Gentoo Archives: gentoo-user

From: Christopher Swift <christopher.swift@×××××.com>
To: gentoo-user@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] X Windows setup questions on my new machine
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 22:49:54
Message-Id: AANLkTikT7oxWX9SDdc2Xk1dztnFn5Lg74nLQrnF8Nx8T@mail.gmail.com
In Reply to: [gentoo-user] X Windows setup questions on my new machine by waltdnes@waltdnes.org
1 On 26 June 2010 22:36, <waltdnes@××××××××.org> wrote:
2 > 1) Text sucks on webpages, and other GUI apps.  For a sample, see...
3 > http://clients.teksavvy.com/~walterdnes/misc/webtext.png where I snipped
4 > 2 sentences from the CNN webpage.  How can I fix it?
5 >
6 > 2) Back in 2000, one of the things that drove me to linux was the
7 > availability of true console text mode, and also true console text mode
8 > apps.  Up till now, I've used text mode when possible, because it's a
9 > lot easier on my eyes.  I'm realistic about using X for web browsing and
10 > spreadsheets, and other GUI-oriented stuff.  But email and text files
11 > should be textmode, dammit.
12 >
13 >  However, my new machine's Intel integrated graphics chip doesn't agree.
14 > X will *NOT* work unless I enable i915 DRM driver in make menuconfig,
15 > like so...
16 >
17 > <*>   Intel 830M, 845G, 852GM, 855GM, 865G (i915 driver)  --->
18 >
19 >  This results in framebuffer being *FORCED* on.
20 >
21 > <*> Direct Rendering Manager (XFree86 4.1.0 and higher DRI support
22 > -*- Lowlevel video output switch controls
23 > -*- Support for frame buffer devices  --->
24 >
25 >  Let's just say that framebuffer video on a 1920x1200 24" LCD "sucketh
26 > to the max".  I get 74 rows by some ridiculous number of columns of
27 > miniscule, virtually unreadable font.  This is with the default VGA
28 > boot, not with VGA=6.  Is there any way I can get rid of framebuffer
29 > mode, while retaining X functionality?  Why the bleep does X Windows
30 > require framebuffer, anyways?  The "lspci -vv" output for my video card
31 > is listed below...
32 >
33 > 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Clarkdale
34 > Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 12) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
35 >        Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. Device 7636
36 >        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop-
37 > ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
38 >        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort-
39 > <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
40 >        Latency: 0
41 >        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 31
42 >        Region 0: Memory at fb800000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
43 >        Region 2: Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
44 >        Region 4: I/O ports at cc00 [size=8]
45 >        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
46 >        Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
47 >                Address: fee0f00c  Data: 4199
48 >        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2
49 >                Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA
50 > PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
51 >                Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
52 >        Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features
53 >                AFCap: TP+ FLR+
54 >                AFCtrl: FLR-
55 >                AFStatus: TP-
56 >        Kernel driver in use: i915
57 >
58 > --
59 > Walter Dnes <waltdnes@××××××××.org>
60 >
61 >
62
63 I had a similar problem with fonts in X and I used the following
64 walkthrough guide to fix it:
65 http://www.kev009.com/wp/2009/12/getting-beautiful-fonts-in-gentoo-linux/
66
67 Hope this helps,
68 Chris.

Replies

Subject Author
Re: [gentoo-user] X Windows setup questions on my new machine Mick <michaelkintzios@×××××.com>