[linrad] svgalib 1.9.23

[w3sz <w3sz@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I spent some time last night and this a.m. exploring svgalib-1.9.23.

The way that 'NO_HELPER' is set at runtime is through the  
/etc/vga/libvga.config file.  Near the beginning are some lines:

-----
Helper /dev/svga

NoHelper            # Disable use of the helper-kernelmodule (/dev/svga)  
and
                      # fallback to old ioperm/iopl and /dev/mem use.
-----

The NoHelper line is originally commented out.  If you enable it you no  
longer get the ' Is svgalib_helper loaded?' error message when starting a  
program that uses svgalib.

I found this only by looking in the /source/config file for the 1.9.23  
version of the libvga.config file,  because the svgalib install did not  
overwrite or update my own libvga.config file in /etc/vga.  So there was  
no way to know that this change had been made.  I suspect that the same  
thing happened to you.

Unfortunately [for me] I cannot get any svgalib-dependent programs to run  
here using 1.9.23. Running any such program causes linux to lock up and I  
have to manually turn off my computer as the keyboard is totally disabled,  
the screen black, etc.

This is true whether or not I have the 'Helper /dev/svga' line commented  
out or not.

It is true whether or not I select my chipset [i810].

When I take the usually safe route and select 'VESA' chipset in the  
libvga.config file I get a message saying that no VESA bios is found.

I have tried many options within the libvga.config file and none result in  
a working svgalib configuration with my hardware.

So, for me, svgalib-1.9.23 is completely broken.  I hope others have  
better luck.  I am going back to 1.9.21 as it worked much better before  
the 'bug fixes' were added by the svgalib developers.

But now we do know how to select the 'NO_HELPER' option in 1.9.23   ;)

If anyone has better luck with 1.9.23, please post it to the list.

Thanks, and

73,

Roger
W3SZ



--
Roger Rehr
W3SZ
http://www.qsl.net/w3sz

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