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General => Installation issues => Topic started by: totallymaxed on September 17, 2007, 08:20:06 am

Title: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: totallymaxed on September 17, 2007, 08:20:06 am
The instructions for building the Unichrome Pro Via drivers are available from the url below... its what we used to build them;

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=420&OSID=25&CatID=2580&SubCatID=184

You need the v0.83 version of the install guide and the Kernel sources XORG40072_20061226c version.

Once you have built the Unichrome Pro drivers you can use the install script to add them to any MD (you can build them on the Core or any other Kbuntu machine running the correct kernel - it does not have to be a Via machine). We usually add them during the first real boot of a new MD at the point where the AVwizard tries to run but can't start X (the display will continually loop in the console - going blank for a few secs each time). Just ssh into the MD and run the installer from the console choosing the appropriate options for your Via hardare etc. After about 60 secs the AVwizard will spring to lif and display its first screen... this is an indication that the drivers have installed cleanly.

Thats all there is too it.

Enjoy!
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: MarcoZan on September 30, 2007, 12:35:20 pm
Hi Andrew

just a couple of questions to make myself a clear picture.

I've a VIA based MD with CLE266, and according to its xorg.conf it is already using via driver shipped with Kubuntu/LMCE.

Are you saying that those drivers are NOT Unichrome Pro?

I've given a look at the pdf with the compiling procedure and it's a bit scaring to me. This is because I've tried last week to compile an external module but I messed up all my kernel modules and I had to get them out from a backup.
It looks like the .config file shipped with linux sources / headers differs from what have been used to compile
my actual system modules, so after reboot no module was loaded anymore.

So before going again through the same story I prefer to make 100% sure that this is the only option I have.

TIA
Marco
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: totallymaxed on September 30, 2007, 03:12:57 pm
Hi Andrew

just a couple of questions to make myself a clear picture.

I've a VIA based MD with CLE266, and according to its xorg.conf it is already using via driver shipped with Kubuntu/LMCE.

Are you saying that those drivers are NOT Unichrome Pro?

I've given a look at the pdf with the compiling procedure and it's a bit scaring to me. This is because I've tried last week to compile an external module but I messed up all my kernel modules and I had to get them out from a backup.
It looks like the .config file shipped with linux sources / headers differs from what have been used to compile
my actual system modules, so after reboot no module was loaded anymore.

So before going again through the same story I prefer to make 100% sure that this is the only option I have.

TIA
Marco

Well we had a lot of problems with the Via drivers in Kubuntu 7.04 - and from memory I think they are Openchrome. So we built our own Unichrome Pro drivers using the sources and the pdf from Via Arena.

If you get good performance from the drivers your using then stick with them.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: auyongtc on September 30, 2007, 03:42:57 pm
But even with this Unichrome Pro drivers, there is no support for UI2 right?
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: totallymaxed on September 30, 2007, 04:43:32 pm
But even with this Unichrome Pro drivers, there is no support for UI2 right?

Right... you need the Unichrome Pro II drivers to get UI2 support and they have to be licensed from Via by systems integrators.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: MediaMonkey on September 30, 2007, 05:46:31 pm
Right... you need the Unichrome Pro II drivers to get UI2 support and they have to be licensed from Via by systems integrators.

On a side note: doesn't it really sucks? I actually liked EX15000G motherboard. It really surprised me when I leaned that you don't get access to their driver even if you buy the hardware from them -- it is worse than Microsoft's business practices.  I am sure I can live without Via.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: totallymaxed on September 30, 2007, 08:53:23 pm
Right... you need the Unichrome Pro II drivers to get UI2 support and they have to be licensed from Via by systems integrators.

On a side note: doesn't it really sucks? I actually liked EX15000G motherboard. It really surprised me when I leaned that you don't get access to their driver even if you buy the hardware from them -- it is worse than Microsoft's business practices.  I am sure I can live without Via.


Well I do agree its not idea... but in terms of video playback quality, performance, energy consumption, fanless quiet operation etc etc... the Via based motherboards really are very hard to beat. From a technical perspective UI2 is great but video playback performance is more important than transparent menus in my opinion and the Via's deliver that by the truck load. I know this is not necessarily a commonly held view but its one we hold strongly here.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: MarcoZan on September 30, 2007, 09:22:25 pm
Thanks all for your reply

actually performances with standard drivers are not that bad with DVD playback, but I'm experiencing serious problems with DivX.
Basically when playing DivX my VIA MD crashes on a regular basis, sometimes after few seconds, sometimes after 40 minutes playback.
I couldn't find any relevant trace into logs, apart of this error occurring at boot time:

[drm:via_mem_alloc] *ERROR* Attempt to allocate from uninitialized memory manager.

