Hi!

I managed to track down the cause of the reboot with Darwin 8.0.1 Images (could be the prob of others too). The problem is that
a subfunction uses SSE opcodes, that need to have some CR4 flags set.
This should allow people with Geforce or ATI cards to use more than
60hz. Unfortunatly i was unable to test it, because my GeForce 6200
TC is NOT VBE 3 compatible, although NVIDIA says so. Now I would like
to have some feedback on it.
Just replace the code below, compile, use startupfiletool and it
should work. (USE AT UR OWN RISK!)

- TRAC

http://darwinsource.opendarwin.org/10.4.2/...oot2/graphics.c

if ( (vesaVersion >> 8) >= 3 && refreshRate >= 60 &&
(gBootMode & kBootModeSafe) == 0 )
{
VBECRTCInfoBlock timing;

// added by TRAC because of SSE bug in boot2
// activates SSE support by CPU
__asm__ ("movl %cr4,%eax \n"
"orl $1536,%eax \n"
"movl %eax,%cr4 \n");

// Generate CRTC timing for given refresh rate.

generateCRTCTiming( minfo.XResolution, minfo.YResolution,
refreshRate, kCRTCParamRefreshRate,
&timing );

Good job, works on my GeForceFX 5200!
Im now running at 1280x1024x32@85

Thank you very much.

I tried to compile it but got errors, any chance of post the file here?

could anybody tell me how to compile that file?

I've no idea what you are saying,but any news on getting my Geforce 6600 to run above that damned @60Hz sounds cool to me. Did you post your findings at macvidia, the guys & gals that are working at a osx86 nividia driver? If not you really should

i'm sorry, but can anyone give us a more detailed step to step instruction on how to get this fix? I am really tired of 60hz (my eyes hurt!!) thanks!

I'm moving this to Hardware - the Betas forum is just for developers and their software!

Someone said, that with the installation-DVD, the resolution-changes work as well. if true, you could copy the /usr/standalone/i386/* from the DVD to your Disk and do a startupfiletool /dev/rdisk0 /usr/standalone/i386/boot (repalce rdisk0 with your disk).

if that doesn't work, get the boot-122 from the darwinsources and edit the graphics.c as mentioned.
it fails to find the libcc_kext.o, cause there aint't that library in the gcc-3.3-folders, i simply copied it from/usr/lib/gcc/i686-apple-darwin8/4.0.0/ to the boot-122/sym-folder and compiled then with

CC=/usr/bin/gcc-3.3 make (boot-122 won't compile with gcc-4.0)

and than the startupfiletool thing as mentioned above...

that's it. good luck!

There's one slight problem with this. The OS x86 doesn't appear to have an x86 gcc 3.3 compiler included with Xcode. So how do we compile this?

GCC 3.3 is on the Darwin 8.01 Install Disk.

sudo gcc_select 3.3

XCode includes several versions of gcc, but you need to specify at install.

I get this after I wroite the command:

The 3.3 included with Xcode is PPC only. There's no x86 one. Although, I didn't realize that the Darwin installation disc had an x86 3.3 on it. This worked just fine.

Well, I got it compiled, installed and....it won't go beyond 60hz refresh, even if I set it higher. nVidia GF6800GT, supports VESA3.0, and both my monitors can do 75hz at 1280x1024. I've got no clue.

I compiled it, installed it, startupfiletooled it, now it wont make reboots if I specify higher refresh rates but screen stays at 60hz

When i wrote the debugged the cause of the reboot i realized, that my GeForce 6200 TC 256MB IS NOT VBE 3 compatible although NVidia said so. I dont know whether u have the same problem with ur NVidia chip. The main problem is that (at least with the 6200) it totally ignores any CRTC refresh rates from BIOS function 0x4f02 (VESA!) and sets the default (mostly 60hz). Another problem is that some other VESA functions might crash on these chips, so actually NVidia produced rubbish with that cards! U might test it with Linux. Get it running run Xorg or XFree with VESA driver and specify a modeline. If it still fails to switch, it is NVidia`s fault! If not.... (ohoh)

Some of u guys have problems with refreshing the boot sector, so i write a more comprehensive docu:

