screens[scrnIndex], mode); else @@ -1661,7 +1665,9 @@ /* Should we re-save the text mode on each VT enter? */ if((pSiS->Chipset == PCI_CHIP_SIS300) || +#if 0 (pSiS->Chipset == PCI_CHIP_SIS630) || +#endif (pSiS->Chipset == PCI_CHIP_SIS540)) { SiSPreSetMode(pScrn); if (!SiSSetMode(pScrn, pScrn->currentMode))
What do you think about this change in sis_driver.c ... if ForceCrtType == LCD && chipset == SIS_630 { use int10 code to switch vesa mode } ... because vesa switching is good and it works, so SiS630 chipset and LCDs will work nice after RH install.
This may be working in rawhide XFree86 4.2.0 now. Please try it if you can as many SiS fixes are present in the SiS driver in 4.2.0.
Another note, is that further SiS fixes are forthcoming soon for SiS from a new driver maintainer. I need to harvest some testers to determine the worthiness of the patches. Are you willing to test XFree86 4.2.0 from rawhide, and possible newer patches when they arrive? Please let me know, as it could mean a lot of improvements for SiS users.
I'm sorry for not testing rawhide 4.2.0 version, I'm very short of time now. I think that I'll have a free time for this in a week, max two weeks. I will write you when I'll be done. And of course, if you'll have some new patches I'm here to test them for you with my SiS630 chipset. Too much work here, I'm sorry for delay.
Hi Mike, I'm so sorry, but my laptop with SiS chipset was destroyed. Now I have new the new (IBM) without this chipset. So, I'm so sorry again, I have no ability to the SiS drivers. King regards, Robert
Ok, no problem. I'm closing rawhide for now as there are many SiS fixes in rawhide, and more will be coming soon too I believe. Thanks.