Today I read a topic in the Matrox General Linux Forum where a user had problems to run this script on his machine.

The reason for this was the abscense of an installed C++ compiler, so I have to check for this too in the script.

ChangeLog:

1.1.1 Added missing dependency to g++
      * g++ is also needed to compile this driver

Download:

• mga_xorg7_installer.run V1.1.1

A new version of the magic mga_xorg7_installer is online. This new version adds basic support for RPM based distributions (esp. RedHat FC5) and includes some minor improvements and "bugfixes".
Here's the relevant part of the ChangeLog:

1.1.0 Featuring RPM support
      * Added basic support for RPM based distributions, especially Redhat FC5
        Many thanks to André Frick (projects@andrefrick.de) for providing the
        necessary background information on FC5
      * Some small improvements for checking for necessary binaries before
        doing the automatic package installation
      * Implemented more generalization for future updates
      * Added speed improvements by using temporary files for the output of
        the package installation programs

Download:

• mga_xorg7_installer.run V1.1.0

Today I wanted to do something on my text console and of course, it has been blanked by the mtx driver.
As I didn't want do kill my uptime, I tried to dig a little deeper into this and finally, I found the solution to this problem.

The Blanking is caused by a buggy VBE Mode restoration/implementation of the mtx and mga drivers and therefore, this small little script applies to all users out there (it's not Matrox specific) that have this problem too with their graphics card drivers.

Detailed information about how it works and how to use it can be found in the included README file.

Downloads:

• vbemagic-1.0.tgz

Only in short terms, here's the update making it up from version 1.0 to 1.0.1 bugfix release.

The ChangeLog:

1.0.1   Bugfix release
        * The apt-get command redirects its output to $LOGFILE and because we
          want the user to enter y or n for the installation of packages, he
          doesn't see the question produced by apt-get -> Don't redirect the
          output of apt-get [FIXED]
        * Added additional functionality for checking the availability of
          packages before we try to install them automatically [ADDED]
        * Added a quick and dirty workaround for the Ubuntu problem mentioned
          by Hark in the General Linux Forums. Ubuntu has no installable
          package called xutils-dev, instaed it provides the package "imake"

1.0     Initial release

The links:

• HOWTO_mga_Xorg7
• mga_xorg7_installer.run, Version 1.0.1

Here is a detailed HOWTO and an automatic installation script for getting Matrox' mga display driver installed correctly on Xorg 7.0.0 including support for the mgaHALlib and hardware acceleration.

I'm working on this HOWTO and the installer now since 20:00 at the last day, that means nearly eleven (11!) hours, therefore please excuse possible typos in this blog entry, as my motivation to write long stories here has gone.

If you find this software/HOWTO useful, please consider to donate.

Links:

• HOWTO_mga_Xorg7
• mga_xorg7_installer.run

No, this is not a leet number or anything else related to computer technology. This is the magic number of coffees our coffee machine at work has served us the last two years. The coffee is as good as the first one was and I can only recommend this machine to anyone outside there. What would I be without you, dear Benvenuto B30? I love you and I promise, that I'll always decalc and clean you until death (either yours or mine) divorces us. Link: http://www.boschappliances.com/product_165.html The guys at Bosch seem also to know, that this machine is our personal hero, just look at the link to the image: http://www.bosch.../hero_shots/TCA...