OS/2 FAQ List: User's Edition (4 Apr 94)

(2.2) SuperVGA Support

Will OS/2 2.1 work with my SuperVGA adapter?

Consult the OS/2 2.1 Installation Guide and Using the Operating System 
manuals for complete information on SuperVGA support.

OS/2 2.1 contains built-in 256 color drivers for most SuperVGA adapters 
based on the following chipsets:

 o ATI 28800 
 o Cirrus Logic CL-GD5422 and CL-GD5424 
 o Headland Technologies HT209 
 o IBM VGA256C 
 o Trident Microsystems TVGA8900B and TVGA8900C 
 o Tseng Labs ET4000 
 o Western Digital/Paradise WD90C11, WD90C30, and WD90C31 (in WD90C30 
   mode)

 Some SuperVGA adapters (notably ATI's Vantage and Ultra lines) are 8514/A 
 hardware compatible and will function in 1024x768 256 color mode with 
 OS/2's built-in 8514/A driver.

 Drivers for other SuperVGA adapters (along with installation 
 instructions), and modified versions of the built-in drivers (such as 16 
 color versions or small icon versions) should be available from the 
 adapter vendors directly or through (3.2) Shareware and Freeware Sources. 
  In addition, IBM has released a set of drivers for SuperVGA adapters 
 based on S3 chipsets to these public sources.  (However, certain S3-based 
 adapters require custom drivers from vendors.)

 Regular Windows 3.1 display drivers may be used for the full screen 
 Win-OS/2 desktop.  To install a Windows 3.1 display driver under 
 Win-OS/2, simply replace the \OS2\MDOS\WINOS2\SYSTEM\VGA.DRV file with 
 the Windows .DRV file supplied by the vendor.  (Be sure to make a copy of 
 the original OS/2-supplied driver file first.)  Note that you may have to 
 use the EXPAND program supplied with Win-OS/2 to decompress the vendor's 
 .DRV file.

 OS/2 2.1 has now routinized the procedure for setting customized refresh 
 rates using DOS-based utilities (such as VMODE).  You will be prompted 
 during installation of a SuperVGA driver, and you can specify the DOS 
 utility you wish to execute along with its parameters (if any).  You may 
 also need to invoke the utility in your OS/2 AUTOEXEC.BAT file so that 
 DOS sessions are properly configured to your monitor's specifications. 
  Read the OS/2 manuals carefully for details on how to use the DSPINSTL 
 program to install SuperVGA drivers and customize refresh rates for your 
 monitor.  [Note that for SuperVGA adapters based on the Tseng 4000 
 chipset ONLY you may use the command SVGA MONITOR from any full screen 
 DOS session to customize refresh rates for your particular monitor.]

 Related information:

 (2.5) Specific Hardware Recommendations 
 (2.7) Device Driver List 
 (3.2) Shareware and Freeware Sources 
 (5.8) Displaying Background Bitmaps

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