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| 30 NOV 2002 at 9:27pm |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | I'm pretty sure the ATI Rage Pro supports VBE (VESA BIOS Extensions) either version 1.2 or 2.0 (if I was at work I could plop one into my testbox and tell you exactly).
How can you tell? Well, we have VBETest There are probably many "VESA Info" proggies floating around. I wrote one myself years ago which I could send you if you can't find anything else.
I forgot my sig.
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| 30 NOV 2002 at 10:26pm |
JudySpace Cadet
Posts : 173
Joined: 17 FEB 2009
Status : Offline | I'll take you up on that Michal. Thanks ever so much.
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| 30 NOV 2002 at 10:35pm |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Alright, grab it from http://pages.prodigy.net/michaln/vesainfo.exe
If you wish you can cut & paste the output here and I'll interpret it for you. Unless it's complete garbage in which case something went wrong
I forgot my sig.
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| 1 DEC 2002 at 12:58am |
RevliskciPrivate Detective
Posts : 724
Joined: 9 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | Hey! What about mine? What do all these modes tell and stuff?
VESA version : 300
OEM string : 3dfx Interactive, Inc.
Supported modes: 100 101 102 103 105 107 108 109 10A 10B 10C 180 10E 10F 181 182
183 184 185 186 187 188 189 18A 18B 111 112 114 115 117 118 11A 11B
Memory : 16384K
Vendor : Elpin Systems, Inc.
Product: 3dfx Avenger
Product revision : Version 1.00
Software revision: 100
Capabilities:
DAC width: 8 bits
VGA compatible controller: yes
RAMDAC "snow": no
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| 1 DEC 2002 at 1:10am |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Your card is obviously a 3Dfx (Voodoo 3000? I think that's Avenger) with 16MB RAM and supports VBE 3.0. Most of the modes are standard VESA modes (the lower numbered ones for sure), for all of them it's possible to query exact mode information from the BIOS. The complete mode table would be pretty big
I forgot my sig.
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| 1 DEC 2002 at 3:17pm |
JudySpace Cadet
Posts : 173
Joined: 17 FEB 2009
Status : Offline | Here's what mine says
Vesa version: 200
OEM string: ATI Mach 64
Supported modes: 100 thru 109, 11A 11B 302 303 304 202 10D 10E 10F 212 thru 215 222 thru 225 232 thru 235 242 thru 245
Memory: 512K
Vendor: ATI Technologies
Product: Mach64 LP
Product revision: 01.00
Software revision: 100
Capabilities:
DAC width: 6 bites
VGA compatible controller: Yes
RAMDAC "snow": No
I haven't a clue as to what any of that means.
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| 1 DEC 2002 at 10:05pm |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | I do Your card is based on the Mach64 chip (which all Rage Pros are) and supports VBE 2.0.
One thing sounds very strange though: my utility only reports 512K of memory. That does not sound right, I'm sure your card should have at least 2MB and probably more. But I'm fairly certain my code is right, it works on all of my machines (and mine has 128MB video RAM) and it worked fine for Revliskci...
Do you have problems playing old DOS games? Do they tell you that they can't run? I guess you do have problems or you wouldn't be asking in the first place?
I forgot my sig.
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| 1 DEC 2002 at 11:24pm |
JudySpace Cadet
Posts : 173
Joined: 17 FEB 2009
Status : Offline | I usually play DOS games using a boot disc as it will usually tell me I don't have enough memory. Should my card read higher than what it does as far as memory goes? If so, how do I fix it. ???
Thanks for your brains Michal
OH Michal! I just noticed that you are officially listed as a forum GOD. Surely you'll be able to work miracles with my memory LOL
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| 2 DEC 2002 at 1:06am |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Judy (1 DEC 2002 11:23pm)
I usually play DOS games using a boot disc as it will usually tell me I don't have enough memory.
Can't say that I'm surprised... most DOS VESA based games required 1MB at least I think. If the games are talking about video memory of course.
Should my card read higher than what it does as far as memory goes?
I would say so. But especially in the old days ATI was really good at putting out lots and lots of slightly incompatible revisions of what was essentially the same chip. So if you tell me that you have a 3D Rage Pro, that doesn't really tell me much
At any rate I am not aware of any Mach64 based cards with less than 1MB video memory so I would say if your card only claims to have 512K, it's definitely a problem.
One more question: I assume you have Windows installed and that you use ATI's drivers. What resolution and color depth are you running (right click on desktop, go to the last tab of Properties)?
And if you look some more, Windows should tell you how much video memory your card has. I suspect that Windows sees all the memory (because it doesn't go through VBE) but the VESA BIOS for some reason thinks there's less.
If so, how do I fix it. ???
