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iMike
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Joined: 01 Apr 2005
Posts: 217
Location: Stockholm, Sweden

PostPosted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:30 pm    Post subject: No video on Ultra 10 Reply with quote

Hi all,

I don't get any video when running an Ultra 10 on 2.6.17-gentoo-r8, just a white screen with
Code:
Booting Linux...
I can log into the machine remotely via ssh, but would like to at least get a rudimentary console on an attached VGA display. I've seen talk of running X on a U10 so I guess my problem should be rather trivial in comparision. I had this problem when I first tried loading Gentoo on an Ultra 10 (see
New stable toolchain stuff on SPARC, read before using! for a solution posted there, but never had time to look back at it again...until now.

Should one have PROM_CONSOLE set in their .config? Any other tips?

Background:
Here is relevant part of my dmesg:
Code:
atyfb: 3D RAGE PRO (Mach64 GP, PQFP, PCI) [0x4750 rev 0x7c]
atyfb: 4M SGRAM (1:1), 14.31818 MHz XTAL, 230 MHz PLL, 100 Mhz MCLK, 100 MHz XCLK
Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 80x30
atyfb: fb0: ATY Mach64 frame buffer device on PCI
and lspci
Code:
# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Sun Microsystems Computer Corp. Ultra IIi
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Sun Microsystems Computer Corp. Simba Advanced PCI Bridge (rev 13)
00:01.1 PCI bridge: Sun Microsystems Computer Corp. Simba Advanced PCI Bridge (rev 13)
01:01.0 Bridge: Sun Microsystems Computer Corp. EBUS (rev 01)
01:01.1 Ethernet controller: Sun Microsystems Computer Corp. Happy Meal (rev 01)
01:02.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc 3D Rage Pro 215GP (rev 5c)
01:03.0 IDE interface: Silicon Image, Inc. PCI0646 (rev 03)
#
and finally the relevant part of my .config file:
Code:
#
# Graphics support
#
CONFIG_FB=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_FILLRECT=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_COPYAREA=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_IMAGEBLIT=y
# CONFIG_FB_MACMODES is not set
# CONFIG_FB_FIRMWARE_EDID is not set
CONFIG_FB_MODE_HELPERS=y
CONFIG_FB_TILEBLITTING=y
# CONFIG_FB_CIRRUS is not set
# CONFIG_FB_PM2 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ASILIANT is not set
# CONFIG_FB_IMSTT is not set
# CONFIG_FB_SBUS is not set
# CONFIG_FB_S1D13XXX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_RIVA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_MATROX is not set
CONFIG_FB_RADEON=m
CONFIG_FB_RADEON_I2C=y
# CONFIG_FB_RADEON_DEBUG is not set
CONFIG_FB_ATY128=m
CONFIG_FB_ATY=y
CONFIG_FB_ATY_CT=y
# CONFIG_FB_ATY_GENERIC_LCD is not set
CONFIG_FB_ATY_GX=y
# CONFIG_FB_SAVAGE is not set
# CONFIG_FB_SIS is not set
# CONFIG_FB_NEOMAGIC is not set
# CONFIG_FB_KYRO is not set
# CONFIG_FB_3DFX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VOODOO1 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_TRIDENT is not set
CONFIG_FB_PCI=y
# CONFIG_FB_VIRTUAL is not set

#
# Console display driver support
#
# CONFIG_PROM_CONSOLE is not set
CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE=y
# CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE_ROTATION is not set
CONFIG_FONTS=y
# CONFIG_FONT_8x8 is not set
CONFIG_FONT_8x16=y
# CONFIG_FONT_6x11 is not set
# CONFIG_FONT_7x14 is not set
# CONFIG_FONT_PEARL_8x8 is not set
# CONFIG_FONT_ACORN_8x8 is not set
CONFIG_FONT_SUN8x16=y
# CONFIG_FONT_SUN12x22 is not set
# CONFIG_FONT_10x18 is not set

#
# Logo configuration
#
CONFIG_LOGO=y
# CONFIG_LOGO_LINUX_MONO is not set
# CONFIG_LOGO_LINUX_VGA16 is not set
# CONFIG_LOGO_LINUX_CLUT224 is not set
CONFIG_LOGO_SUN_CLUT224=y
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_LCD_SUPPORT is not set


Thanks
/iMike
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rsborn
Tux's lil' helper
Tux's lil' helper


Joined: 10 Feb 2004
Posts: 105
Location: Webster, NY

PostPosted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I apologize in advance if I am just being dumb here but do you have a creator or elite card in this ultra 10? If you do I think you need to hook the monitor to the 13W3 port and not the vga port. If you don't have a sun monitor you can also find vga adapters on ebay or just remove the creator/elite graphics card. I think if the creator or elite card is installed, console input automatically switches.

