11 Nov
2006
11 Nov
'06
6:20 p.m.
I have a 386/40 and a 486 EISA system that sometimes boot in mono mode instead of color.
Any idea why that would be? The CMOS seems to keep its settings and the time is correct.
11 Nov
11 Nov
10:59 p.m.
Teo Zenios wrote:
I have a 386/40 and a 486 EISA system that sometimes
boot in mono mode instead of color. Any idea why that would be? The CMOS seems to keep its
settings and the time is correct.
Ted,
I think that the video bios initialization had some early forms of
monitor sensing. I believe
that there was a monochrome mode vga monitor supported, which looked
better with
a modified grey level fed to it rather than just feeding it a color
signal and trying to
clean it up in the monitor.
If it is the 9 pin video that was used by some XGA and PGA that does not
apply, but
only to the VGA.
I saw it do this, and found that plugging in the right monitor and
getting it to decide to
run in mono mode caused it to stay that way regardless of what monitor i
subsequently
attached, so it is definitely the card and system doing it.
If you are running linux, or could load a "live" linux and boot it, I
would think that the
utilities under linux, or under dos that queries the adapter bios as to
the modes it
will drive would be different depending on what mode it comes up in as well.
I was able to purge out a video card and monitor card to get rid of my
problem,
but I realize EISA cards are probably a bit rare.
They all use about the same approach to the vga bios though.
Jim
12 Nov
12 Nov
7:53 p.m.
On Sat, 11 Nov 2006, jim stephens wrote:
Teo Zenios wrote:
Many of the better quality cards of that era did exactly that. I ran such
a setup up until about 4-5 years ago when I swapped out my 486 for a P166,
which I'm currently still using.
I have a 386/40 and a 486 EISA system that
sometimes boot in mono mode
instead of color. Any idea why that would be? The CMOS seems to keep
its settings and the time is correct.
Ted,
I think that the video bios initialization had some early forms of
monitor sensing. I believe that there was a monochrome mode vga monitor
supported, which looked better with a modified grey level fed to it
rather than just feeding it a color signal and trying to clean it up in
the monitor. If it is the 9 pin video that was used by some XGA and
PGA that does not
apply, but only to the VGA.
I saw it do this, and found that plugging in the right monitor and
getting it to decide to run in mono mode caused it to stay that way
regardless of what monitor i subsequently attached, so it is definitely
the card and system doing it.
If you are running linux, or could load a "live" linux and boot it, I
would think that the utilities under linux, or under dos that queries
the adapter bios as to the modes it will drive would be different
depending on what mode it comes up in as well.
I can't remember for sure now, but I believe I was able to switch the
video mode under Linux when the system was already running when I'd swap
over to the color monitor. I used the gray scale VGA while coding for
hours on end as I found it to be easier on my eyes than a color VGA
monitor that was almost exactly the same. The two monitors were NEC 2A and
gs2A. I still have them, but they both began to suffer from old age, both
in bad caps and I believe the tube in the 2A was starting to degrade.
I was able to purge out a video card and monitor card
to get rid of my
problem, but I realize EISA cards are probably a bit rare.
They all use about the same approach to the vga bios though.
My guess for intermittent troubles would be a loose connector. I had to
replace the DE-15 on my 2A monitor's cable for that very reason.
I'd so like to find one or more reasonably priced 17" mono VGA monitors
these days...
-Toth
13 Nov
13 Nov
1:17 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tothwolf" <tothwolf at concentric.net>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2006 7:53 PM
Subject: Re: Odd video problem
My guess for intermittent troubles would be a loose
connector. I had to
replace the DE-15 on my 2A monitor's cable for that very reason.
I'd so like to find one or more reasonably priced 17" mono VGA monitors
these days...
-Toth
I have the computer connected to a KVM that goes to a 17" SAMTRON, I can
check the cables but I don't think any are loose. The 386/40 is also
connected to a KVM if that matters.
14 Nov
14 Nov
1:06 a.m.
On Mon, 13 Nov 2006, Teo Zenios wrote:
Does the KVM and its cables pass all 15 wires though? If not, that might
be the cause. Do you make sure the KVM has the monitor switched to that
computer before powering the computer up?
-Toth
My guess for
intermittent troubles would be a loose connector. I had to
replace the DE-15 on my 2A monitor's cable for that very reason.
I'd so like to find one or more reasonably priced 17" mono VGA monitors
these days...
I have the computer connected to a KVM that goes to a 17" SAMTRON, I can
check the cables but I don't think any are loose. The 386/40 is also
connected to a KVM if that matters.
2:08 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tothwolf" <tothwolf at concentric.net>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 1:06 AM
Subject: Re: Odd video problem
On Mon, 13 Nov 2006, Teo Zenios wrote:
Does the KVM and its cables pass all 15 wires though? If not, that might
be the cause. Do you make sure the KVM has the monitor switched to that
computer before powering the computer up?
-Toth
I have not checked each pin on the cables to see if they are all connected
(will check one tomorrow). Yes the KVM is switched to the machine before I
power it up. Never had an issue with my newer machines (or the other 486
ones).
My guess
for intermittent troubles would be a loose connector. I had to
replace the DE-15 on my 2A monitor's cable for that very reason.
I'd so like to find one or more reasonably priced 17" mono VGA monitors
these days...
I have the computer connected to a KVM that goes to a 17" SAMTRON, I can
check the cables but I don't think any are loose. The 386/40 is also
connected to a KVM if that matters.
15 Nov
15 Nov
8:33 p.m.
On Tue, 14 Nov 2006, Teo Zenios wrote:
Maybe the card is just really sensitive to cable length then. I've run
into that before too.
-Toth
Does the KVM
and its cables pass all 15 wires though? If not, that might
be the cause. Do you make sure the KVM has the monitor switched to that
computer before powering the computer up?
I have not checked each pin on the cables to see if they are all
connected (will check one tomorrow). Yes the KVM is switched to the
machine before I power it up. Never had an issue with my newer machines
(or the other 486 ones).
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6 comments
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jwstephens＠msm.umr.edu -
teoz＠neo.rr.com -
tothwolf＠concentric.net