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1996-06-17
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SPEA Hotline Information
===========================================================================
Trouble Shooting Guide ................... Document A: System Configuration
SPEA V7 series Release 0696.4
===========================================================================
Dear user,
your SPEA GRAPHITI graphics-board has been tested with a wide variety of
hardware and software and complies with all valid and applicable standards
of hardware and software.
Given the big variety of PC-mainboards, still increased by a lot of
additional components, both software and hardware, it is impossible to
foresee and test all potential combinations and configurations. Sometimes
adjustments and changes in the configuration might be necessary to provide
a smoothly running system.
Important:
----------
Please check first whether you have the latest drivers installed. Compare
the release of the drivers in our BBS with your currently installed version.
You find the release date on the original disks of your drivers and also
in the comments to the drivers in our BBS. We recommend to note the release
of downloaded software on the disk!
Updates through the BBS, Internet or Compuserve are free!
You only pay telephone-fees.
Driver updates are available from:
- the SPEA Mailbox Modem 0 81 51 / 1 29 21
0 81 51 / 26 62 41
ISDN 0 81 51 / 7 80 01
- and SPEA libraries
CompuServe GO SPEA
Internet http://www.spea.com
As well as on CD ROM available from SPEA (price: DM 18.50).
The following text contains hints, tricks and solutions for common problems
and requests.
Many of them came from other users in the field. We┤d like to thank them
for their contribution.
Note:
Please keep in mind that the options of the system BIOS may vary. If any of
the options mentioned here should not be available, try to get an updated
BIOS or maybe adapt the recommended changes to the possibilities of the
installed BIOS in your PC.
Yours sincerely
the Support-Team of SPEA SOFTWARE AG
System Configuration
===========================================================================
Questions !.Answer
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Which addresses do the graphic boards use? !.A4
Feature Connector: whcih resolutions are possible? !.A38
Hercules-MDA-CGA-EGA emulation possible? !.A25
The PC doesn┤t boot or beeps when starting? !.A1.A3
!.A4.A9
!.A10.A14
!.A29.A32
PCI/AMI Bios: System beeps 2 or 3 times, system hangs? !.A9.A10.A13
Graphics board not initialized/found? !.A1.A3.A4
!.A5.A6.A10
!.A20.A45
Boot problems in Gigabyte mainboards !.A48
MERCURY (Lite) PCI in a PCI computer with Phoenix BIOS
no display or system hangs when booting? !.A31
Mirage and Mercury with VGA monochrome monitor:
when booting system doesn't show BIOS report and hangs? !.A33
No display on the monitor (Frame-Grabber board !.A1.A22
or monochrome VGA-monitor installed)? .A28.A30
The monitor displays only b/w? !.A1.A22
Fax, modem or sound board no longer functions? !.A4.A6
!.A8.A17
Is it necessary to install the Superdisk for ACAD,
Windows or other applications? !.A47
The installation program for the SPEA V7 graphics board
(Superdisk) hangs or system crashes? !.A6.A19
Logitech mouse installed: SPTUNE crashes? !.A42
SPTUNE crashes whilst loading, system hangs.
Message: 'No S3 board found' !.A6
SPTUNE message: 'No SDD/PMI files found' !.A40
SPTUNE: when called screen turns blue? !.A6
SPTUNE message: fatal error - no gdc mode number available !.A34
SPTUNE message: BIOS checksum error !.A4
How can user-defined video modes be deleted again? !.A34
S3TEST - Memory Test shows message: '80 errors' ? !.A18
S3TEST.EXE reports: "EEPROM CHECKSUM ERROR"?
V7SETUP reports: "No S3-board found." or
"Jumper setting error." or "DAC test error."? !.A6
!.A20.A24
Dual-screen configuration on PCI-systems:
SPTUNE hangs. !.A32.A40
Dual-screen configuration on PCI-systems:
SPTUNE doesn┤t recognize the secondary board. !.A45
SPDUAL: no test image on secondary screen, system hangs? !.A6
Is it possible to have DOS with a
vertical frequency higher than 60Hz? !.A15
The utilities for the graphics-board are missing? !.A16
CLR (Clear Screen) problem with VESA drivers installed? !.A22
Graphics mode 10A onl uses upper half of screen? !.A37
No text display in VGA mode 103 (203)? !.A36
GAMES: MS Flight Simulator (and other games) - higher
screen mode can't be configured?
Display is deformed or system crashes? !.A26
V7-MERCURY: displaced lines in games (scrolling) !.A27
V7-MIRAGE P64 TRIO:
Feature Connector doesn't work? !.A49
Sound replay incorrect at Windows start? !.A23
MIRAGE + VOBIS MS1570LE monitor:
Monitor suddenly changes graphics mode? !.A35
Low-frequency monitor (up to 31.5 Hz) can only display
the V7-MIRAGE output under Windows in 640x480 TrueColor? !.A21
Linux XFREE86-2.x : X-Server can┤t be started
with high resolutions? !.A39
Floppy-drives or network not recognized? !.A7
Are there drivers for SCO Unix? !.A46
System-configuration
===========================================================================
Answers
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A1 Check if the graphics board is firmly installed. Check the connectors
of the video cable - secure it by fastening the screws.