1. Get the source from Apple.
http://darwinsource.opendarwin.org/10.4.2/
tar.gz right next to boot-122

2. get the Compiler gcc3.3 (should be included with every legal Apple image All the others have to get it at the same address ) )

3. patch the graphics.c file with the lines above

4. run make in boot-122 folder

5. but the binary boot (in folder boot-122/sym/i386/boot) on a floppy or usb drive
get ur install cd image, put it into the drive, when it prompts for a install drive type shell

6. mount ur floppy / usb drive and use "startupfiletool <ur darwin partition with hfs> boot

7. reboot and pray )

- TRAC
PS. for all of u who are not that willing to get the compiler, patch the file and compile it here it is:
PPS. USE AT UR OWN RISK -> u can seriously damage ur installation and hard disk content!

Ups, the forum said: i am not allowed to upload a file with this extension, so rename it to boot.

- TRAC
Click to view attachment

I compiled it with XCode's gcc 3.3, it produces X86 code, even if gcc is only PPC binary program.

I tried to copy boot from the Install DVD, but since my processor is a SSE2 it shows the incompatible hardware error. I also tried with the boot of Darwin CD but it reboots instantly after the Graphics Mode command.

I'll try with the boot of the patched DVD.

Am i stupid or aint?! I cant understand you instructions. Have been sitting here for 30 min and tryed to understand them but i cant. Can some on da a STEP BY STEP easy instruction for this one?

No offens Trac but you have e very "techy" style of posting. We deadly computer geeks cant understand you

Download this file: http://darwinsource.opendarwin.org/tarball...boot-122.tar.gz, then unzip and untar, edit the graphics.c file, then do a make in the root directory of boot-122.

Then put the resulting boot file (which is in boot-122/sym/i386/boot) on a floppy or usb drive boot with the Darwin CD or Install DVD in single user mode, then mount the floppy / usb drive and use "startupfiletool /dev/rdiskXsY <mount point of floppy or usb>/boot"

X is the pysical drive and Y is the partition number of your MacOSX.

Will it be ok if I boot w/o the darwin/install disc?

And where do i put the graphics.c file after i edited it, in the "boot-122/sym/i386" before i "make" the directory? Thanks!

Sure.

Anyway Trac posted the compiled boot, only rename it to boot

:edit: nevermind

Sorry im such a newbie in this field. i cant even make a compile or make....

I think i got it after that or maybe not. How do i use the startupfiletool?

i understand if you give up on me... it´s hard to handle the newbies

Dont worry, Trac posted a compiled file, search some messages before.

As for the startupfiletool, the volume that you want to modify need to be unmounted, so you need to boot from other source, Darwin CD or Install DVD are just fine, but also you need the boot file in other media like a floppy , usb media, another partintion. When you boot you need to know wich disk is your partition of Mac OS, you can browse the /dev directory for rdiskXsY file that represents your X=your HD Y=your partition.

Asume that you MacOS is in disk0s1 and you got the boot file in a Floppy and you mounted in /mnt/floppy the command is like this:
startupfiletool /dev/rdkisk0s1 /mnt/floppy/boot

Since I have VMWare with a Mac OS X on an Image and my Physical HD with Mac OS I can boot in VMWare with the image as boot disk and the Physical HD as second disk, when Mac OS boots I only need to unmount the second disk to perform the startupfiletool.

sorry for more annoying questions haha, but after i boot from darwin under -s, i tried to do the startupfiletool, but i get permission denied/disk full (probably still referring itself to the cdrom). Also i tried to get into the other volumes' directories, and i get permission denied as well. Am i missing any commands to allow it to write/read the harddisk?

This is what i have for the startupfiletool command:

startupfiletool /dev/rdisk0s1 </dev/disk3s1>/boot

if you are using the Darwin CD, you can leave th normal boot, but when it asks for on which device you wahnt to install just type shell

then even the CDROM is a ReadOnly device, type
mount -uw /
dont care for the error mesages, then mount your disk where you have boot, type
mount -t <the type of your partition> /dev/disk3s1 /mnt
then type
startupfiletool /dev/rdisk0s1 /mnt/boot

the type of your partition can be msdos ntfs hfs cd9660 udf or other

Dont work on my GF6600 PCIEx - refresh rate still 60Hz

wow, it worked on super old geforce 2 MX400. Thank you very much macgirl for your detail instructions!