Googling around I've found (very few) indications that this may be a bug in the via driver, so I guess I've no other options that going for Via Unichrome Pro drivers.

Here comes the crucial question: is the .config file shipped with kernel sources/header of Kubuntu 7.04 the correct one to use for compiling additional drivers/modules?
Or does this file need some changes?

TIA
Marco
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: trisc on October 17, 2007, 04:39:57 pm
Totallymaxed, thanks for your original post but for me these are general guidelines not the actual procedure...

I'm sure lots of us would appreciate a step-by-step guide to installing these drivers. I've struggled with the so called "instructions" off the Via site for days and got nowhere  :(

Can somebody please post a howto for getting these working on an actual LinuxMCE/Kubuntu MD?
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: MarcoZan on October 17, 2007, 09:42:01 pm
Hi Trisc

maybe I was simply lucky, but I followed the instruction contained in the pdf from the Via site and now I have new drivers running on my VIA MD.

I agree that they may appear a bit confusing because they contain indication for several distro, but in the end I did not need to make anything special.

If you isolate the steps related to Kubunto 7.0.4 you get the step-by-step guide that you are looking for.

Try to post here at which stage did you get stuck, and if possible I will try to give some help.

Regards
Marco



Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: trisc on October 18, 2007, 01:01:53 am
Thanks

I got the CLE266CN400CN-CX700CN800XORG40072-kernel-src_20061226c directory on my core so I guess I have the drivers I need.

Do I need to compile the 3D Mesa drivers also? I imagine we only need 2D drivers...

Finally what is the command to actually install these drivers? I understand to SSH into the MD but what syntax is needed to install them?

Trisc

Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: MarcoZan on October 18, 2007, 08:46:37 am
If you have a look to this file
(http://www.viaarena.com/Driver/via%20linux%20unichrome%20kernel%20driver%20source%20code%20installation%20guide%20v0%5B1%5D.83.gz)

you'll find all the steps that I followed to have drivers compiled and installed.

This is just a brief resume of the steps required to setup your environment:
All these steps are listed in the pdf guide I pointed you to at the beginning of this post, maybe not in very deep details, but they are there.

Then you have to follow the compiling instruction related to ubuntu 7.0.4 contained in the pdf guide .

Once all the compiling process is completed you'll find in the root of your box a directory called

CLE266CN400CN-CX700CN800XORG40072

In this directory you'll find the newly compiled drivers, utility and install script (vinstall)
Launch this file,  select your CPU, then select option "2", and you're done.

It is definitely not a one-click "forward-forward-forward-finish" process and some linux skill is required to get successfully to the end.

Have a try with this and if you still find yourself in troubles let me know.

HTH
Marco


Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: trisc on October 18, 2007, 10:44:05 am
I know all about the pdf - but I'm finding commands in it that don't work for me.


  • download 3D mesa 6.5.2 + diff  (on the bottom of this page  https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/mesa/6.5.2-3ubuntu7)


I downloaded and unzipped these files but the command cd Mesa returns "No such file or directory" and now I'm stuck!

Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: MarcoZan on October 18, 2007, 12:18:29 pm
If you give a look at what you unzipped you'll see that the actual name of directory is Mesa-6.5.2. That is the directory you have to jump in.

Then  the following command should also be modified to include the exact path of the mesa diff file. In my case:

Code: [Select]
cat ../mesa_6.5.2-3ubuntu7.diff | patch -p1   

since I stored diff file at the same level of Mesa directory.

As I told you this is not a detailed guide, and some linux knowledge is required to apply small refinements like the ones above.

I assume that all the previous points were ok, so proceed with this and see what happen next.

HTH
Marco
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: trisc on October 18, 2007, 07:31:32 pm
Driver-Package-Name? What should that be?

This seems crazy! Is there nowhere that I can download  pre-compiled drivers?
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: MarcoZan on October 18, 2007, 10:55:11 pm
It sounds that you can be easily discouraged by difficulties ....   :)

[Driver-Package-Name] stands for the name of the directory containing the driver source, i.e. CLE266CN400CN-CX700CN800XORG40072-kernel-src_20061226c.