Note that on Mercury boards the VGA BIOS can be switched
off - check the jumper.
Check the setting of the input impedance on the monitor. It should
be set to 75 Ohm.
A3 Make sure you have the current driver for your SPEA V7-board installed.
All current drivers are available in the BBS. Remove all possible
hardware from your PC to find possible conflicts in the configuration.
If a minimized system works fine then add one
component after the other until the conflict occurs again. Then try
to solve it. Try the SPEA board in a different PC to see if the board
is physically faulty.
A4 Important: The following addresses are reserved for graphic boards:
Video ROM: C000-C7FF (-CFFF for P64 boards)
-AMI BIOS: install update for versions from 1.00.12.AX1
-Award BIOS: update from version 4.50G Rel. 1404.0103.
Disable the option 'VGA activity wakeup'.
-Phoenix BIOS: enable option 'Fixed disk setup' and set the option
'PCI devices - base address' to '3000'.
-Adaptec 2940 controller? System bios setup:
Set option "Async. second level Cache" to "write through".
(Exchange for Intel-NCR SCSI controller type PCISCSINR.)
S3 trio + Adaptec 1542 controller?
Check and possibly exchange with other type of controller.
-Adaptec AHA-2842A (VLB) with VL graphics board:
System Bios: set SRAM and DRAM wait states to max.
-Conflict with other drivers (e.g. deactivate network installation).
-Not enough working memory after system start (min. 575K)
Maximize memory e.g. with MEMMAKER (DOS)!
-BIOS system setup:
Setup SHADOW RAM for Video BIOS.
Try reducing system clock rate (speed).
A5 Load the VESA mode-driver for your graphics board: V7*VBE.EXE
Note:
Run the installation in your default directory e.g. C:\SPEA\GDC!
Make sure that the environment variable GDC is set! (enter SET)
A6 Be careful with expanded memory managers like HIMEM.SYS, QEMM386.SYS
or 386MAX.SYS. Always install them in the first line of the
CONFIG.SYS and don┤t use the INCLUDE option.
On the other hand, you must EXCLUDE memory areas that are used by
network adaptor, soundboard, scanner and, most important, the BIOS area
of the SPEA graphics board. Use X=C000-C7FF to exclude the BIOS area of
the SPEA graphics board. Use X=C000-CFFF for P64 PCI boards.
Important! Use EMM386 from DOS 6.22 or disable it for testing!
A8 Disable COM4 (COM4=DISABLED) in the system-setup; the I/O address 2E8h
is needed by the S3 engine. Reassign a suspect device (fax, modem) to
another I/O address.
A9 If any other VGA hardware (BIOS) in your PC (onboard VGA or
additional VGA-boards) were previously installed, deactivate them.
Only one active VGA-Bios is allowed in a PC.
A10 Install your graphics-board in a different slot or
test it in another PC.
A13 (AMI BIOS - system won't boot)
Install the graphics-board as secondary board, with primary board
disabled (Primary display=Disabled).
Test/change SIMM moduls.
Switch off the Bios option "Parity Check".
A14 Create a test system configuration to discover conflicts with drivers
or other hardware. The following is an example for CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT.
CONFIG.SYS
-----------------------------------------
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
FILES=30
BUFFERS=20
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
COUNTRY=49,,C:\DOS\COUNTRY.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM C:\DOS /P /E:512
AUTOEXEC.BAT
------------------------------------------
@ECHO OFF
C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE
SET COMSPEC=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM
PATH C:\WINDOWS;C:\DOS
PROMPT $P$G
C:\DOS\KEYB.COM GR,,C:\DOS\KEYBOARD.SYS
Notes:
- Change drive(s) and directories for your system. If necessary add
the driver for doublespace or Stacker.
- Make the first test with harddisk controller and graphics board only,
then add the other components one after another.
- Install a permanent swap-file for Windows and a directory c:\temp.
- Make the first installation of Windows with the standard VGA driver.
- Test Windows in standard VGA mode.
- Install the BIGWIN driver for SPEA graphics-board by calling
V7SETUP from the program-manager.
- Test Windows with various BigWin modes.
A15 MIRAGE/MERCURY: You can configure a higher vertical frequency for
standard VGA resolution wit V7HFREQ.COM (available in the BBS).
Important: Read the README-file about V7HFREQ. The settings made with
MNTMIR, MNTMER or MNTPRO are valid for all the other applications under
DOS for which drivers are offered on the superdisk.
VEGA: The respective tool for the VEGA, CLMODE.EXE -
(pre)release 2.2, available in the BBS - also allows vertical
frequencies higher than 60Hz.
