Michael Hannon wrote:
> Greetings.  We just installed Scientific Linux 5.0 on a Dell Optiplex
> 745 belonging to one of the professors here.  On the whole, the system
> works just fine, but we've got one small, annoying glitch with the
> video, and I'm seeking advice about it.  Note that we've installed the 
> 32-bit version of SL, on the theory that there would be better drivers, 
> etc., for this version (and this is the prof's desktop system, not a 
> number cruncher).
> 
> The monitor for this system is a Dell 2407WFP, with a preferred
> resolution of [log in to unmask]  We're using the DVI interface to the
> monitor.
> 
> The graphics adapter is identified as follows by "lspci":
> 
> 01:00.1 Display controller: ATI Technologies Inc Unknown device 71a3
>         Subsystem: Dell Unknown device 0d03
>         Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
>         Memory at dfdf0000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
>         Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
>         Capabilities: [58] Express Endpoint IRQ 0
> 
> We've downloaded what appears to be latest version of the ATI driver
> (ati-driver-installer-8.37.6-x86.x86_64.run) and have used the included
> aticonfig utility to help configure X-windows.  Note that the ATI web 
> site has two choices for linux:
> 
>     Linux x86
>     Linux x86_64
> 
> So far as I can tell, both choices lead to the same installer file, 
> marked as "...x86_64...".


Looks like an invitation to install the 64-bit version.

> 
> By the way, the ATI software identifies the graphics adapter as:
> 
>     Radeon X1300/X1550 Series
> 
> The difficulty is that X-windows insists on running the display at a 
> resolution of:
> 
>     1600x1200
> 
> This makes for a perfectly clear display, IMHO, but it does give
> characters and images the wrong aspect ratio: everything looks a little 
> too short and a little too wide.
> 
> We opened a help ticket with ATI support and received the following
> non-response:
> 
>  >The Linux drivers available from ATI are provide are "as is".
>  >You may be able to get further assistance from the Linux community...
> 
> (All your video are belong to us.)
> 
> We've tried just cramming "1920x1200" into the mode line in xorg.conf,
> but that is either ignored or causes the video subsystem to "hang",
> depending on the detailed circumstances.
> 
> If you have any suggestions, please pass 'em along.  Thanks.

There's an AMD chap hangs out on the Nahant (RHEL4) list. I don't know
whether he's on the RHEL5 list too.

I suppose one could ask for experiences on one or both of those lists 
and hope he bites.

RHEL is very important to AMD (they use lots of licences of it) and I 
speculate they'd be interested in having it work well with ATI graphics, 
not that AMD has bought ATI.

I personally don't often buy new kit; by the time it's od enough to come 
my way, those issues are properly sorted out:-)

One thing I didn't notice you mentioned: why are the standard Linux 
drivers inadequate?




-- 

Cheers
John

-- spambait
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