Bye
Marco
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: trisc on October 18, 2007, 11:05:43 pm
On the contrary! I've now got a folder in my root - /CLE266CN400CN-CX700CN800XORG400y

So now to install this on my MD - so I presume SSH into it and run vinstall?
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: MarcoZan on October 19, 2007, 12:37:32 am
Say that you compiled everything on the core/hybrid, so your /CLE266CN400CN-CX700CN800XORG400y directory stands on root of that box.

To install new drivers on your MD first you should copy the mentioned dir under /home/public/data, or any other location that you can access after you ssh to your VIA MD.

Then you can ssh into MD, enter that dir and issue the following:

./vinstall

Choose your CPU and afterwards choose option "2".

Then you're finished.

Bye
Marco


Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: trisc on October 19, 2007, 08:04:49 pm
It didn't work  :'( There seemed to be a lot of error messages  when I ran the install.

On repeating the whole procedure it seems that the via_dri.so file is not being created and i don't know why.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: Greg on October 29, 2007, 02:57:38 am
But even with this Unichrome Pro drivers, there is no support for UI2 right?

Right... you need the Unichrome Pro II drivers to get UI2 support and they have to be licensed from Via by systems integrators.
Does it support UI2 without alpha-blending, just overlays?  The description for the Unichrome Pro drivers at viaarena says that it supports "hardware video overlay":
Quote
This software package supports 2D, 3D, TV-Out, hardware video mpeg2/4 and hardware video overlay, and it has been tested inDebian 3.1r4/4.0, Fedora Core 4/5/6, Mandriva 2007/2007.1, openSUSE 10.2 and Ubuntu 6.10/7.04 Desktop. Other distributions only support 2D, TV-Out, hardware video mpeg2/4 and hardware video overlay except 3D. It supports VIA UniChrome Pro IGP chip family including CLE266/CN400/CN700/CN800/CX700(M/M2)/PM880/P4M800CE-Pro/VN800/VX700(M/M2). The MPEG4 Hardware Acceleration function is only supported with CN400/CX700M(M2)/PM880/VX700M(M2) chips, and the system memory is recommended to be 64MB or above.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: Greg on October 29, 2007, 01:29:20 pm
For anyone having trouble building/installing the drivers, there's a Ubuntu 7.04 specific thread about it here (http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=78328&highlight_key=y)).
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: totallymaxed on October 29, 2007, 01:55:20 pm
For anyone having trouble building/installing the drivers, there's a Ubuntu 7.04 specific thread about it here (http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=78328&highlight_key=y)).

Thats a good thread as it follows the Via pdf instructions almost exactly.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: Greg on November 08, 2007, 07:47:27 pm
Has anybody tried using these drivers with UI2 medium settings (masking) only?  I find UI2 much more attractive and usable than UI1, but alpha-blending isn't needed.  If UI medium works that would be really awesome.  It really sounds like video overlays should work.

But even with this Unichrome Pro drivers, there is no support for UI2 right?

Right... you need the Unichrome Pro II drivers to get UI2 support and they have to be licensed from Via by systems integrators.
Does it support UI2 without alpha-blending, just overlays?  The description for the Unichrome Pro drivers at viaarena says that it supports "hardware video overlay":
Quote
This software package supports 2D, 3D, TV-Out, hardware video mpeg2/4 and hardware video overlay, and it has been tested inDebian 3.1r4/4.0, Fedora Core 4/5/6, Mandriva 2007/2007.1, openSUSE 10.2 and Ubuntu 6.10/7.04 Desktop. Other distributions only support 2D, TV-Out, hardware video mpeg2/4 and hardware video overlay except 3D. It supports VIA UniChrome Pro IGP chip family including CLE266/CN400/CN700/CN800/CX700(M/M2)/PM880/P4M800CE-Pro/VN800/VX700(M/M2). The MPEG4 Hardware Acceleration function is only supported with CN400/CX700M(M2)/PM880/VX700M(M2) chips, and the system memory is recommended to be 64MB or above.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: totallymaxed on November 08, 2007, 10:02:34 pm
Has anybody tried using these drivers with UI2 medium settings (masking) only?  I find UI2 much more attractive and usable than UI1, but alpha-blending isn't needed.  If UI medium works that would be really awesome.  It really sounds like video overlays should work.

But even with this Unichrome Pro drivers, there is no support for UI2 right?

