nightmorph 06/05/12 19:32:26 Modified: dri-howto.xml Log: Finally added hardware checks for dri-howto.xml. *and* they're non-nvidia-specific, though they work for nvidia cards. radeon-ricers can rejoice, though ymmv. not responsible for breakages. not responsible for lost or stolen articles. void where prohibited.
Revision Changes Path 1.30 xml/htdocs/doc/en/dri-howto.xml file : http://www.gentoo.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/xml/htdocs/doc/en/dri-howto.xml?rev=1.30&content-type=text/x-cvsweb-markup&cvsroot=gentoo plain: http://www.gentoo.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/xml/htdocs/doc/en/dri-howto.xml?rev=1.30&content-type=text/plain&cvsroot=gentoo diff : http://www.gentoo.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/xml/htdocs/doc/en/dri-howto.xml.diff?r1=1.29&r2=1.30&cvsroot=gentoo Index: dri-howto.xml =================================================================== RCS file: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/dri-howto.xml,v retrieving revision 1.29 retrieving revision 1.30 diff -u -r1.29 -r1.30 --- dri-howto.xml 7 May 2006 12:39:17 -0000 1.29 +++ dri-howto.xml 12 May 2006 19:32:26 -0000 1.30 @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@ <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> -<!-- $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/dri-howto.xml,v 1.29 2006/05/07 12:39:17 nightmorph Exp $ --> +<!-- $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/dri-howto.xml,v 1.30 2006/05/12 19:32:26 nightmorph Exp $ --> <!DOCTYPE guide SYSTEM "/dtd/guide.dtd"> <guide link="/doc/en/dri-howto.xml"> @@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ <license/> <version>1.3</version> -<date>2006-05-07</date> +<date>2006-05-12</date> <chapter> <title>Introduction</title> @@ -442,8 +442,66 @@ <body> <p> -A few options may increase performance by up to 30 percent (or more) over the -default. Set them in <path>/etc/X11/xorg.conf</path>. +A few options may increase performance by up to 30 percent (or more) over the +default. Set them in <path>/etc/X11/xorg.conf</path>. However, you will first +need to check that your motherboard and video card support these options. +</p> + +<p> +First, let's see if your video card can support fast writes. We'll do this by +closely inspecting the output from <c>lspci</c>. Specifically, we are looking +at the "VGA compatible controller" information. +</p> + +<pre caption="Video card check"> +# <i>lspci -vv</i> +01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon Mobility M6 LY (prog-if 00 [VGA]) +. . . +Capabilities: [58] AGP version 2.0 + Status: RQ=48 Iso- ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA+ ITACoh- GART64- HTrans- 64bit- FW+ AGP3- Rate=x1,x2,x4 +</pre> + +<p> +While quite a lot of information is produced, we are looking for <b>FW</b> in +the "Status" subsection of the AGP "Capabilities" section. If <b>FW+</b> is +present in the "Status" line, it means the card supports fast writes. We can +now check if the motherboard supports fast writes. +</p> + +<impo> +If you do not see <b>FW+</b>, but instead see <b>FW-</b>, you cannot enable +fast writes in <path>xorg.conf</path>. Your card does not support fast writes. +</impo> + +<p> +Now let's make sure the motherboard supports fast writes as well. This time, +look at the "Host bridge" section of your <c>lspci</c> output. +</p> + +<pre caption="Motherboard check"> +# <i>lspci -vv</i> +00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82830 830 Chipset Host Bridge (rev 02) +. . . +Capabilities: [a0] AGP version 2.0 + Status: RQ=32 Iso- ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA+ ITACoh- GART64- HTrans- 64bit- FW+ AGP3- Rate=x1,x2,x4 +</pre> + +<p> +Again, examine the "Status" subsection of your AGP "Capabilities" section. Look +for <b>FW</b>. If you see <b>FW+</b>, your motherboard supports fast writes. +</p> + +<impo> +Remember, both your video card information and your motherboard information +must show the same <b>FW</b> capability. If either device shows <b>FW-</b> in +"Status", you cannot enable fast writes in <path>xorg.conf</path>. +</impo> + +<p> +Assuming that all has gone well and both your motherboard and video card +support fast writes, let's enable this option in +<path>/etc/X11/xorg.conf</path> and get the best performance out of your +hardware. </p> <pre caption="xorg.conf"> @@ -470,46 +528,6 @@ enable the appropriate option in your BIOS. </note> -<!-- -** -This section needs to be in eventually, but non-nvidia cards don't use -/proc/driver at all. We need some way to get users to check and see that SBA -and fast-writes are allowed for their hardware; that info is somewhere else in -/proc. If you have a non-nvidia card, you can help by emailing [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the relevant bits of your /proc so I can get this -info into the guide. See below for where things are found on an nvidia card. -** - -<p> -A few options may increase performance by up to 30 percent (or more) over the -default. Set them in <path>/etc/X11/xorg.conf</path>. However, you will first -need to check that your motherboard and video card support these options. -</p> - -<p> -First, let's check the supported modes of your video cards, and see if your it -supports fast writes. Remember to replace <c>nvidia</c> with the actual name of -your device in <path>/proc/driver/nvidia/</path>. -</p> - -<pre caption="Video card check"> -$ <i>cat /proc/driver/nvidia/agp/card</i> -</pre> - -<p> -Next, let's check out the capabilities of the motherboard: -</p> - -<pre caption="Motherboard check"> -$ <i>cat /proc/driver/nvidia/agp/host-bridge</i> -</pre> - -<impo> -Remember, the modes and capabilities for your video card and motherboard must -match for these settings to work! -</impo> ---> - <p> If you want to set even more features, check out the <uri link="http://dri.freedesktop.org/wiki/FeatureMatrix";>feature matrix</uri> on -- [email protected] mailing list
