How to force OS/2 (V-2.1, OS/2 Warp) to VGA-Mode
How to force OS/2 (V-2.1, OS/2 Warp) to VGA-Mode
Only if Blank / Illegible Display after OS/2 startup
There are a number of situations that will result in the inability to make sense of the pattern on the display unit. For example:
- An incorrect driver utility has been used
- A mode set for a processor may result in a scan frequ. that is not supported.
- Configuration files have been copied from a machine using different hardware.
In case of OS/2 Warp, Reboot the system. At the moment that in the lefttop of the screen appear a small block with OS/2 written, push Alt+F1 button. A blue screen with RECOVERY CHOICES will appear. Select the option 'V'. Reset primary video display and Reboot. This option will autom. set OS/2 Warp to VGA mode.
In case of OS/2 V-2.x
- Boot from OS/2 Installation Diskette.
- Insert installation diskettes as promptet until the Welcome to OS/2 frame is displayed.
- Press ESCAPE (F3) key to exit to a command line.
(From the command line it is possible to issue the SETVGA or RSPDSPI commands.)
- - Enter SETVGA (this command deletes the existing SVGADATA.PMI file and then calls RSPDSPI with VGA as the primary key to install the VGA display drivers and fonts.)
- or -
- - Enter RSPDSPI /PK:VGA /SK:NONE /S:A: /T:C:
RSPDSPI parameter
PK: the primary display type
SK: the secondary display type
S: the source drive containing the display driver
T: the target drive where the drivers should be installed
L: the logfile name (default RSPIN'sTL.LOG)
- Selective Install Video device drivers
The safest way to reconfigure the video mode is to use SELECTIVE INSTALL, which can be found in the System Setup folder. Selective install is a PM application called INSTALL.EXE, and is located in the \OS2\INSTALL subdirectory.
DSPIN'sTL is a faster way of reconfiguring the video mode (not useable for OS/2 Warp VGA/SVGA resolution)
DSPIN'sTL decides what to do by reading a Display Configuration (DSC) file.
- Display Configuration (DSC) Files in OS/2 2.1, OS/2 2.1.1 and OS/2 Warp
DSC File | Video Mode and Chip set | OS/2 2.1 |
OS/2 2.1.1 |
OS/2 Warp |
Resolution and Video Memory | DSP File 1 | DSP File 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PSATI | ATI Mach8, ATI 28800 (SVGA) | Y | Y | Y | 640x480x256 (512KB) 640x480x256 (1MB) 800x600x256 (1MB) 1024x768x256 (1MB) |
AT480A AT480B AT600B AT768B |
AT480AC AT480BC AT600BC AT768BC |
PSBGA32 | 8514/A | Y | Y | Y | |||
PSCGA16 | CGA | Y | Y | Y | 320x200x4 | PSCGA16 | |
PSCL | Cirrus Logic (SVGA) 5422, 5424 | Y | Y | Y | 640x480x256 (512KB) 640x480x256 (1MB) 800x600x256 (1MB) 1024x768x256 (1MB) |
CL480A CL480B CL600B CL768B |
CL480AC CL480BC CL600BC CL768BC |
PSEGA16 | EGA | Y | Y | Y | 640x350x16 | PSEGA16 | |
PSHEAD | Headland Technology HT209 | Y | Y | Y | |||
PSMONO | Monochrome Adapter | Y | Y | Y | PSMONO | ||
PSS3 | S3 86C801, 86C805, 86C928 | 1 | Y | Y | All | S3 | |
PSSPDW | IBM VGA 256 color (SVGA) | Y | Y | Y | 640x480x256 (512KB) 640x480x256 (1MB) |
SP480A SP480B |
SP480AC SP480BC |
PSSVGA32 | Generic SVGA | Y | Y | Y | 640x480x256 | PSSVGA32 | |
PSTRID | Trident Microsystems TVGA8900c (SVGA) | Y | Y | Y | |||
PSTSENG | Tseng Laboratories ET4000 (SVGA) | Y | Y | Y | 640x480x256 (512KB) 640x480x256 (1MB) 800x600x256 (1MB) 1024x768x256 (1MB) |
TS480A TS480B TS600B TS768B |
TS480AC TS480BC TS600BC TS768BC |
PSVGA32 | VGA | Y | Y | Y | 640x480x256 | PSSVGA32 | |
PSWD | Western Digital WD90C11, C30, C31 (SVGA) | Y | Y 2 | Y 2 | |||
PSXGA32 | XGA, XGA2 | Y | Y | Y 3 | |||
WP9000 | Weitek Power 9000 | Y | |||||
WP9100 | Weitek Power 9100 | Y | |||||
S3864 | S3 864 | Y | |||||
CL54X | Cirrus Logic 5426, 5428, 5430, 5434 | Y | |||||
WDC33 | Western Digital 90C33 | Y | |||||
PSWDC24 | Western Digital 90C24 | Y | |||||
PSWDC31 | Western Digital 90C31 | Y | |||||
TLIW32 | Tseng ET4000/W32, /32i, /32p | Y | |||||
ATIM32 | ATI Mach32 | Y | All | ATIM32 | |||
ATIM64 | ATI Mach64 | Y |
Table Notes
1. The S3 86C805 display drivers are not shipped with OS/2 2.1, but are available from bulletin boards.
2. C30 mode only
3. Only OS/2 Warp has XGA2 option.