XGA Driver Support in Windows 3.1

ID: Q83888

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1

SUMMARY

Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1 ships with the following drivers to support XGA:


Driver     Display     Resolution              Memory on Adapter
------     -------     ----------              -----------------

VGA.DRV    XGA        (640 x 480, 16 colors)   512K
XGA.DRV    XGA        (640 x 480, 256 colors)  512K
XGA.DRV    XGA        (Large fonts)            512K or 1MB
XGA.DRV    XGA        (Small fonts)            512K or 1MB

XGA (Small fonts) is for 1024 x 768, 256 colors with VGA fonts installed; it allows more information to be seen on the screen at one time. XGA (Large fonts) is for 1024 x 768, 256 colors with 8514 fonts installed; it makes text on the screen larger and easier to read.

If you select XGA (Large fonts) or XGA (Small fonts) on a 512K XGA, Windows will default to 1024 x 768, 16 colors if the attached monitor supports that resolution (XGA on PS/2s can detect the monitor).

NOTE Your monitor must be capable of these resolutions.

MORE INFORMATION

The following are known issues with the XGA drivers that ship with Windows 3.1:

By default, Windows Setup installs the XGA 640 x 480, 16-color driver. If you have a monitor that can support the other resolutions listed above, you can select another resolution.

When you run the XGA 640 x 480, 16-color driver that uses the standard VGA.DRV display driver, the colors displayed in MS-DOS applications running in Windows may appear different from the same application running outside Windows.

If you are using a PS/2 Model 75 with a plasma screen, you must use the XGA 640 x 480, 16-color driver. With some PS/2 Model 75 plasma screens and with XGA configured for 640 x 480 resolution and 16 colors, you must also include the NOEMS or RAM option on the device=EMM386.EXE line in your CONFIG.SYS file, as in the following example:
```
      device=EMM386.EXE NOEMS X=C600-C7FF 
```

To use the IBM XGA successfully with EMM386.EXE, you must manually prevent EMM386.EXE from using the memory address range used by the XGA display. To do this, include the X= option on the device=EMM386.EXE line in your CONFIG.SYS file, as in the following example:
```
      device=EMM386.EXE  X=C600-C7FF 
```
Replace "C600-C7FF" with the correct value for the address range used by your XGA. To identify this range, run the System Configuration Program on the System Reference Disk for your PS/2, and select "Display Memory Map." C600-C7FF is a common range.

Do not include the i=B000-BE00 option on the device=EMM386.EXE line in your CONFIG.SYS file. This address range is used by the XGA when you run Windows in 386 enhanced mode; therefore, it cannot be used as an upper memory area. Windows will not recognize XGA configurations if EMM386.EXE is using this address range.

The IBM Extended Graphics Array (XGA) adapter is a memory-mapped graphics coprocessor for machines equipped with a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus. The XGA adapter offers built-in VGA backward compatibility. The XGA adapter is shipped with 512K display memory (with an optional expansion to a total of 1 MB). The IBM XGA is shipped as the standard display adapter for PS/2 models 90 and 95.

XGA memory-mapped registers occupy an 8K area in the Adapter Segment, between C000 and DFFF hexadecimal. By default it occupies the address space between C000 and CFFF in the adapter segment. The default may be changed by using the reference disk that comes with the computer.

The XGA adapter card is not 8514/A compatible. It cannot be used as a replacement for the 8514/A when you run CodeView for Windows (CVW) on a PS/2.

XGA Drivers from IBM for Windows 3.0

XGA adapters may include driver disks that include Windows 3.0 XGA display drivers. If your XGA card did not come with XGA video drivers, please contact your IBM dealer to obtain them.

The IBM XGA support includes two drivers for Windows 3.0. These drivers support the following resolutions:


                                       Memory
   Driver     Resolution   Colors      Required
   ------     ----------   ------      --------

   XGALO.DRV  640 x 480    256 colors  512K
   XGAHI.DRV  1024 x 768   16 colors   512K
              1024 x 768   256 colors  1 MB

Additional query words: 3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11 code view 3rdparty

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :