Re: 2.4.1 + XFree86 4 for i810

[Sunny Holani <sunny@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 2 Feb 2000, V.Suresh asked:

>Please, Please, if you ever manage to get X up in a i810 under debian,
> Mail a detailed HOWTO. I shall remain ever grateful to you. ;-)

Lucky Boy! ;)

Turns out there isnt much to getting X working on Debian, afterall. (He
he, turns out that way after having seen Ghane's box in action -- Thanks
Ghane) So here's what i did. Step by step.

1)Install Potato/Unstable. Minimal install, atleast no X components.

2)Configur and compile kernel2.4.2 . Now remember to compile agpgart as
a module, and include support for Intel840 and Intel810 chipsets, which
are the first two in the config file, after the agpgart question. here's
the relevant section of my .config

CONFIG_AGP=m 
CONFIG_AGP_INTEL=y 
CONFIG_AGP_I810=y 
# CONFIG_AGP_VIA is not set 
# CONFIG_AGP_AMD is not set 
# CONFIG_AGP_SIS is not set 
# CONFIG_AGP_ALI is not set 
CONFIG_DRM=y 
# CONFIG_DRM_TDFX is not set 
# CONFIG_DRM_GAMMA is not set 
# CONFIG_DRM_R128 is not set 
# CONFIG_DRM_RADEON is not set 
CONFIG_DRM_I810=m
# CONFIG_DRM_MGA is not set        

3) Compile and install the kernel

4) Upgrade the modutils package. -- Now thats absolutely essential, and
the one big mistake i was making all this time.

5) Boot with the new kernel.

6) Install XFree86-4.0.1. I installed the binaries, which is as
straightforward as downloading the gz files, putting them all into a
directory, and running the Xinstall.sh in the directory, and using some
common sense for the questions that follow. I answered "Y" to all the
questions though, because i didnt have a pre-existing X setup to worry
about.

7) Copy the sample XF86Config from some place(i forget which ;-) into
/etc/X11/ and edit it. Better still, run xf86config to first setup your
mouse, keyboard, monitor etc. and then edit it.

The name of the driver now is i810.o , and not svga - so thats the change
that needs to be made. The device identifier for me was "i810" too, but i
dont think that has any significance, except that the identifier for the
device and the monitor should be consistent through the config
file. Here's what my XF86Config looks like. Just the relevant section --

###############################################

Section "Device"
    Identifier        "i810"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Driver      "svga"
    Device      "i810"
    Monitor     "75e"
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes       "1280x1024"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
EndSection

################################################

So thats about it. By gods grace and my ashirwaad, issue the command
"xinit" on the console, and there you'll go - up into the amazing world of
1280x1024 . 

But wait a minute, you wanted enlightenment? Too bad! We didnt
install it. We just have a solitary white console yet. Now that suits me,
because i can still run my netscape without further brain damage, but if
you want your stuff - install it on. Just take care that dselect doesnt
over-write your X, because it doesnt know its installed - and will pretend
thus.

Regards,
-- Elated Holani.

P.S - The best bet would be for you to install the XF4 debs. I didnt,
because i didnt have them, and neither the courage to download them :)

P.P.S - Woody has XF4, and a tool called daxconf, which does all the dirty
work for you. So a better bet yet would be to get your hands on Woody --
and if you do, please pass it on ;)

P.P.P.S - Whew! I feel like adding the copyright notice ;). Hopefully,
I'll atleast make it to Thaths' top-20 list now <g>