Just in case you don't know, the 13w3 port is about the size of a db25 with 3 rather strange connectors embedded inside

http://www.itsupplies.net/product_info.php?products_id=63

the above link shows a picture, not intended as an endorsement

If this is not it, I have a working Sun Ultra10 with Gentoo at home, I can get any info from it that you need but I will admit that I have not switched to the new toolchain yet

Rick
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iMike
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Joined: 01 Apr 2005
Posts: 217
Location: Stockholm, Sweden

PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not a dumb question. That fact that I don't know the answer is probably where the real problem lies. lspci (shown above) does not show anything that jumps out as a creator/elite card to me. lshw doesn't say anythng helpful either. The only graphics card I can make out from these tools is the ATI:
Code:
ATI Technologies Inc 3D Rage Pro 215GP
.

There are two physical ports where I have plugged in the monitor to see if there is any signal. One is horizonally oriented about mid-way up the box. It is the only one I get anything out of and is the one I have the 13w3 do-dad on. Unfortunately, I just get messages on it at the beginning saying it's loading the kernel, then it disappears. Apparently switching to the other card, out of which I get no signal. It's localed near the bottom of the box. If I remember right, the orientation on it is vertical.

When I use the Gentoo CD, however, all the output goes to horizontal "13w3" port. This was how I was able to install the thing in the first place.

You've got me wondering if the other card in the box (the one near the bottom) might just be dead, or perhaps live enough that Gentoo switches output to it, but it doesn't actually produce any signal for my monitor. If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll open the box and examine the contents. I'll report back what I find. Thanks for the ideas.

I have only run the new kernel/toolchain on this box, so I can't comment on how it might have acted with the older one.
/iMike
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Toady
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Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 161
Location: South Wales, UK

PostPosted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The ATI card is the one on the motherboard - using a standard sub-D 15 way connector.
The other one using a 13w3 SUN connector is probably a Creator 3D.

I cant remember how to be sure if it is the creator card as looking at mine there are no markings on it to indicate this.
Also from looking at mine - there is an S-Video type port next to the 13w3. Another give away is that the Ultra 10 Badge on the front of the box often says "Creator 3D" on boxes shipped with the card in ;)

Anyway - if this is what you have - then you need to turn on frame buffer support for the console and add the support for the card in the kernel. I have never used one with X so I dont know how much harder it gets from here. Many people suggest running Matrox PCI cards in thease - its up to you really ;)
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Gentoo Laptop
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Gnome on the desk, Intel in the box, on-board everything, but it all works!
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recupero
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Joined: 25 Jun 2006
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

your problem is familiar with me.
You'd have to remove the Creator 3D card, but if this takes time and it is delicate like in my case I give you a hint:

I just let the white screen, and I type /etc/init.d/sshd start ; passwd <> <> and then I log remotely.
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rsborn
Tux's lil' helper
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Joined: 10 Feb 2004
Posts: 105
Location: Webster, NY

PostPosted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have one of these with a Creator card and X and I can assure you that you don't need to remove the creator card. I suspect you don't have something compiled in the kernel correctly. As a quick test, just copy the kernel from the Gentoo cd to your boot directory and add it to SILO, then boot with this kernel and see if your screen works correctly. If this works then you know you just have to tweak your kernel config (see above hints about framebuffer support).

One other note on these cards, there are 2 types, the creator and the elite and to be honest other than looking at the tag on the front of the case I can't tell them apart. If you have the Elite card, you will need the afb patch from Sun as well as the afbinit package from Gentoo. See Ferris' page for details for this and other things related to X on these creator and elite workstations.

http://dev.gentoo.org/~fmccor/ id his site, it seems that most of my knowledge about Gentoo on Sun (and in general) seems to have been acquired by reading his information so I would recommend reading his whole site (don't let the python scare you)

hope this helps, don't give up on these Ultras, they are great and super reliable, I've been using my Ultra 10 as my primary email/browser machine since I rescued it in 2002 and it hasn't hiccuped once.

Rick
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Toady
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Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 161
Location: South Wales, UK

PostPosted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really should resurrect mine - but for some reason I just cant be bothered yet - I think I am having too much fun with the M65 ;)
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Toady

Gentoo Laptop
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Gnome on the desk, Intel in the box, on-board everything, but it all works!
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tfaing
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Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 4
Location: Boston, MA

PostPosted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hey. I had the similiar problems with a Sun Blade 150. I solved the freezing at "Booting Linux..." by booting directly to the cdrom after a cold boot. But then I ran into problems because gentoo had a hard time dealing with the ATI Radeon graphics card that I had plugged in (the cursor scrolled down a whole page once or twice and then froze). I fixed this by taking out the card from the slot, and plugging my monitor into the motherboard based video input, and gentoo booted up fine and I could install. I had to take the card out of the slot because the machine automatically outputted the video to it if it was in the machine.

hope this helps.
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