You're welcome, great that it work for you, for me it's stuck at 60hz, I'll try with another monitor. Or finally get a LCD

Sorry Macgirl, but it is not the monitor. Ur monitor would go into standby, if it had been a wrong frequency. Did u ever try to use linux's xorg with vesa and a modeline or any other vesa driver tools? I would be very interessted in new Geforce cards that simply ignore CRTC (aka. VESA frequencies). And ur Geforce is also VERY new. Try it! Please. Maybe NVidia reacts to a bug report that is not only about a single card, but about a few.

To all people who have better refresh rates now: PLEASE REPORT IT AT THE WIKI! I would like to see some cards with above 60hz in the hardware compatible list.

- TRAC
PS. Hope it is not too techy now

[quote name='trac' date='Sep 21 2005, 10:36 AM' post='17962']
Hi!

I managed to track down the cause of the reboot with Darwin 8.0.1 Images (could be the prob of others too). The problem is that
a subfunction uses SSE opcodes, that need to have some CR4 flags set.
This should allow people with Geforce or ATI cards to use more than
60hz. Unfortunatly i was unable to test it, because my GeForce 6200
TC is NOT VBE 3 compatible, although NVIDIA says so. Now I would like
to have some feedback on it.
Just replace the code below, compile, use startupfiletool and it
should work. (USE AT UR OWN RISK!)

...hey trac...being an old macuser...i just took your boot.txt file...copied and pasted it into a copy of the boot file...then dragged the modified file back into /i386 folder...replacing the original...rebooted to 1280x1024x32...haven't tried refresh rate change yet...but works fine...and I have SiS 650 sse2 32mb

Do you changed the boot without using startupfiletool? Could you describe how exactly you did it?

Thx

...as I said, I got trac's boot.txt file from the link here...I opened it in textedit, selected all from the edit menu, copied the highlighted text. I then opened the /i386 folder and dragged the file named boot to my desktop...this made a copy of the file...I opened the copied boot file in textedit and again select all from the edit menu and then hit paste...saved the changes and closed textedit...I then dragged the saved boot copy back into the /i386 folder ...you will be asked if you wish to replace the file already in /i386 answer yes...you will be asked to authenticate... do that with password bovinity...reboot your mac os using "Graphics Mode"="1280x1024x32"
...if this much works for you, try setting the refresh rate

Thanks robertx.

Hey TRAC,

I was spending some time analising graphics.c and wondering if is possible to solve the problem of the black&white 16 colors desktop that occurs with some Geforces when going above 1024x768.

I have no doubt that this problem is caused by some bug in the VESA bios of these kind of cards but, do you think is there any way of patching graphics.c (function "setVESAGraphicsMode") to fix it?

best regards,



Intel P4M 1.8GHz
MB Intel D850EMV
512Mb
20Gb OSX Tiger
AC97 sound fully functional
GeForce4 TI 4200 (ASUS)

I am such a noob.. I have a problem understanding your instructions macgirl

I think I mess up right at the start.

So I boot with my generic install dvd. I get to where the install starts and I pull up a Terminal window from the menu. I type

mount -uw /

no error comes up...

then

mount -t msdos /dev/disk5s1 /mnt

and it gives me an error saying /mnt doesn't exist or something along those lines. I am sure that disk5s1 is the external drive I have root on. I checked in the disk utility before starting the terminal.

I guess I'm not typing those commands at the right spot, since I never had to specify that I wanted to install in shell...

help plz==

Hey Macintox,

unfortunatly (better luckily) i do not experience those problems myself, so i have no clue whether it is a VESA fault. If u have this problems and know a little bit low level programming, u can try to "hard code" a VESA mode like 0x11b (1280x1024x32 -> see the VBE 3 specs) in setVESAGraphicsMode. If it works, u will have a chance to look in the "getVESAModeWithProperties" function or in the "setupPalette" function where most probably the bug lays. But dont forget to check all other functions too.
For help send me a private message. Maybe u have more questions about it.

