[Sfor]

Yet another observation.

Windows 98 without a network driver installed boots in just 9 seconds, while it takes 43 seconds to boot with a NDIS2 driver with the ethernet connection detached.

The DOS NDIS driver tries to detect the network connection speed , first. Then the TCP/IP protocol stack tries to get an IP through DHCP. Both tasks are useless while booting in the move. Luckily there is a very easy way to select if we want to boot with or without the network adapter driver.

For the NDIS2 driver to work it is necesary to run NET START command from the AUTOEXEC.BAT. Wihout it the driver gets disabled after booting. As the result the system boots in 9 seconds, instead of 43.

Using the [MENU] section in the CONFIG.SYS it is possible to create a boot menu and give an option to start the system with the network driver disabled.

an example for the CONFIG.SYS

[MENU]
MenuItem=WINDOWS,Windows 98
MenuItem=NONET,Windows 98 - bez sieci
MenuDefault=WINDOWS,10

[WINDOWS]
device=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\display.sys con=(ega,,1)
Country=048,852,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\country.sys

[NONET]
include WINDOWS

an example for the AUTOEXEC.BAT

GOTO %CONFIG%

:WINDOWS
C:\WINDOWS\net start
:NONET
mode con codepage prepare=((852) C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=852
keyb pl,,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\keybrd4.sys

The code page and keyboard settings should be different in your case (unless you are using Polish language).

[bearwindows]

From the 1-st post:

glocK_94, on Aug 27 2008, 07:04 AM, said:

Chipset + GPU : Intel 910 GML -> no win98 drivers !!! That's the main problem

As I know Scitech SNAP Graphics is the accelerated video driver that supports I910GML.
i910 chip is a variant of 915G/915GV/910GL. See: http://scitechsoft.c...n_chiplist.html

[Sfor]

It's somewhat true, but I have found nothing about Scitech support for Windows 98.

[jaclaz]

Sfor, on Oct 15 2008, 10:45 AM, said:

It's somewhat true, but I have found nothing about Scitech support for Windows 98.

http://www.scitechso...om/sdd_win.html

Quote

SciTech Display Doctor 6.53 (Classic Edition)

Designed for: Windows 95, 98

SciTech Display Doctor is still the ultimate graphics utility package for older PC's. If you are using hardware that is more than 5 years old chances are SciTech Display Doctor for Windows can improve the performance and stability of your PC by updating your graphics card display driver.

While SciTech no longer offers support for this edition of SciTech Display Doctor we understand that the product might be just the fix you need to keep your older hardware humming along. SciTech Now offers this product free of charge via our ftp download site or for a minimal charge On CD.

While the downloadable version is free of charge we hope you will take the opportunity to support our development efforts in relation to this product and purchase the CD. By purchasing the CD you will also ensure that you have convenient access to the last commercial version of SciTech Display Doctor for Windows as well as many other classic and unsupported SciTech titles.

http://www.scitechsoft.com/ftp/sdd/



jaclaz

[Sfor]

The SciTech SNAP driver does not support Windows 98.

The SciTech Display Doctor does not support i910.

The conclusion is there are no Windows 98 SciTech driver for i910.

[Tihiy]

There IS. Unfortunately page with them (http://my.scitechsoft.com/) vanished.

So as abadonware, i can release my build with support for Intel graphics up to 965G (and some other graphic chipsets, too):
http://rapidshare.co...driver.rar.html

[Sfor]

The SNAP driver works correctly with DOS applications. But, the system does not switch off itself. It is necesary to use the power button.

The top possible resolution on the LCD is the 800x600, still. It is possible to select a higher resolution, but the LCD will cut it to the top left 1024x600.

This post has been edited by Sfor: 17 October 2008 - 02:34 AM

[bearwindows]

Sfor, on Oct 17 2008, 02:28 AM, said:

The SNAP driver works correctly with DOS applications. But, the system does not switch off itself. It is necesary to use the power button.

The top possible resolution on the LCD is the 800x600, still. It is possible to select a higher resolution, but the LCD will cut it to the top left 1024x600.

using GAMODE.EXE tool it is possible to add any resolution "on the fly" in Windows9x//NT/2000/XP/2003.
Link: http://www.bearwindo....net/myproj.htm
Usage from command line:

GAMode - SciTech SNAP Graphics Dial-A-Mode Utility
		 Copyright 1993-2006 SciTech Software, Inc.

Valid commands are:

  gamode show [device]
  gamode showvbe [device]
	 To show the list of display modes for the device. The showvbe variant
	 will show the list of modes reported to VESA VBE applications.

  gamode add <xres> <yres> <bits> [device]
	 To add a new display mode (automatically enabled for VESA VBE apps)

  gamode addref <xres> <yres> <refresh> [device]
	 To add a new refresh rate for a specific resolution. To specify an
	 interlaced refresh rate, use a negative value. i.e.: use -87 for 87Hz
	 interlaced modes.

  gamode del <xres> <yres> <bits> [device]
	 To remove a specific display mode

  gamode set <xres> <yres> <bits> <refresh> [head] [device]
	 To set the default refresh rate for a specific resolution

This way I add std DVD PAL resolution 720x576:

gamode add 720 576 8
gamode add 720 576 16
gamode add 720 576 32

No restart is required.

This post has been edited by bearwindows: 17 October 2008 - 10:56 AM

[Sfor]

After adding the 1024x600 modes I had to restart the system. Then I was able to select the 1024x600 mode.

Unfortunatelly, the screen remained at 800x600. The desktop was resized to 1024x600, but the visible part is 800x600, only.

