Very Computer

This Millenium II plus Iiyama pro502 problem is driving me nuts.
Thanks to all who have made suggestions so far, but the
problem is still here.

Here are the details so far - I'd be grateful for any more help:

Problem is, after installing the Matrox driver in Win98 I get vertical red
lines - about a character width (in lo res) apart.  Increasing the res
makes the lines fainter but they are still there.  Moving windows
or icons around leaves vertical lines lying around (even after releasing
the mouse button, so it isn't a delayed response "trail").
A win98 reinstall seemed to solve things, but it came back again
after a few days(!?).

1. Hardware is:
        Celeron 366, ABIT BH6, Soundblaster Live Value, NE2000-type
        ethernet adapter, and the Matrox Millenium II (8byte)
    OS is :
    Win98, but I'm also seeing the problem now with Linux RH5.2

2. In Win98 the problem only appears after I install the Matrox driver.
    Up till then the display is low res, but clean.

3. I've tried latest driver, latest certified driver, and unified driver.
    All show the problem.

4. I've updated the Mill II BIOS.  Didn't help.

5. I've tried the complete deinstall then reinstall as suggested by
one poster.  Didn't help.

6. I reinstalled Win98.  This completely solved the problem for
a couple of days, then it came back.

7. I thought Linux was clean but I noticed problems a few days after
the install.  Faint blue vertical lines against the main background.
Moving icons around "erased" the faint lines, leaving me with
the normal blue X background.

8. Phoned Matrox - they suggested newest drivers and a BIOS
upgrade (both of which I then tried to no avail).  They also
suggested an ABIT BIOS upgrade too which I haven't tried.
But good grief, surely that shouldn't be necessary?

9. Phone Iiyama.  They said it was unequivocally a card/driver/OS
   problem - not a monitor one.

9. Some details I get from the Matrox tools:
        Accelerator: 2164W
        RAMDAC Speed: 250MHz

        VGA BIOS version:    1.5
        Display driver version:    4.11.01.4330
        VDD Version:                4.11.01.4330
        Powerdesk version:        4.33.045

10. I am using the Iiyama driver as supplied with the monitor.

11. Varying resolutions can help (typically the higher the better)
but never solves it.

12. I'm using BNC not D-SUB, but surely that wouldn't cause
rubbish like I am seeing?

Any ideas?

Specifically - can I be sure that the monitor isn't busted (I think so)?
Or the card - could it be damaged (the RAM say)??

And if not, then what?

:-(

t

Have you tried putting:

Option "sw_cursor"

in the Device section of your XF86Config? I had somewhat similar problems
on my Mill II 8mb PCI and disabling the hardware cursor fixed it. Also
check the Xfree pages for additional notes. Most servers have a dedicated
troubleshooting section there.

Good Luck

Michal

On Sun, 25 Apr 1999 00:09:00 +0100, Tommy Kelly

--
Michal Sabala aka Saahbs
 Linux'er since 0.97 :)
 UIUC Class of 2002; ECE
Linux, hardware, C, Html,
aviation, rc-air models

http://www.uiuc.edu/ph/www/sabala

I've just tried a different card - an old GXE 64 Pro from NumberNine.
Although it is of much lower performance than the Matrox, it gives
me a completely clean display.

I am concluding that the RAM on my Millenium II is damaged.
It's going back to the supplier tomorrow.

thanks to all who made suggestions,
t