In article <terryd.700873373@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU>, terryd@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU (Terry Dawson) writes:
quoted text
> I have recently installed 0.95 in my machine with a svga card based on the
> trident 8800 chipset with 256k ram. Linux hasn't been waiting for keyboard
> input at all, it presents the "Press <RETURN> to see SVGA modes" prompt,
> but just just steps straight on an mounts the root file system.
> 
> I have no troubles using this card and config in 132*60 mode from DOS,
> any suggestions as to what might be causing the problem ?
> 
> 
> Terry

OK, since you asked, here is the assembler code for Trident VGA
detection.  I got it from sources/system/linux/boot/setup.S.
Try putting this code fragment into a MASM or TASM file (with any
necessary changes to get it to assemble) and see if it works with
you card under DOS.  If it does, then it's a LINUX problem.  If it
doesn't then it's a problem with the code itself.

nopara: mov     dx,#0x3c4               ! Check Trident 'clues'
        mov     al,#0x0e
        out     dx,al
        inc     dx
        in      al,dx
        xchg    ah,al
        mov     al,#0x00
        out     dx,al
        in      al,dx
        xchg    al,ah
        mov     bl,al           ! Strange thing ... in the book this wasn't
        and     bl,#0x02        ! necessary but it worked on my card which
        jz      setb2           ! is a trident. Without it the screen goes
        and     al,#0xfd        ! blurred ...
        jmp     clrb2           !
setb2:  or      al,#0x02        !
clrb2:  out     dx,al
        and     ah,#0x0f
        cmp     ah,#0x02
        jne     notrid

I don't know where these 'clues' came from.  Do they work on
any else TRIDENT VGA card?

I'd do it myself, but I don't have a TRIDENT card to test it out on B^).

=================================================================
Kevin J. Cummings                       Prime Computer Inc.
20 Briarwood Road                       500 Old Connecticut Path
Framingham, Mass.                       Framingham, Mass.

InterNet:  cummings@primerd.Prime.COM
UUCP:      uunet!primerd.Prime.COM!cummings

Std. Disclaimer: "Mr. McKittrick, after careful consideration,
                  I've come to the conclusion that your new
                  defense system SUCKS..."   --  War Games
=================================================================