So, GAMode does not change much


I've checked the 1024v768 mode, again. I was wrong. The screen is cut to just 800x600 instead of 1024x600.

I have no idea how to set the native 1024x600 LCD resolution.

This post has been edited by Sfor: 18 October 2008 - 01:55 AM

[Tihiy]

That won't help. For me to use 1280x800 resolution i had to install resident VBIOS patcher, and that worked only with VBEMP, not with any SciTech driver.

[Sfor]

Is there Windows 98 compatible VBEMP driver available?

All I've found is Windows NT related, so far.

[jaclaz]

Sfor, on Oct 18 2008, 11:31 AM, said:

Is there Windows 98 compatible VBEMP driver available?

All I've found is Windows NT related, so far.

You mean apart the one by bearwindows?
http://www.msfn.org/board/Asus-Eee-PC-Wind...1.html&st=4

Didn't you already tried it?

jaclaz

[Sfor]

Oh, I did not realize the VBEMP = Universal VBE. Apparently there are two branches of the same project (9x and NT compatible).

Still, it allows to use just 800x600 mode.

How can I "persuade" the BIOS to use 1024x600?

[jaclaz]

If I get it right, you have a i910 which should behave (wrongly) like the 915 G.

On the same page:
http://www.geocities...ows/vbe9x.htm#7

Quote

Cards (chips) affected
Description

Intel 845G, 865G, 915G (may be others)
PRB: Cannot set resolution higher than 800x600x8bits and 640x480x16bits.
DETAILS: In Video BIOS frame buffer size hardwired to 832 Kbytes, which is not enough even for 1024x768x16bit = 1024*768*2 = 1572864, 1572864 > 832K.
FIX: Update your BIOS with latest version or patch it.

You may want to try running INFOVBE:
http://www.geocities...ows/vbe9x.htm#7
http://www.bearwindo...net/infovbe.zip
to make sure about the available resolutions, then try contacting bearwindows , he may have (or find) a solution .

jaclaz

[Sfor]

No, it does not seem to be the case.

Quote

InfoVBE (build 05may2008)
VESA/VBE BIOS Present (3.00, 7872 Kb)
OEM String: (0x0BC3FEC8) Intel®915GM/910ML/915MS Graphics Chip Accelerated VGA BIOS
Capabilities: 0x00000001
OEM VendorName: (0x0BC3FF05) Intel Corporation
OEM ProductName: (0x0BC3FF17) Intel®915GM/910ML/915MS Graphics Controller
OEM ProductRev: (0x0BC3FF45) Hardware Version 0.0
OEM SoftwareRev: 0x0100
VideoModePtr: 0x0BC3FE08

So, the BIOS reports more than enough of memory available.

[bearwindows]

Sfor
I see no problems with your VBIOS.
There is another way. Use Intel Embedded Graphics Drivers for i915/910 - http://www.intel.com/design/intarch/swsup/...ics_drivers.htm . It includes Terminate-and-stay-resident VBIOS module with editor. You can add needed mode, load VBIOS into RAM and then use VBEMP 9x or SNAP Graphics in VESA mode. Some people tell that this method works well.
Same functionality used in 915resolution.

[Sfor]

I was able to build a VBIOS. It seems to be working fine in DOS. But, Windows 98 fails to load with the VBEMP 9x, if the VBIOS module was loaded to the memory.

I found no indication how the VBIOS should be loaded, so I've added it to the AUTOEXEC.BAT.

I was unable to switch the SNAP driver to the VESA mode. The "gaoption.exe vesa on" command brings an iformation the nga_w32.dll could not be loaded.

The IEGD package suggests it is possible to build own EFI module. The EEE supports EFI, as far as I know. The linux version of the EEE PC 900 does have the EFI partition by default. Still, I do not know what to do with it.

[bearwindows]

Sfor
You can use my infovbe tool to see which VESA modes are available after you loaded VBIOS.

October 21 I made a new VBEMP 9x version with ASUS EEE PC (with Intel 91xG Graphics) support.
It requires a loading of TSR VBIOS before loading driver (included with 08.10.21 driver).
See my site for details.

This post has been edited by bearwindows: 25 October 2008 - 04:57 AM

[Sfor]

Good news is the DOS sessions are working in windowed mode with the new driver. So, it is significantly better, than the regular one.

The bad news is, I can not load Windows with the VBIOS loaded, still.

The InfoVBE tool works correctly without the VBIOS. But, with the VBIOS it does not exit as it should to. A lot of informations scrolls through the screen, then stops at some point. It is necesary to reboot the system then. I've tried to redirect the screen output to a file. But, the contents of the output file gets lost after the reboot. So, I can not check if the new modes are present in the VBIOS.

----- Edit
The new VBEMP 9x comes with a properly working VBIOS TSR included. After loading the /1024x768/alv_1411.exe in the autoexec.bat the 1024x600 mode becomes available.
-----

I found another strange behavior connected with disabled wireless network card. The Windows 98 started to crash at booting when the unknown ethernet adapter device was present in the device manager and disabled in BIOS. To make everything working correctly with both enabled and disabled wireless adapter, I had to let the windows detect both Atheros network cards as unknown network cards, and then I have disabled both in the device manager. Now everything works fine, no matter if the wireless card is enabled or disabled.

This post has been edited by Sfor: 25 October 2008 - 06:20 AM

[Mijzelf]

Quote

I've tried to redirect the screen output to a file. But, the contents of the output file gets lost after the reboot. So, I can not check if the new modes are present in the VBIOS.

Maybe you can redirect the output to a serial port? Or doesn't the EEE has one?