Intel 852/855 graphics on Dell laptop

[WA9ALS - John]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael" <stuff at dustsmoke.com>
To: <fedora-list at redhat.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2004 11:52 AM
Subject: Re: Intel 852/855 graphics on Dell laptop


> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "John Wendel" <jwendel at fnmoc.navy.mil>
> > To: <fedora-list at redhat.com>
> > Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 5:52 PM
> > Subject: Re: Intel 852/855 graphics on Dell laptop
> >
> >
> >> On Friday 02 January 2004 02:42 pm, WA9ALS - John wrote:
> >>
> >> > Problem:  I can't get any screen resolution other than 640x480 on my
> >> Dell laptop D500 with Intel 852/855 chipset.  It is an XGA
> >> > display whose max is 1024x786 in true color in Windows.
> >> >
> >>
> >> Why don't you post your XF86Config file. Maybe someone will see
> >> somthing you missed.
> >>
> >> Also, did you try using the <ctrl><alt><+> key combination to switch
> >> screen resolutions?
> >>
> >> Regards,
> >>
> >> John
> >
> > 1.  <ctrl><alt><+> didn't work.
> > 2.  I posted my XF86Config file - no takers, and I think there's more to
> > it than that anyway.
> > 3.  I found a pretty specific document that describes how to do what I
> > need, but I'm still too inexperienced to carry out what it says.  Let me
> > try to describe that:
> >
> > First, I got the Intel 852/855 Linux driver(s) in an rpm file and
> > installed it with the RH package manager, no errors.
> >
> > I found /var/lib/dripkg and ran install.sh.  The document says that the
> > defaults should be OK for "most people" (not a Fedora-specific doc, but
> > does mention RH7.3).  I get errors at one point in that routine.
> > Apparently something has to be compiled into some part of the kernel,
> > and mine's not acceptable.  I have the latest kernel, but I'm not sure
> > that I have all of what I need - The document says to install Linux and
> > then download "kernel headers" (for RH7.3, on CD#2,
> > /RedHat/RPMS/kernel-source-2.4.18-i386.rpm). That just looks like an old
> > kernel source file to me.  Alternatively they say to load your kernel
> > config file, save the config, and then "make dep". Then you run
> > install.sh, and then make a change in the XF86Config file, and now your
> > screen resolution is supposed to work as expected.
> >
> > Basically, it sounds like some part of the kernel needs to be changed
> > and then recompiled - Is that correct?  Anyone willing to take on
> > helping me get this Dell laptop going with the Intel 852/855 chipset?
> > There are bound to be many others facing the same problem (screen res
> > only 640x480) that could benefit from figuring this out.  Thanks, and
> > sorry for the poorly-described procedures. - John, back on the Windows
> > box!
> >
> >
> >
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>
> No, your problem is that Dell has this amazing fascination with breaking
> perfectly good bios's so they can stick their logo all over it and dumb it
> down for you. Meaning your problem is that any Intel driver written to
> Intel specifications won't know where to find the information to allocate
> shared memory anymore. Don't know if it's related to Dell backstepping to
> an outdated intel bios that had this problem, or if they have some other
> inane reason to trample on specs. But whatever the reason is, the version
> of X that comes with fedora supports this chipset out of box. If you check
> your logs, you should see X initializing with something less than a meg of
> memory (the built in video memory) giving you the max resolution of
> 800x600 or 640x480 and 24bit You may be able to get 1024x768 at something
> like 8 or 16 bit depending on how much memory that is.
>
> Anywho, Christian Zietz was kind enough to sidestep Dells smart ideas with
> a workaround... :)
>
> http://www.chzsoft.com.ar/855patch.html
>
> Send him a thank you letter
>
> --
> Michael

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!  (Both Michael and Christian)

I had the other steps in place, but not being able to use enough video
memory was the final hurdle to be cleared.  Using Christian's 855patch
solved that, and its availability as an rpm (Thanks Nudieman!) was a plus
for this newbie!

Even after powering down and rebooting, my 24-bit, 800x600 screen was still
good.  (I expected to have to run 855patch again.  Maybe I just didn't wait
long enough.)  1024x768 good too.

Problem solved.  Next challenge - getting the Intel Pro-Wireless working
using the NDIS wrapper etc. - John