X Server for the Vaio F809K (Obsolete!)

During the general Linux installation process I choosed XFree86 3.3.6. However, this X-version is also not working perfectly with the ATI Rage Mobility Chipset. For more details see below. The XFree86 4.0.2 RPMs for Mandrake Linux can be taken from
ftp://ftp.mandrakeuser.org/pub/MUO/unsupported/RPMS/X/
If they are not available anymore there, check other places such as
http://www.xfree86.org
http://www.linux.org
http://www.mandrakeuser.org
http://www.mandrake.com
After getting the XFree86 4.0.2 RPMs for Mandrake I installed them as follows (as root, of course). Note that the order is important!

1. rpm -i freetype2-2.0.2-0.20001211.1mdk.i586.rpm
2. rpm -i --force XFree86-libs-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
3. rpm -i --force XFree86-devel-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
4. rpm -U XFree86-static-libs-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
5. rpm -U XFree86-xfs-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
6. rpm -U XFree86-server-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
7. rpm -i --force XFree86-glide-module-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
8. rpm -i --force XFree86-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
9. rpm -U XFree86-100dpi-fonts-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
10. rpm -U XFree86-75dpi-fonts-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
11. rpm -U XFree86-Xvfb-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
12. rpm -U XFree86-Xnest-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm
13. rpm -U XFree86-doc-4.0.2-4mdk.i586.rpm

Note on RPM-Update: With some of the packages I had troubles to update or install them regularily. These are the packages I installed with rpm -i --force. This kind of update/installation is not the most elegant one, but I couldn't get these packages updated/installed in another way. You may encounter another behavior probably with newer RPM packages. So when you install your XFree86 4.0.2 packages, try first "rpm -U" or "rpm -i", and if both fail, add the option --force as I did it.

After installation of XFree86 4.0.2 you can start the Xconfigurator. You must select XFree86 4.0.1 there. However, even when selecting 4.0.1 4.0.2 will be used. So don't care about this.
The ATI Chipset should be detected automatically. As monitor you select "Generic LCD Panel 1400x1050" and as resolution you select "1024x768" or some other of the given resolutions for the moment. Note that you won't find 1400x1050 there. But don't worry, we will fix that later. When you test the configuration, it should work now.

Now it's time to run the display at native 1400x1050 pixels. For this you can download my XF86Config-4 file and replace the original /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 by that.

The major differences of my XF86Config-4 compared to the original one is a Modeline for the 1400x1050 resolution and adjusted frequency ranges in the monitor section. And, of course, a 1400x1050 entry in the screen section.

Now you can test X under real conditions and you should be able to use the high resolution. It is even possible to switch between the different resolutions by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Fn+Plus/Minus (Plus/Minus of the "Numeric Block").

XFree 3.3.6 (obsolete)

If you want to use XFree86 3.3.6 (for whatever reason) you must make the following changes in your system.

The standard XFree 3.3.6 package that comes with Mandrake 7.2 is not working properly with the ATI Rage Mobility Chipset, especially not at the 1400x1050 resolution. Steve Hsieh provides a web site where he describes how to get X running on the larger Dell notebooks (Inspiron Series) that are equipped with the same ATI chipset as the Vaio F809K.

I don't want to repeat everything on this page again, so I will mention here the most important things only. Nevertheless, you may have a look at Steve Hsieh's Linux on a Dell Inspiron 3700/7000/7500 page.

1. You must install and setup X as usual (e.g. via Xconfigurator) and select the Mach64 server and any monitor. You should NOT test the configuration when you are asked for this, since it will anyways not work!
2. The next step is to replace the Mach64 X server that should be located at /usr/X11R6/bin/XF86_Mach64
   To do this, you must download a patched X server that is available here.
   Unpack this server with this command:
   tar -xzvf XMa64-3.3.6-steveh.tar.gz
   and then overwrite the original Mach64 X server with the patched one:
   cp XF86_Mach64 /usr/X11R6/bin/
   
3. Then an appropriate XF86Config file is needed. Here you can take my XF86Config file and copy it into the /etc/X11/ directory. I don't know exactly why it is necessary, but the XF86Config file is also (or only?) required in the /etc/ directory. So I just put a link there:
   ln -s /etc/X11/XF86Config /etc/XF86Config

   Note: It maybe necessary to make some changes in the Keyboard section of the XF86Config to adapt it to your layout (my one is German). E.g. you may have to change de to us. Other changes may be necessary for the Font section.

4. The last modification that is needed is to activate the VGA console that is needed for proper X operation. To do this you must add a line vga=... to your /etc/lilo.conf. I'm using a value of 794 there. As an example, you may have a look at my /etc/lilo.conf
   After changing /etc/lilo.conf do not forget to execute /sbin/lilo so that the changes are written into the boot record.

   Note: Your kernel must support the VGA text console. Probably you have to enable this in your kernel if not already done. Check this out via typing make menuconfig in the linux kernel source directory (/usr/src/linux) and go to the section "Console drivers". The VGA text console shall be enabled there.

   
   

   Note: I discovered that the VGA console did not work under the 2.2.17 kernel under RedHat 6.2 Linux. I don't know why, since it is working with the 2.2.17 kernel that is coming with Mandrake 7.2. But with 2.2.18 (or 2.2.16 that is coming with RedHat 6.2) it is working also under RedHat 6.2 fine.

When you have applied all these changes and have rebooted your system X shall work fine.