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Conference noted::ibmpc-95

Title:IBM PCs, clones, DOS, etc.
Notice:Intro in 1-11, Windows stuff in NOTED::MSWINDOWS please
Moderator:TARKIN::LINND
Created:Mon Jan 02 1995
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3023
Total number of notes:28404

2971.0. "S3 928 PCI video bitmap corruption?" by AXEL::FOLEY (http://axel.zko.dec.com) Mon Mar 31 1997 11:16

Hi,

	I'm building a Pentium 100 system. I pulled most of the stuff
	out of my old DECpc XL 486, including the PCI video card. 
	Everything seems to work "ok", except for the video.

	The card is a generic S3 928 PCI card. It worked fine in the
	486, however, now it looks like it's broken. What happens is
	that the screen leaves pixels all over the place, resulting
	in what I would call "screen corruption". It's almost as if the
	video memory is not refreshing properly. I've tried the standard
	Win95 drivers and the latest from S3 to no avail.

	Any reccomendations? (I'm probably going to pick up one of those
	$69 S3 Virge cards anyways, but I'm curious as to why this isn't
	working)

	thanks,

							mike
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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2971.1QUARK::LIONELFree advice is worth every centMon Mar 31 1997 11:254
Got any serial devices configured for COM4?  This sometimes messes up S3-based
video.

				Steve
2971.2AXEL::FOLEYhttp://axel.zko.dec.comMon Mar 31 1997 11:387

	Nothing on COM4. I made sure of that right away.

	thanks,

						mike
2971.3PCBUOA::KRATZMon Mar 31 1997 11:442
    The S3 928 card is very early (read: not really) PCI...
    It doesn't work on an Intel Zappa either.       
2971.4AXEL::FOLEYhttp://axel.zko.dec.comMon Mar 31 1997 12:087
	Are you saying that it may be incompatible with the Intel
	PCI chipset that is on my motherboard?

	I guess it's all the more reason to get the Virge card.

							mike
2971.5RE: Not compatible with host bridge.RICKS::PHIPPSDTN 225.4959Mon Mar 31 1997 13:519
That could be true.

There were some early problems when putting this chip behind a PCI-to-PCI
bridge.  I don't have all the details handy but S3 indicated that the 968 is
PCI version 1.0 compliant chip.  S3 also indicated that the problem could be
worked around in software and you might want to see if there are any new
drivers for it.

	mikeP
2971.6AXEL::FOLEYhttp://axel.zko.dec.comMon Mar 31 1997 14:2610
RE: .5

	No new drivers.. I tried the latest. I'll put the card back
	in my 486 box and give it to my brother at some point. In the
	meantime, I'll use a ISA Diamond Speedstar till my S3 Virge 3d/4MB
	card arrives. ($77 delivered)

	thanks for all the help...

							mike
2971.7same problemWKOL10::WALLACEDavid Wallace, SBU Sales, @WKOMon Mar 31 1997 21:3111
    Mike,
    
    I saw something like this on a Digital 928PCI card also with Windows
    95.  I tried several different driver combinations but could never get
    the missing pixels back.  I thought the video RAM chips were going bad.
    
    I also changed video cards to fix the problem.
    
    Regards,
    David.