[Xorg-driver-geode] Geode LX video testing results

[Gideon Romm]

So, I have tested with a "return TRUE" for GeodeProbeDDC(), and now
-configure goes through fine, but a subsequent call to X -config using
the resultant xorg.conf file from the -configure, results in a freeze.

It seems the DDC code leaves the BIOS in a state that causes a second
call of the same function to make the emulator start to reinitialize
the system.

This is most likely a deficiency in the BIOS, but perhaps there is a
workaround that we can find to make this function call repeatable.

-Gideon

On Dec 30, 2007 12:02 AM, Gideon Romm <gideon at symbio-technologies.com> wrote:
> I have a GeodeROM BIOS GX unit that does NOT freeze.  All General
> Software BIOS units DO freeze.
>
> I also want to note that through some additional investigating, I have
> discovered that "ddcprobe" does NOT freeze my General Software units.
> A look at ddcprobe's source code reveals that it, too, makes calls to
> vm86, so there is at least some ddc code that does not freeze those
> units.
>
> Also, note that in the absence of the amd driver in the X.org drivers
> directory, X -configure will NOT freeze the units.  Perhaps vesa does
> not execute DDC?
>
> Also, I have looked at some other drivers, and, as Jordan has
> mentioned in the past, the GeodeDoDDC() function is identical to other
> drivers' DDC functions.  One thought I had is that I notice the amd
> driver also has a GeodeProbeDDC() function that executes before
> GeodeDoDDC() and makes roughly the same function calls into the X
> server.  I wonder if perhaps this earlier function, which also uses
> X's emulator, leaves the system in a state in which the second call
> into the emulator makes it go crazy.  I know this is a stretch, but on
> Monday I plan to test compiling the code with GeodeProbeDDC() simply
> returning true and see if the freeze persists.
>
> I will update the list with the results there, as well.
>
> -Gadi
>
>
> On Dec 29, 2007 4:49 PM, Martin-Éric Racine <q-funk at iki.fi> wrote:
> > It was previously pondered in this thread and on IRC whether the
> > freezes witnessed by some users might be related to which BIOS their
> > hardware uses.
> >
> > To summarize the data I've collected so far:
> >
> > iClient: General Software. (freezes)
> >
> > ThinCan(variant A): General Software. (freezes)
> > ThinCan(variant B): LinuxBIOS with VSA and VGA blobs. (freezes)
> >
> > Could others add data to this list, to confirm whether those freezes
> > are a BIOS-specific issue?
> >
> > Thanks!
> > --
> > Martin-Éric Racine
> > http://q-funk.iki.fi
> > _______________________________________________
> >
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> > Xorg-driver-geode at lists.x.org
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> >
>