Now there's the million dollar question I don't know at the moment. I'll try asking tomorrow at the office if someone has seen similar problems. Or I could try asking ATI's engineers but that could take a while.
At the moment I have three theories:
- Your card is somehow subtly broken. Possible but sounds unlikely. Probably unfixable.
- There is some software interfering with VBE. Possible but since you have the same problem in clean DOS boot, quite unlikely. Could be fixed by removing the offending software.
- Your card is slightly incompatible with the rest of your system. Possible but again seems unlikely. Trying out the card in a different system would prove or disprove this theory. Changing BIOS settings etc. might or might not help.
Which is really just a complicated way of saying that I have no idea
OH Michal! I just noticed that you are officially listed as a forum GOD. Surely you'll be able to work miracles with my memory LOL
If I will, it'll be because of my job, not because of my forum status
I forgot my sig.
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| 2 DEC 2002 at 1:34am |
JudySpace Cadet
Posts : 173
Joined: 17 FEB 2009
Status : Offline | Here's a little bit more info. I'm running 32 Bit color 800 x 600 pixels
The card is a Rage LT Pro AGP 2X
DAC type:Internal
Memory approx. 4MB
Drivers: 4.11.01.2560
Mini Vdd: macxw 4.vxd
Vdd: "Vdd, "Vflatd
Is that any help?
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| 2 DEC 2002 at 1:49am |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Sort of. It is now obvious that your card has more than 512K RAM (not that I ever really doubted that). For 800x600x32 resolution you need nearly 2MB and if the driver says you have 4MB, it's very likely to be correct.
So the question now is why VBE only claims to have 512K - but I don't know the answer at the moment. Tomorrow I'll try to find a Rage LT Pro (I'm sure we have one or two) and play with it a bit, maybe I'll see something.
I forgot my sig.
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| 2 DEC 2002 at 10:04pm |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Judy,
I've just tried four different Rage LT Pros in my testbox and none exhibited the problem you have. Which means I can't directly help you. Apparently it may be possible that the BIOS does not report the full memory amount by design, though the reasoning behind this escapes me. I'll try to find out more.
In the meantime you might want to try SDD 6.53 or SDD 6.7. If it doesn't work, you're no worse off than you were before and if it does, it will likely fix this problem.
I forgot my sig.
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| 2 DEC 2002 at 11:24pm |
JudySpace Cadet
Posts : 173
Joined: 17 FEB 2009
Status : Offline | Thanks for all your help Michal. :-* I'll give it a try. If you come up with anything new, let me know.
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| 7 DEC 2002 at 8:59pm |
BelindaSchattenjger
Posts : 2093
Joined: 21 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Hey MichalN.....can you tell me about my video card?
ASIC Type - Rage 120 Pro
ASIC ID - 5046
Bus Type - AGP 1X, AGP 2X, AGP 4X
BIOS version - 001.001.002.001
BIOS part number - 113-63109-100
BIOS date - 1999/10/19
Memory size - 16.0 M
Memory type - SDR SGRAM 1:1/ SDRAM
Driver File: ATI2DRAA.DRV
Release version: 6.31.3-CD22
Memory Upgrade Modules: N/A
Thanks!
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| 7 DEC 2002 at 10:57pm |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Belinda48 (7 DEC 2002 8:59pm)
Hey MichalN.....can you tell me about my video card?
What do you want to know It's an ATI Rage 128 Pro, with 16MB memory. It's probably not much good for the latest 3D games but quite adequate for anything 2D and older/less intensive 3D titles.
I forgot my sig.
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| 7 DEC 2002 at 11:15pm |
BelindaSchattenjger
Posts : 2093
Joined: 21 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Originally Posted By MichalN (7 DEC 2002 10:57pm)
What do you want to know It's an ATI Rage 128 Pro, with 16MB memory. It's probably not much good for the latest 3D games but quite adequate for anything 2D and older/less intensive 3D titles.
Thanks MichalN...... I'm playing Syberia right now, and no problems, looks great on my monitor. What latest 3D games (adventure) do you think I might have problems with?
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| 8 DEC 2002 at 2:34am |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Belinda48 (7 DEC 2002 11:15pm)
What latest 3D games (adventure) do you think I might have problems with?
Adventures? Probably none. Games like Morrowind likely would not run too well on it but I can't think of any adventure. All adventures I've seen so far that use 3D would count as "less intensive 3D games".
I forgot my sig.
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| 8 DEC 2002 at 2:56am |
BelindaSchattenjger
Posts : 2093
Joined: 21 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Originally Posted By MichalN (8 DEC 2002 2:33am)
Adventures? Probably none. Games like Morrowind likely would not run too well on it but I can't think of any adventure. All adventures I've seen so far that use 3D would count as "less intensive 3D games".
:-*
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