Orchid Fahrenheit Display Driver Installation Instructions
for IBM OS/2 2.0

14 April 1993




OS/2 versions supported
-----------------------

This driver release is intended for use with IBM OS/2 2.0 General Availability
(GA), OS/2 2.0 with the application of the IBM OS/2 2.0 Service Pak. Support
for OS/2 2.1 Beta (all versions) is being enhanced. (The drivers have been
tested with OS/2 2.1 Beta 12/92 & 3/93 releases. Drivers to support OS/2 2.1 GA
are under development. No release date is available.)



Adapters supported
------------------

This driver release is intended for all Orchid Fahrenheit adapters (ISA & local
bus) using the S3 86C911, 86C924, 86C801 and 86C805 graphics accelerators
chipsets. All supported adapters must have at least 1Mb of video memory
installed. Adapters with 512Kb video memory are not supported. Memory upgrade
kits are available from Orchid Technology Customer Service Department (510 683
0394).



Video Resolutions supported
---------------------------

1024 x 768 256 colors

800 x 600 256 colors



Refresh Rates supported
-----------------------

Resolutions 45Hz (interlaced) 56Hz 60Hz 70Hz 72Hz
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1024x768x256 X X X

800x600x256 X X X



Adapter configuration
---------------------

No special configuration settings are needed.



Installation Procedure
----------------------

Before installing new drivers, it is recommended that a full back up of the
OS/2 system partition be performed. At the very least, the VGA display driver,
support files and OS/2 CONFIG.SYS file should be copied to a floppy diskette.

These include

c:\os2\dll\display.dll (OS/2 2.0 all versions)
c:\os2\dll\ibmdev32.dll (OS/2 2.0 + Service Pak, OS/2 2.1 beta)

c:\os2\dll\ibmvga32.dll (OS/2 2.0 + Service Pak, OS/2 2.1 beta)
c:\os2\dll\bvhsvga.dll (OS/2 2.0 all versions)
c:\os2\mdos\vsvga.sys (OS/2 2.0 all versions)
c:\os2\svga.exe (OS/2 2.0 all versions)

c:\config.sys



Automatic Installation
----------------------

Automatic installation isn't supported for this driver release. Please refer to
Manual Installation.



Manual Installation
-------------------

To perform a manual installation, please follow the steps below.

Note: In the following examples, the "packed" files containing the Orchid
Fahrenheit OS/2 drivers & support files are assumed to be on a diskette in
drive A: and the OS/2 system files are assumed to be on drive C:. If your
situation is different, please substitute the approriate drive letters.


DISPLAY.DLL installation
------------------------

Create a subdirectory C:\ORCHID on the OS/2 boot volume

md c:\orchid
cd c:\orchid

Use OS/2 UNPACK (located in the c:\os2 subdirectory) to unpack and copy the
appropriate DISPLAY.DLL to the current subdirectory.

For example, to unpack and copy the 800x600 256 color driver use

unpack a:\f8x8.@ /n:display.dll

To unpack and copy the 1024x768 256 color driver use

unpack a:\f1x8.@ /n:display.dll



BVHSVGA (Base Video Handler Super VGA) support file installation
----------------------------------------------------------------

In the C:\OS2\DLL subdirectory, rename file BVHSVGA.DLL to BVHSVGA.RTL. Use
OS/2 UNPACK to unpack and copy the BVHSVGA.DLL to the current subdirectory.

unpack a:\f1x8.@ /n:bvhsvga.dll


(The bvhsvga.dll file is the same in f1x8.@ & f8x8.@.)



VSVGA (Virtual Device Driver - VDD) support file installation
-------------------------------------------------------------

Switch to the C:\OS2\MDOS subdirectory. If the file VSVGA.SYS exists, rename
it to VSVGA.RTL. Unpack and copy VSVGA.SYS to the current subdirectory.

unpack a:\f1x8.@ /n:vsvga.sys

(The vsvga.sys file is the same in f1x8.@ & f8x8.@.)


Go to the C:\OS2 subdirectory and if the file SVGA.EXE exists, rename it to
SVGA.RTL. Unpack and copy SVGA.EXE to the current subdirectory.

unpack a:\f1x8.@ /n:svga.exe

(The svga.exe file is the same in f1x8.@ and f8x8.@)



Creating a SVGADATA.PMI file
----------------------------

Create a SVGADATA.PMI file by running SVGA.EXE. SVGA.EXE must be run in an OS/2
DOS full screen session or a real DOS session. If SVGA.EXE is run in an OS/2
DOS full screen session use the command line

svga on

This creates a PMI file in the current (C:\OS2) subdirectory. If SVGA.EXE is
run in a "real" DOS session use the command line

svga on dos

This creates a file, SVGADATA.DOS, in the current (C:\OS2) subdirectory. Rename
the file to SVGADATA.PMI.

ren svgadata.dos svgadata.pmi

Note to all OS/2 2.0 GA users. Due to a limitation in OS/2 2.0 GA, a copy of
the SVGADATA.PMI file must be on drive C: in the \OS2 subdirectory. This is
true even if C: isn't the OS/2 2.0 boot volume. If the Fahrenheit drivers are
being used with OS/2 2.0 GA, and the OS/2 boot volume is not drive C:, create
the subdirectory

md c:\os2


and copy the SVGADATA.PMI file to it.

copy svgdata.pmi c:\os2


SVGADATA.PMI is the only file that needs to be in the subdirectory.



OS/2 CONFIG.SYS file changes
----------------------------

Use a text editor and modify the LIBPATH statement in the OS/2 2.0 CONFIG.SYS
to put the ORCHID subdirectory in the LIBPATH path. It should be placed before
any other LIBPATH entries.

