Debian 3.0 + Parhelia Walkthrough.

[leech]

Got this installed and figured I'd help others. After you firist install Debian 3.0, make sure you at least have ncftp or ftp or whatever your favorite cli ftp client is. Make sure when you installed, use the 'bf24' installation, so that it installs kernel 2.4.18-bf2.4. Also while doing the setup, it's a good idea now to select 'agpgart' from the kernel/drivers/char modules. Install the C/C++ development from tasksel. Pretty much that's all you're really need to get the module to work.

Download the mtxdrivers from ftp.matrox.com/pub/mga/archive/linux/2002/mtxdrivers_0.1.8.tgz

Then 'apt-get install kernel-headers-2.4.18-bf2.4' and it'll install the headers for your kernel. Then 'ln -s /usr/src/kernel-headers-bf2.4 /usr/src/linux' and you'll have everything set up so that you can then 'tar xfvz mtxdrivers_0.1.8.tgz' and 'cd mtxdrivers' to then 'sh install.sh' Follow the commands, and tell it to install the drivers and compile the module. Of course you'll have to have XFree86 installed for this to work, because it'll check for the directories.

Then it's just a matter of 'nano /etc/X11/XF86Config-4' and change the video driver to 'mtx' and add 'Option "Busmastering" "on" under it. Then you should be good to go. 1600x1200x24 in all it's wonderful Parhelia glory. Hope this helps.

Leech

[Six Of One]

Very good! I am a fanatic self-compiler, but i guess it will work with my homebrew kernel too. Thanks.

[leech]

Yup, as long as you have the 2.95 (possibly 2.96) version of GCC. The reason is, mtx_drv.o that is the XFree86 driver itself is linked with the 2.95 GCC libraries, whereas if you compile the mtx.o kernel module with GCC3.x then it won't be 'used' by the driver, so you won't get bus-mastering and you'll suffer the screen corruption in 1280x1024+ (yes, it works 'ok' in 1280x1024, but there is still some slight screen corruption (at least there was in Mandrake 9.0))

Leech