A16 The utilities for the SPEA V7 graphics boards are packed in libraries
on the driver diskettes. You need to install the drivers with the
program INSTALL on the floppy from the diskette into a directory
- C:\SPEA\GDC - . Select "drivers/utilities" from the menu of the
install program.
A17 Disable COM4 (COM4=DISABLED) in the system-setup; the I/O address 2E8h
is needed by the S3 engine. This often affects fax or modem boards.
If you have a sound board installed, check also DMA and IRQ settings.
A18 Use your AMI BIOS Advanced Setup to change the values for ALE or
SINGLALE from "disabled" to "enabled" or vice versa.
A19 Add the line SET COMSPEC=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM /e:512 /p to the
AUTOEXEC.BAT and reboot your system.
A20 Get the program IDEFIX.EXE from the SPEA BBS and execute it. IDEFIX
renews the card-ID that is stored in the graphics-board.
A21 You need BIOS 3.07 and V7SETUP v. 1.51 or later versions to set up a
resolution 640x480 with 256 clolours. You┤ll find both, BIOS file and
V7SETUP, in the BBS.
A22 Enter the DOS command mode co80 .
A23 Delete the entry V7START.DLL in the line -drivers- in the file
SYSTEM.INI, in the block [Boot].
A24 The VESA modes must be installed! Start the V7*VBE.EXE or add a line
that starts V7*.EXE to the AUTOEXEC.BAT.
A25 V7-MERCURY: S3 doesn┤t support Hercules-MDA-CGA-EGA emulation anymore.
Install a Hercules card, if necessary.
A26 You'll find the current version of the VESA-drivers for the MIRAGE in
the BBS: V7MIRVBE.EXE and, for P64 version, V7MIPVBE.EXE.
Note: the V7 high-end graphic boards no longer support all the low-end
graphic modes (needed for some games!).
You will also find a UNIVESA (UVESA) driver and for the VEGA Plus
graphics board the file ALVESA.EXE for a solution.
The AMI system BIOS settings:
- Hidden refresh = disabled -
- ShadowRAM Video BIOS = dis/enabled -
can avoid system crashes (e.g. Doom 2)
A27 Start the program VGAFIX (available in the BBS): VGAFIX -i
Important: Remove the program from the memory before starting Windows:
VGAFIX -u
A28 The monitor is turned on and working? If possible, select impedance
75Ohm. If there is a frame-grabber and it is connected only via the
feature connector you must plug a 75Ohm terminator-plug (available
from SPEA) into the graphics-board (or connect another monitor!).
A29 Pentium PCs with OPTI chipset 82C596/82C597 or 82C571/82C572:
Ask for a BIOS update for these systems.
A30 See A33
A31 PCI PCs with Phoenix BIOS >= 1.0 have problems with the ID
of the S3-928P chip.
Tested PCI configurations:
Phoenix BIOS 1.00 Rel. July93
PCI mainboard with Award BIOS
MIRAGE P64 or MERCURY P64 or VEGA+ PCI
A32 Make sure that mainboard, PC-BIOS and graphics-board support the same
level of PCI. The following boards comply with PCI level 2.0:
VEGA-PLUS, MIRAGE-P64 and MERCURY-P64.
If PC and graphics board are PCI2.0 compliant and SPTUNE has problems
to recognize the boards: Check if your PC has the latest BIOS version.
(e.g. AWARD and AMI offer updates for flash-BIOS on BBS; please ask
your dealer)
A33 From BIOS version 4.02 of MIRAGE/MERCURY monochrome VGA monitors are
also supported! (exchange board)
A34 Use the program EFIX (available in the BBS).
A35 Get the program 1570FIX from the Vobis BBS.
A36 According to the definition of VGA this mode doesn't support text
output.
A37 DOS6.2 : Get an update of ANSI.SYS from DOS 6.22.
A38 The hardware specification of the feature connector allows only those
VGA modes: 640x480-16/256 colours and 800x600-16/256 colours and a
maximum pixelclock of 40/37.5 MHz.
A39 Remove the entry "Virtual 1280x1024" from the file XCONFIG.
A40 Install the latest basic disk (latest SPTUNE/PMI versions) from our
Mailbox.
Run the installation into the default directory!
Make sure that the environment variable GDC is set (call SET).
A42 Install an updated Logitech driver or use a MicroSoft mousedriver.
A45 CADdy by Ziegler: call the file V7VMODE after the system start.
A46 X inside offers drivers for SCO Unix:
tel 001 303 384-9999 fax -9778; email: info@xinside.com
A47 The basic installation should always be made.
The environment variable GDC (set during this routine) is necessary,
the utilities (SPTUNE, S3TEST etc.) can be very important!
A48 Mirage and Mercury boards have problems whith some slots in certain
mainboards from Gigabyte. Please contact the hotline to find out if
your board is affected.
A49 The Feature Connector of the Mirage P64 Trio must be manually
activated. Do this under DOS with FCON.EXE, under Windows with the
respective button unde V7SETUP. Note that the Feature Connector is not
available for the Mirage Trio VL boards.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-170696-TV-