Graphics mode (i.e. VGA, DVI, etc) & OS

[SL6-A1000]

Hi,
I need a little help and i am not entirely sure its possible but i'll ask anyway. So i have a multi-boot system as some would know from previous posts here. I'm wanting to boot certain systems in a supported graphics mode (DVI & VGA) without the need for physically removing and re-installing the graphics card constantly.

See i am running a linux, windows & Solaris multi-boot, but as it stands at the moment Linux & Windows will work with DVI on my AMD Radeon HD6800 graphics card with no issues. Solaris on the other does not have a device driver for this GPU (that i can find) but will run on the in-built VGA graphics driver from my mobo.

And for the time being until i update to a GPU recognized by all 3 systems. I am wanting to know if one can set-it up so that Solaris will boot and run automatically in VGA, while linux and Windows run in DVI.

If possible can someone please explain what i will need to do, to set this up.

Thanks
SL6-A1000

[dolo724]

Are you trying to run a specific graphics mode in Solaris?
Can you just get by with VESA?
Will Solaris boot in runlevel 2 or 3 on the Radeon?

[SL6-A1000]

No there is no particular graphics mode iam trying to run. A mode that will display the Solaris GUI successfuly. Yes Solaris will boot into console.

I guess basically i am wanting to force Solaris to use motherboards GPU and ignore the Radeon HD GPU.

Maybe this will help:
Solaris will often boot with this error if im using the Radeon HD 6850 just after trying to load the gnome desktop:
devfsadmd (104):di_init failed for /pci@0,0/pci1043,844@12/device@2/input@1: No such device or address.

If i use the VESA driver from the live-cd it will still cause the same error.

Would modifying the solaris grub boot menu entry to add "VGA=775" help fix the problem?

[dolo724]

Would modifying the solaris grub boot menu entry to add "VGA=775" help fix the problem?

Certainly, try the VGA=775 at boot once. Twice if it works. For VESA you'll have to do some tweaking in the xorg conf file.

The error makes me think the default video device is not what you think it is.

Does BIOS let you select a default video device? I'd think if you can default to the Radeon, and it works minimally in VESA with Solaris' GUI, stick with it. According to a Sun/Oracle paper the Intel 810/815 will not work with VESA. Here "http :// opensolaris.org / jive / thread . jspa ? threadID = 135672" is a best guess for a solution. Also try the Solaris XFree86 Video Drivers and Porting Kit.

[SL6-A1000]

Ok, first off to answer your questions, the BIOS only lets me set primary video PCI/e slot (i.e. slot 1/2, 3/4, pci, pike etc) but not the video card itself.
So i can't set the ASPEED (mobo GPU) as the default or Radeon HD as default in that sense.

I would really like to know what the error is referring too.

Correct me if i'm wrong but from your post and reading thread you linked me too, your suggesting that it may not be the Radeon GPU at all, but instead that Solaris is trying to identify video device that does not exist or is not located in the PCI slot it thinks it is. Which if that is right, it leads me to question whether the TV Tuner PCI card is playing a role, as it has an s-video output.

But that still doesn't explain why Solaris operates properly with gui & no error during boot when the Radeon video card is removed from the system (i.e. not taking up a PCIe slot).
One would expect that if the primary video card is not functioning solaris would automatically refer to the second or third working video card/ driver available. I.e. it would automatically switch itself to the ASPEED GPU. Just like what windows or linux do. You remove the DVI cable and leave the VGA cable plugged in, Windows or linux automatically adjust. So it doesn't make sense, the error and the Radeon GPU have to be somewhat linked, otherwise as i said the error would occur no matter what the position or availability of the GPU is.

I hope that made sense...

[dolo724]

Ok, first off to answer your questions, the BIOS only lets me set primary video PCI/e slot (i.e. slot 1/2, 3/4, pci, pike etc) but not the video card itself.
So i can't set the ASPEED (mobo GPU) as the default or Radeon HD as default in that sense.

I think that's what I was after. Most consumer systems BIOSs should only allow onboard or card selection, not specific gpu selection.

I would really like to know what the error is referring too.

Correct me if i'm wrong but from your post and reading thread you linked me too, your suggesting that it may not be the Radeon GPU at all, but instead that Solaris is trying to identify video device that does not exist or is not located in the PCI slot it thinks it is. Which if that is right, it leads me to question whether the TV Tuner PCI card is playing a role, as it has an s-video output.

Yes, try it without the tuner card, but refer to VM comments below first.

