XGA-2 Setup
under DOS and Windows

The Situation: You have a PS/2 and wanted to add a XGA-2 card to get more than the usual 16-VGA colours and higher resolution than 640 x 480.

The Action: Follow these instructions and you will be able to use the XGA-2 with your machine.

Attention:
The XGA-2 card requires a 386 or better processor. It does not run in a Mod. 50 or 60 - not even if they are equipped with a 386/486 processor upgrade kit. The Mod. 50/60 systemboard is incapable to do the required 32-bit busmaster transfers. The minimum machine is a Mod. 8555 (55SX) or 8565 (65SX) !


First Step: In either case you will need the XGA / XGA-2 option disk Version 2.2 from IBM-ftp.
Download the file and run the EXE; follow the instructions on the screen and create the option disk on a new, error-free 1.44MB floppy.

Second Step: You will have to update the reference disk / reference partition of your machine with the option files from this disk. Unlike to the "usual procedure" with "Copy an option disk" it is here required to boot with the XGA Option disk.
If your system uses a reference disk it is recommended (but not always neccessary) to start with a fresh copy. The update procedure requires some room on the reference disk for temporary files - and if your disk is already rather full this might cause a problem.

Select the type of machine from the XGA option disk update menu and let the update proceed.
Add the ADFs for the cards currently installed if neccessary.

Third Step: Power down the machine and install the XGA-2 card. Detach the monitor from the planar VGA-port and attach it to the XGA card.
Power the machine back on and have the updated reference copy in drive A:.
The system will surely come up with a configuration error 165 and double beep. Press [F1] if the machine halts after the double beep.
It is better not running the "automatic configuration": there is an entry in the XGA-card settings called "Video Aperture". This will automatically been set to any memory area below 16MB - but is useless for systems with more than 16MB and anyways. This is an option kept for traditional reasons and originally intended for machines with underpowered CPU's. Better set this Video Aperture to "Disabled" - this has no influence on the cards' performance and will avoid problems with the memory configuration and / or recognition of memory over 16MB under e.g. Windows 95.

Fourth Step: Assumed you did everything right and the machine comes up with no errors and behaves as usual - you will now have to install the XGA video drivers - if any required.


If you are running Windows 95 you only need to click with the right mouse button at a free spot on your desktop, then click on "Properties" to open the "Display Properties Menu".

From this menu select "Settings", then "Change Configuration ...".

Under "Graphic Card" select "Change...", switch on "Show all Models" and select "IBM" and "IBM XGA/2". Click on "OK".

Under "Monitor" try to find your monitor type or one which is as close as possible to it.

Use "OK" and the system will (probably) need to copy some files from the Win95 installation CD / disks / directory. After a restart everything should work out fine.

You can change the screen resolution / color depth in the "Display Properties"-menu as well - but the M$-driver for the XGA does not support all video modes of the XGA-2 ... basically it is a driver for the XGA-1, which for example did not support the 800 x 600 mode at all. The maximum color depth of 64K-colors can only be used in 640 x 480; the XGA-2 card however can do it under 800 x 600 as well - but the Win95-driver doesn't support it.


If you are running DOS and Win 3.x (Windows 3.1, 3.11 or Windows for Workgroups 3.11) you need a different strategy - and an additional XGA-2 DOS / WIN3.x Driver disk.

Download and extract this disk by running the EXE as well and follow the instructions on the screen.
Place the disk in A:, change to drive A: and run INSTALL.
A menu appears:

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                MAIN MENU                                     |
|              DOS Installation Program for the XGA Device Drivers             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                              |
|        Type a number to select an option :                                   |
|        ---------------------------------                                     |
|                                                                              |
|        1 Install/Update XGA DMQS Display Information File(s)                 |
|                                                                              |
|        2 Install the DOS Adapter Interface Device Driver                     |
|                                                                              |
|        3 Install the TURBODLD-Classic AutoCAD Device Driver                  |
|                                                                              |
|        4 XGA DMQS Display Information File Information                       |
|                                                                              |
|        5 TURBODLD-Classic AutoCAD Device Driver Information                  |
|                                                                              |
|        6 WINDOWS 3.1 XGA Device Driver Information                           |
|                                                                              |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|        7 Quit Installation Program                                           |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Select No. 1 - the other stuff is most likely not needed (except No. 4 and 6 maybe for curiousity). This will install the DMQS-system (Display Mode Query & Set) for the XGA-2.
This is a system, which helps to recognize the type of monitor attached, to query and set the appropriate display modes and resolutions much easier and better.
Another menu appers:

                                     XGA                                        
                        DMQS (Display Mode Query/Set)                           
                           Display Information File                             
                             Installation Program                               
                                  Main Menu                                     
                                                                                
  Please, choose one of the following options:                                  
  --------------------------------------------                                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
           [X] Install all XGA DMQS Display Information Files.                  
                                                                                
           [ ] Install specific XGA DMQS Display Information File(s).           
                                                                                
           [ ] Change XGA Display Configuration Profile.                        
                                                                                
                                                                                
               Use the UP and DOWN cursor keys to select item.                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter=Continue  F1=Help  F3=Exit
With the pre-selected choice you are installing the DMQS-system. Do this first.
After finishing select the 3rd choice and set the appropriate monitor - or one which comes nearest to what you have.
Do not leave without setting a monitor-type. This might result in a false setting of a default type, which is very often an 8514/A-style monitor. While the XGA-2 checks the monitor-ID pins and tries to start in the highest resolution mode this might cause damage to your monitor if is a Non-IBM and the ID pin-out is not clearly recognized !

Then return to the previous menu end select "Quit" - remove the disk from A: and reboot the machine to activate the changes in the AUTOEXEC.BAT and start the DMQS-system.

This was the basic DOS installation part.

The DMQS-installation *might* be useful even under Windows 95 - in case you have a somewhat unconventional monitor (not included in the Win95-database) and must use the XVGARATE-utility from the XGA 2.12 drivers disk to override the Win95 monitor refresh setting for e.g. 72 or 75Hz refresh.
In this case you *need* to install the DMQS before you can use XVGARATE.

Now you need to install the Win 3.x-drivers.

You need the Windows Installation Disks or need to have the Windows CD or to know the name of the installation directory !
This procedure needs files from the original setup disks.

At the DOS-prompt C: change into the Windows directory.
Type SETUP here to start the Win 3.x installation / Setup from the DOS-prompt.

In the "Setup Menu" select "Display" and press [ENTER]. From the following selection use "OEM-disk from manufacturer".
The source directory is "A:\WINV31".
If you accept it the drivers "XGA-2 Version 2.12" are offered. Accept this as well.
At one point the Setup needs files from the original Windows disks / CD / uninstalled setup files. You will need to either insert the appropriate disk into A: or change the source path to the CD / installation directory - and back again to A:\WINV31.

After finishing this you can start Windows. Most likely your system will come up in a hi-resolution / 256-colors mode already, depending on the type of monitor you'd selected for the DMQS.

Open "Main", open "System Control". You will notify a new icon: "XGA Setup". Click at it.
Here you are now able to change the type of monitor attached, the resolution, color depth and (in some cases) the vertical refresh rate.

Here are some lists:


Don't forget that the full advantage of the DMQS-system is only given under DOS / Windows 3.x with the IBM XGA-2 Driver 2.12 installed. At least the third table is not applicable for Windows 95 and also most of the modes mentioned in Table 1 are not supported under Win95 - blame Microsoft for that. The XGA-2 Hardware CAN do it ... the drivers cannot.



Feel free to report experiences.

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