X problems on Dell Latitude w/i915 graphics (and Fn-key questions)

[Jim Cornette]

Toralf Lund wrote:
> We're having problems with the X server when running Fedora or Red Hat 
> Linux (i.e. we've tried both FC3 & older stuff) on a Dell Latitude 610 
> notebook with an Intel 915 graphics chip. Firstly, no driver but "vesa" 
> appears to work at all, but we don't mind that too much. However, we 
> can't get a correct display with that either. Symptoms:
> 
>    * A black screen is displayed by default.
>    * When using an external monitor instead of the built-in LCD screen,
>      everything works fine.
>    * If starting up with external display, then switching to the
>      build-in one via and Fn-key combination (Fn+F8 in this case), the
>      built-in one also works.
>    * The same is true after starting with the internal one (and getting
>      a black screen), then switching to external and back to internal.
>    * In the above two cases, display is once again lost if we switch to
>      a different VT via Ctrl+Alt+F-keys, then back to the X server.
> 
> Any ideas how to get around this? I mean, how to get the internal 
> display to work directly?
> 
> Related question: What exactly happens when the Fn-combination is 
> pressed? I mean, I've sort of seen this operation as akin to pulling out 
> the cable to the monitor, then inserting another one, but to get the 
> behaviour described above, there must also be some kind of software 
> signalling involved, mustn't there?
> 
> - Toralf
> 


Have you tried to use the i810 driver for the Intel 915 cards?
info i810 shows the below supported cards. Vesa for me does not work for 
an 815 card I have.

SUPPORTED HARDWARE
        i810 supports the i810, i810-DC100, i810e, i815,  830M,  845G, 
852GM, 855GM, 865G and 915G chipsets.

I also use a computer with an 865G and it works well with this driver. 
Maybe you have to adjust some BIOS settings related to video memory or 
upgrade a buggy BIOS. I had a buggy BIOS and also had to adjust settings 
to correct the problem with that card.

Good luck,

Jim