As an example

LIBPATH=.;C:\OS2\DLL;C:\OS2\MDOS;C:\;


should be changed to

LIBPATH=C:\ORCHID;.;C:\OS2\DLL;C:\OS2\MDOS;C:\;


While editing the CONFIG.SYS file, add the following line

DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VSVGA.SYS


Remove or comment out the following line

DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VVGA.SYS


Also, add the line

SET VIO_VGA=DEVICE(BVHVGA,BVHSVGA)


and remove or comment out line

SET VIO_VGA=DEVICE(BVHVGA)



Alternate DISPLAY.DLL installation
----------------------------------

Its possible to put all of the Fahrenheit OS/2 driver files, except the PMI
file (which must be in the C:\OS2 subdirectory), into one subdirectory.

For example to put all of the files into C:\ORCHID

md c:\orchid
cd c:\orchid


Unpack and copy all Fahrenheit OS/2 files to the current subdirectory.

unpack a:\f1x8.@


Copy SVGA.EXE to the C:\OS2 subdirectory.

copy svga.exe c:\os2


Modify the OS/2 CONFIG.SYS file. Add the C:\ORCHID subdirectory to the LIBPATH
path. As an example, change

LIBPATH=.;C:\OS2\DLL;C:\OS2\MDOS;C:\;


to

LIBPATH=C:\ORCHID;.;C:\OS2\DLL;C:\OS2\MDOS;C:\;


Add the line

DEVICE=C:\ORCHID\VSVGA.SYS


and comment out

DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VVGA.SYS


Add the line

SET VIO_VGA=DEVICE(BVHVGA,BVHSVGA)


and remove or comment out line

SET VIO_VGA=DEVICE(BVHVGA)



DOS settings
------------


VIDEO_SWITCH_NOTIFICATION

Recommended setting for most reliable operation is OFF. Setting this setting to
OFF forces the Fahrenheit VDD (VSVGA.SYS) to assume complete responsibility for
saving and restoring the video hardware state upon a background and foreground
switch.


VIDEO_8514_XGA_IOTRAP

When turned ON, accessess to the S3 86C911/924/801/805 enhanced I/O ports are
trapped and shadowed by the Fahrenheit VDD (VSVGA.SYS). This trapping and
shadowing will slow (slightly) video performance in a DOS session but is
necessary when a DOS session application is using the Fahrenheit adapter in an
enhanced mode (graphics accelerator enabled).



Enhancements and fixes from prior releases
------------------------------------------


Added color cursor support in all resolutions, an important OS/2 feature.

Fixed problem with system hanging when switching to OS/2 full screen session
while PM desktop graphics intensive desktop application running.

800 x 600 x 256 set mode data now valid. The 800 x 600 x 256 color driver now
functions correctly.



Known Shortcomings or Problems
------------------------------


PMI file needs to reside in C:\OS2 subdirectory. (OS/2 2.0 GA only)

OS/2 DOS full screen session must be started before OS/2 DOS windowed
session or Win-OS/2 session. (OS/2 GA, OS/2 2.0 GA+SP (?), OS/2 2.1 beta (?))


VESA SVGA modes not supported in DOS full screen, DOS windowed and Win-OS/2
sessions when using Fahrenheit VA, 1280 Plus, VLB adapters. (OS/2 2.0, all
versions)

Changing resolutions in Win-OS/2 session using Orchid Windows control panel
utility and restarting Win-OS/2 session not supported.


Desktop ICON text missing or truncated.


"seamless Windows" not supported.


Subsequent reboots fail with black screen after improper system shutdown.
Assuming the system was functioning correctly before the improper system
shutdown, this failure can be due to

Cause:

Fahrenheit graphics hardware left in invalid state by improper
shutdown. This can occur if graphics engine was busy when system
rebooted using ctrl-alt-del.


Fix:

Power down system, wait 5 seconds, reboot.


Cause:

OS/2 file system left in unstable state and OS/2 unable to locate and
load files necessary to continue bootup. These can be the Fahrenheit
files but not always.


Fix:

Boot OS/2 from installation disk.
Cancel installation at disk #1.
Insert disk #2. Run

chkdsk c: /f


Reboot.


Subsequent reboots fail with white screen after improper system shutdown.
Assuming the system was functioning correctly before the improper system
shutdown, this failure can be due to

Cause:

OS/2 file system left in unstable state and OS/2 unable to locate and
load files necessary to continue bootup. These can be the Fahrenheit
files but not always.


Fix:

At the white screen press ctl-esc.
Wait until popup window reports application not responding.
End the application.
Desktop should reappear within a 30 seconds or so.


Fix:

(If the above fix doesn't fix the problem, or the symptoms reappear on
subsequent reboots)

Boot OS/2 from installation disk.
Cancel installation at disk #1.
Insert disk #2. Run

chkdsk c: /f


Reboot.



Problem Report
--------------

Driver problem reports can be addressed to the Orchid Technical Support
Department by voice phone: 510 683 0323; by FAX (510 683 0379 or 510 683
0355).

If submitting a problem report by voice phone, please have ready a complete
system hardware description along with detailed steps to re-create the
symptoms. If submitting problem report electronically by FAX, please include
a daytime phone number and a best time to call in case Orchid Technical
Support needs more information.



Warranty Disclaimer
-------------------

The software and documentation is a beta release and one or both may be
modified in subsequent releases. Performance and reliability of this
software release may not be at the level usually associated with Orchid
display drivers. Driver and documentation are supplied on "as is" basis.