Hi.
        I don't quite understand this stuff.

        First:
        -MDA is only text, so no X.
        -Old Hercules is moreless text+graphics. Which one you have?

        Second: try to see with a DOS floppy if your mono card works.
It is very easy: "mode mono" and "mode co80" should switch. Programming
in bios the default monitor should work. However, I've even seen a
mobo not admitting the monochrome card at all (probably no code in
bios for the 6845 at the monochrome card); try on a different mobo.

        Third: since the mono support is being left out, perhaps the
Matrox takes resources within mono addresses. Test with a different
SVGA.

        Fourth: mono X servers are buggy, as far as I've seen.

        Fifth: please, inform about the "multimon" patch; I don't
know about it. Since there are multi monitor VGA's, this and
VGA+mono are different things.

>
> I have a P55T4P2/AMD K5-PR120 (overclocked to the PR133 level), running
> linux exclusively, on which I am trying to get an old monochrome adaptor to
> run.  I have recompiled the linux kernel with "multimon" patch and the
> kernel drivers seem to do their thing (when I switch to a Virtual Console on
> which I have a getty running for a mono tty, the cursor disappears on the
> svga; and when a login to this VC is logged in the system messages) but I
> cannot see anything on the mono monitor!
>
> I want to ask here whether there is anything special I ought to know about
> trying to get an old, non-specified mono card with printer port up and
> running on this motherboard, while (or even while not) running a Matrox
> Millenium 4MB svga card.  Even without the Matrox card, the bios will not
> write the change to mono monitor type to the cmos.
>
> Thanks for solid advice in the past from this list.
>
> Alan Davis
************************************
Javier Vizcaino. Ability Electronics. [log in to unmask]

Starting point:        (-1)^(-1) = -1
Applying logarithms: (-1)*ln(-1) = ln(-1)
Since ln(-1) <> 0, dividing:  -1 = 1
     (ln(-1) is complex, but exists)