VOGONS


HWiNFO for DOS resurrected !

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Reply 940 of 958, by Mumak

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CkRtech wrote on 2026-02-28, 20:14:
I am up to doing this as I am still messing with this video card if you have the interest and the time. […]
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Mumak wrote on 2025-11-09, 18:25:

Well, I guess I will have to get such a card and run tests...
The only alternate way would be to create a special HWiNFO version which would require a key press prior to each VGA chip test (HWiNFO displays at the bottom of screen which chip is tested) so you could capture the moment when it goes wrong..

I am up to doing this as I am still messing with this video card if you have the interest and the time.

The last line in the debug file was:
Checking: AT&T DEB

I know that it could be we were several steps ahead of the last item logged at the time the error occurred, but stopping before each test with a list of which test is about to be active would hopefully help us narrow things down.

OK, I have created a special build that requires a key-press after each status row displayed by HWiNFO. This should help to pin-point the exact place where it goes wrong.
Please try this build and let me know what was the last message displayed before the display went off.

Reply 941 of 958, by CkRtech

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Ok. Launched. Pressed spacebar through some init. Selected video info.

Saw “checking matrox…” and pressed space.
Saw “checking S-MOS,” pressed space, and then… screen corrupted.

Reply 942 of 958, by Mumak

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CkRtech wrote on 2026-02-28, 22:50:

Ok. Launched. Pressed spacebar through some init. Selected video info.

Saw “checking matrox…” and pressed space.
Saw “checking S-MOS,” pressed space, and then… screen corrupted.

Thank you!
Please try the attached version and let me know if it fixes the problem.

Reply 943 of 958, by CkRtech

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Alas, it appears to still have the same problem.

Reply 944 of 958, by Mumak

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OK, I have put again the key-pressing to check further. Please try this build and let me know.

Reply 945 of 958, by CkRtech

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OK. Now we are talking.

"Checking: Weitek" gave a momentary flash of just a few scanlines near the bottom quarter of the screen. Everything continued to work fine. Standard fare for when hardware is detected by software in my opinion.

And of course the Power 9000 chip on this Diamond Viper VLB is made by Weitek, so perhaps it managed to communicate with it.

I passed through a few other items until "Checking: Oak." I pressed spacebar after that and BOOM. Corruption.

Oak is, of course, the base VGA chip on the card used for handling text and low res modes. The P9000 is accessed for VESA modes.

Reply 946 of 958, by Mumak

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CkRtech wrote on 2026-03-01, 17:59:
OK. Now we are talking. […]
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OK. Now we are talking.

"Checking: Weitek" gave a momentary flash of just a few scanlines near the bottom quarter of the screen. Everything continued to work fine. Standard fare for when hardware is detected by software in my opinion.

And of course the Power 9000 chip on this Diamond Viper VLB is made by Weitek, so perhaps it managed to communicate with it.

I passed through a few other items until "Checking: Oak." I pressed spacebar after that and BOOM. Corruption.

Oak is, of course, the base VGA chip on the card used for handling text and low res modes. The P9000 is accessed for VESA modes.

Thanks. Please try the attached build and let me know.

The attachment HWINFO.EXE.zip is no longer available

Reply 947 of 958, by CkRtech

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Bingo.

No TSR:

The attachment IMG_6083.jpeg is no longer available

With Diamond VESA driver loaded:

The attachment IMG_6084.jpeg is no longer available
The attachment IMG_6085.jpeg is no longer available

Reply 948 of 958, by Mumak

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CkRtech wrote on 2026-03-01, 19:01:
Bingo. […]
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Bingo.

No TSR:

The attachment IMG_6083.jpeg is no longer available

With Diamond VESA driver loaded:

The attachment IMG_6084.jpeg is no longer available
The attachment IMG_6085.jpeg is no longer available

Perfect 😀 Thanks for you help!
I will release a new version with this and a few other fixes.

Reply 949 of 958, by CkRtech

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Mumak wrote on 2026-03-01, 19:05:

Perfect 😀 Thanks for you help!
I will release a new version with this and a few other fixes.

Happy to help!

Reply 950 of 958, by Mumak

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Version 6.2.7 released. Details and download in OP.

Reply 951 of 958, by radozd

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Hello,
I have PB450 motherboard with built-in video card and no PCI. I know there were both PCI and ISA (VLB?) versions.
My MB has ISA riser card option and looks like this:

The attachment pb450-small.jpeg is no longer available

It has VLBus chip built in, but it seems it might be used for IDE only, since it's too far from the video chip. So I'm not so sure whether the video is ISA or VLB. VRAM benchmark shows speeds very close ISA.
However, HWINFO screens show the opposite:

The attachment IMG_7592.jpeg is no longer available
The attachment IMG_7593.jpeg is no longer available

I wonder how HWINFO detects VLB?

Reply 952 of 958, by Mumak

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radozd wrote on 2026-04-04, 09:22:
Hello, I have PB450 motherboard with built-in video card and no PCI. I know there were both PCI and ISA (VLB?) versions. My MB h […]
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Hello,
I have PB450 motherboard with built-in video card and no PCI. I know there were both PCI and ISA (VLB?) versions.
My MB has ISA riser card option and looks like this:

The attachment pb450-small.jpeg is no longer available

It has VLBus chip built in, but it seems it might be used for IDE only, since it's too far from the video chip. So I'm not so sure whether the video is ISA or VLB. VRAM benchmark shows speeds very close ISA.
However, HWINFO screens show the opposite:

The attachment IMG_7592.jpeg is no longer available
The attachment IMG_7593.jpeg is no longer available

I wonder how HWINFO detects VLB?

For this graphics adapter (CL-GD5428) the bus is detected directly from the chip straps (System Bus Select CF[5], CF[7], CF[14]).

Reply 953 of 958, by radozd

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Mumak wrote on 2026-04-04, 11:40:

For this graphics adapter (CL-GD5428) the bus is detected directly from the chip straps (System Bus Select CF[5], CF[7], CF[14]).

Thanks. So I should trust HWINFO. Good!

Reply 954 of 958, by Grzyb

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radozd wrote on 2026-04-04, 15:06:

Thanks. So I should trust HWINFO. Good!

You can also check where the LFB is located - IBM PS/1 Integrated Graphics, how to tell if ISA or VLB?

In 2003, I voted in favour of joining the European Union. However, due to recent developments - especially the restrictions on cash usage - I'm hereby withdrawing my support. DOWN WITH THE EU!

Reply 956 of 958, by radozd

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The attachment IMG_7607.jpeg is no longer available

Under 16MB while using UNIVBE. Not sure if this rule is applicable here.

Reply 957 of 958, by Grzyb

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radozd wrote on 2026-04-09, 07:48:

Under 16MB while using UNIVBE. Not sure if this rule is applicable here.

Interesting...
LFB above 16 MB clearly states non-ISA, but below 16 MB can be anything.
Can you check where Windows 9x drivers place the LFB ?

In 2003, I voted in favour of joining the European Union. However, due to recent developments - especially the restrictions on cash usage - I'm hereby withdrawing my support. DOWN WITH THE EU!

Reply 958 of 958, by radozd

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Grzyb wrote on 2026-04-09, 10:40:
Interesting... LFB above 16 MB clearly states non-ISA, but below 16 MB can be anything. Can you check where Windows 9x drivers p […]
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radozd wrote on 2026-04-09, 07:48:

Under 16MB while using UNIVBE. Not sure if this rule is applicable here.

Interesting...
LFB above 16 MB clearly states non-ISA, but below 16 MB can be anything.
Can you check where Windows 9x drivers place the LFB ?

MS-DOS 6.22 only, sorry