Some research indicates the error refers to a difficulty Solaris has recognizing console or device changes between boots. If the primary (BIOS selected) is an unsupported gpu you'll get text, SHOULD get vesa, but that's why the patch kit is avalaible.
devfsadm is supposed to create device files for changed elements.
di_init is supposed to deal with console changes, of which you have a major example.
I think that because it cannot find the driver needed for the Radeon in the indicated location, it fails.

But that still doesn't explain why Solaris operates properly with gui & no error during boot when the Radeon video card is removed from the system (i.e. not taking up a PCIe slot).
One would expect that if the primary video card is not functioning solaris would automatically refer to the second or third working video card/ driver available. I.e. it would automatically switch itself to the ASPEED GPU. Just like what windows or linux do. You remove the DVI cable and leave the VGA cable plugged in, Windows or linux automatically adjust. So it doesn't make sense, the error and the Radeon GPU have to be somewhat linked, otherwise as i said the error would occur no matter what the position or availability of the GPU is.

I hope that made sense...

It does make sense, and when the radeon is not in the picture the error condition is not available to be detected. Solaris works fine and you're stuck with crappy video for linux and windows.

Which brings up a usability question, can you run Solaris under a VM (vmware or virtualbox[hey, sun-oracle, should work])? Generally the virtual performance is nearly as good as in real life, but the video is parsed by the VM; no games, but you get all the practice you need/want.
Unfortunately the object of that exercise is technically a separate machine, but let's get it running with known components first.

[SL6-A1000]

Yeah, i can run a vm and have been for quite some time. A solaris vm is insane in terms of performance, it out-performs Windows or Linux in Benchmarks.
I like running Solaris as a VM, but because its a VM it is constrained to the host system & isn't quite the same as a real-life system. Which is the only reason why i am trying to run a real-life system of Solaris, that and i can truly say i am running a Unix, Linux, & Windows Triple boot. :P

I know that all other components in the system are recognised and work. I ran the HCL detection tool Oracle offers and the Radeon device was the only one on the list not recognised.

The discussion and thread reading confirm my original theory and brings me back to why i posted the thread.

Which is:
Can i force Solaris to ignore the Radeon GPU and just boot with VGA, without removing the Radeon video card?

Removing those Video drivers???

[dolo724]

Can i force Solaris to ignore the Radeon GPU and just boot with VGA, without removing the Radeon video card?

Removing those Video drivers???

In my Opinion, no... but that's just an opinion. You could, with such tools as are available, try working under the hood, try an older driver, jury-rig a different driver, manually adjust mode-lines and other parameters. Be ready for long nights and much coffee (or other beverage) consumption. and take notes!

Keep updating this thread for the same issue, only start a new thread for some different aspect. MTFBWY!

[SL6-A1000]

Yeah as awesome as that sounds, i know very little about programming, and would probably stand more chance just porting the driver from say Linux or BSD to Solaris.

As from what i understand, porting a BSD or Linux x86_64 driver to a Solaris x86_64 system is probably simpler than trying to re-write and existing driver in Solaris or porting from say x86_64 to SPARC.

But i am open to being corrected.

[SL6-A1000]

An interesting update for those who have an interest and desire to use Solaris but don't have a supported Graphics Card except the crappy one supplied by the Motherboard, and can only run-it by removing your PCI Graphics Card.

What i found from playing around with the BIOS PCI settings is that if you set at least 1 PCI lane to compliance mode and set the BIOS primary video card to that PCI lane e.g. PCIE slot 6, Solaris will boot into the GUI in VGA without the need for removing your GPU. Of course assuming you have a VGA cable plugged in.

Note: If you set compliance mode to the PCIE lane where your current GPU is placed (i.e. slot 1 etc) then you will not be able to run any other graphics mode except what the mobo's GPU allows i.e. VGA; until you disable compliance mode in the BIOS settings and reset the computer (This also applies if you set another lane to compliance mode and fail to change the BIOS primary video card slot back to your GPU's slot).

Its not the most desirable way to run Solaris, but at least it saves you from the arduous work of having to physically remove the GPU each time you want to boot Solaris. Hopefully and i really do hope that Solaris gets more graphics driver support, as they are severely lacking.

I am not sure how compliance mode works and why it reverts the lane to the Mobo's graphic device. If someone knows and wants to explain all ears are open.
I am also curious to know if running a VGA - DVI-I cable through the GPU while compliance mode is set, will allow Solaris to boot using the GPU as a DVI scaler for higher resolution and possibly allowing multi-monitor support.