Would this by any chance be a Compaq Deskpro 4000? Your problem seems similar to one that I had with that machine and its OEM version of the S3 Virge GX card which, as I recall, used the same chip. The solution: use XFree86 version 3.3.6 rather than 4.x.x. Here is what worked for my installation of Redhat 7.2. (Posted Previously) Regarding Deskpro (4000?) using S3 ViRGE GX. I have just gone through the same experience. I am installing RedHat 7.2. My symptoms were a small, rectangular area that adjacent to the cursor, plus other annoying distortions. I was using a SonyCPD 1304 monitor that was supported by RedHat.. I found the solution at "www.dsm.fordham.edu/~moniot/linux-compaq/". With RedHat's help I was able to implement it. The basic problem seems to be that the XF86_SVGA server doesn't support Compaq's (OEM version?) of the S3 Virge card It is better supported by the XF86_S3 server which was also included on the RedHat distribution disks. To implement I had to do the following: Mount RedHat Installation CD # 2 Goto ...../RedHat/RPMS/ directory on CD # 2 rpm -ivh XFree86-S3V* (Install the needed server on my hard drive) Xconfigurator --expert --preferxf3 --server XF86_S3V (Run the configuration program) During Xconfigurator: Choose the S3V driver during the Xconfigurator process. (I think it was the next-to-last listed driver, but I could be wrong about both its name and its location in the list. ) No preference for RAMDAC and Clock during Xconfigurator. When it was done the Xconfig file contained entries for "My Video Card" in the device and screen sections. At www.dsm.fordham.edu/~moniot/linux-compaq/ the author said a link needed to be added: "ln -fs /usr/X11R6/bin/XF86_S3V /etc/X11/X" I didn't need to do this to get it to work. I think Xconfigurator created the link as there is an /etc/X11/X file on my system. (Of course there was one before, so I don't know for sure.) One glitch remains: After exiting Xwindow the command line text screen is garbled. The author at www.dsm.fordham.edu/~moniot/linux-compaq/ says there is a program, vga_reset, that will correct that problem. I haven't been able to find that program, so I cannot confirm it will work. If you know how to get vga_reset (supposedly included in Desbian Distribution) let me know. Message: 6 Date: Fri, 05 Apr 2002 10:10:50 +0200 From: "Benjamin GOURLAT" <bgourlat@grandlyon.org> To: <newbie@XFree86.Org> Subject: [Newbie]a problem with a S3 video card Reply-To: newbie@XFree86.Org This is a multipart message in MIME format --------------InterScan_NT_MIME_Boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline hello all, I've got a computer with a video card based on a S3 chip "86C385".=20 This video card works with Windows NT4 so i need to install Linux Mandrake = 8.2... I install it without any problem for choose my option and install = all the packages but when i try to install the video for Xfree 4... I = begin to have problems : my cursor have a big shadow and my display was = not clean... I try to find a solution on Google without any result who help me....=20 Thanks for your help Bye Benjamin GOURLAT from FRANCE :)