RobertX: Does this REALLY work? When i tried to find a solution for the boot sector, i removed the boot file in i386, but nothing happened!?! So i hardly believe this could work. Anyway maybe i am wrong with that...

- TRAC
PS. I am currently working on a "patch" for NVIDIA cards that do NOT support that VESA 3 stuff, although they should. -> MAYBE it works, MAYBE (most probably) it does not

The error becomes because a directory named "mnt" does not exist in the Dev DVD, it does exist in the Darwin CD, so a solution is making any directory to mount your disk.

to make a directory you type mkdir /any_name, could be mnt if you want.

...yes, it does work trac...a mac {inyourface edit) instead of creating a new boot and pointing the system to it, i simply edited the boot file the system already points to...although os x doesn't allow me to edit the file itself, using a copy i can replace it ...and now my system sees your generated boot...voila!
...as far as removing the boot file altogether, I'd assume the system would revert to default settings without it
(ie: on my machine, 1024x768x32)refresh n/a at 1280x1024x32 still no refresh option...but neither do I in WinBloze either...

I think this is a bios bug because the function that shows the available video modes at boot using the "?video" reports that my card is capable of 1280x1024x16 (linear addr). So I cannot figure out why getVESAModeWithProperties returns 1280x1024x4 as the best closer match. I found too that getVESAModeWithProperties try to get first the highest color mode available and then, the closer highest res that matches with the color mode selected. I'll try to force the video mode as you suggest and see what happen, but first, I'll try some old DOS VESA tests to see if my card really support 1280x1024x16.

Thanks...

thanks, that helped me move forward a bit, but then I get this when I try to use startupfiletool I get:
startupfiletool: unknown command or something like that...

I'm confused lol

Posibly the Dev DVD does not have it.

Well i tried it this way but i get no change.Cant set refresh rates on my aiw 9600 128 mb card.

I think ur right macgirl; sofar I wasnt able to use the tool with the patched dev-dvd.

downloading the darwin iso now, I'm sure it will work fine with that one

and to JaS; I tried it with the suggested method as well, didnt work :s (6600GT pci-e)
I think u really need to use the startuptool; cant imagine it will work in the way he suggested.
if anyone else gets it to work using that method plz post back.

I can confirm. Its works. Really!!!

ahhh I was afraid that would be it.... thanks for clearing it up macgirl.

Now is there any other way for me to get this working besides d/l the darwin iso? I already busted my bandwith limit for the month with the damn dvd lol

As I said I use VMWare with a Virtual HD image as boot/primary Disk and the Physical HD as slave/second Disk, so I could unmount the 2nd disk and apply the startupfiletool without the DVD or the Darwin CD.

Is your method of installation was deadmoo image you already got the image, if it was the Generic DVD you can install on a VMWare Image.

Did the things below and it didn't screw my startup. I'm still able to boot with another boot file in /usr/standalone/i386. Don't forget to

chown root:wheel boot

to set the correct permissions. I used the following below from the quote and the resulting boot file has less KB's compared with the original one and my system is still booting but if I set a higher resolution it won't work and ?video doesn't show 1280x800x32 as well. I don't care about the 60 hz limit as my notebook can't go higher anyway using the GeForce FX GO 5700. But of course I want to have the maximum resolution this notebook is capable of and that's 1280x800x32. This didn't work with the below "solution" for me sadly....



Regards
Jordan

I have osx installed by patched dvd, tried using both methods described above, it didnt work

bye bye eyes

I dont think it works on a patched dev-dvd and does work work on Darwin-based install, but thats just a guess.

I have a winchester amd 3200 with nforce4 and 6600GT pci-e

[EDIT: weird thing is, I can boot with "Graphics Mode"="1280x1024x32@85" .
normally it would immediately restart when I tried setting the refresh rate, now it will boot, but stay on 60 Hz]

[EDIT2: this might be of interest for some of u code godz a little app toi force refresh rate; http://archive.macosxlabs.org/tools_and_sc...SetDisplay.html ]