Right... you need the Unichrome Pro II drivers to get UI2 support and they have to be licensed from Via by systems integrators.
Does it support UI2 without alpha-blending, just overlays?  The description for the Unichrome Pro drivers at viaarena says that it supports "hardware video overlay":
Quote
This software package supports 2D, 3D, TV-Out, hardware video mpeg2/4 and hardware video overlay, and it has been tested inDebian 3.1r4/4.0, Fedora Core 4/5/6, Mandriva 2007/2007.1, openSUSE 10.2 and Ubuntu 6.10/7.04 Desktop. Other distributions only support 2D, TV-Out, hardware video mpeg2/4 and hardware video overlay except 3D. It supports VIA UniChrome Pro IGP chip family including CLE266/CN400/CN700/CN800/CX700(M/M2)/PM880/P4M800CE-Pro/VN800/VX700(M/M2). The MPEG4 Hardware Acceleration function is only supported with CN400/CX700M(M2)/PM880/VX700M(M2) chips, and the system memory is recommended to be 64MB or above.

Yes... we're testing UI2 with overlay now... it works but not completely as some areas under the menu's do not redraw correctly. We're trying to fix that now... I'll update you when I have some news.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: dopey on February 02, 2008, 08:37:33 am
I know this is a really old post and really related to 0704, but my question relates to 0710.

1) Was there any luck in getting UI2 to work with the openchrome drivers (without the transparency)?
     a) I thought that there wouldn't be any issues getting it to work until I re-read this post (it's been a while)
2) Will there be any issues trying to compile the openchrome drivers for 0710?
     a) I'm sure there wouldn't be and really I can figure this one out myself, I'd just thought I'd ask for everyones benefit
3) If the openchrome drivers don't work at all in 0710, then are there too many changes in 0710 to use the old 0704 disk images for the Fiire box?
     a) I'm assuming yes, but I figured I'd ask anyhow...

I remember reading a post by totallymaxed a while ago stating that the via drivers weren't working in 0710, but I'm not sure if he meant not working out of the box (completely expected) or simply not working at all.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: totallymaxed on February 03, 2008, 02:27:33 am
I know this is a really old post and really related to 0704, but my question relates to 0710.

1) Was there any luck in getting UI2 to work with the openchrome drivers (without the transparency)?
     a) I thought that there wouldn't be any issues getting it to work until I re-read this post (it's been a while)
2) Will there be any issues trying to compile the openchrome drivers for 0710?
     a) I'm sure there wouldn't be and really I can figure this one out myself, I'd just thought I'd ask for everyones benefit
3) If the openchrome drivers don't work at all in 0710, then are there too many changes in 0710 to use the old 0704 disk images for the Fiire box?
     a) I'm assuming yes, but I figured I'd ask anyhow...

I remember reading a post by totallymaxed a while ago stating that the via drivers weren't working in 0710, but I'm not sure if he meant not working out of the box (completely expected) or simply not working at all.

Re 1. We have only tested UI2 under the Unichrome Pro drivers... and the drivers will not support UI2 under 0704 or 0710.

Re 2. Don't know... we have not tried.

Re 3. The 0704 Unichrome Pro drivers will not work under 0710... they need to be rebuilt for the 0710 kernel. I cannot comment re Openchrome. However UI2 will not work under any version of the Unichrome Pro driver we have tested. As for Fiire's drivers they are not compatible with 0704 even... the Fiire MD's have to be added using the Pluto 044 kernel and system which is why the KDE desktop, Myth etc do not work. All a bit of a mess really.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: eNoodle on February 12, 2008, 09:37:28 am
Once you have built the Unichrome Pro drivers you can use the install script to add them to any MD (you can build them on the Core or any other Kbuntu machine running the correct kernel - it does not have to be a Via machine). We usually add them during the first real boot of a new MD at the point where the AVwizard tries to run but can't start X (the display will continually loop in the console - going blank for a few secs each time). Just ssh into the MD and run the installer from the console choosing the appropriate options for your Via hardare etc. After about 60 secs the AVwizard will spring to lif and display its first screen... this is an indication that the drivers have installed cleanly.

When I ssh into the MD, I can login using user and password "linuxmce". But when I'm logged in, I'm user "sambahelper" and I can't get root privileges, because I don't know the password of this user.

- I tried to set a new password for root (sudo passwd root) -> Asks for password, which I don't know
- I tried to get the password from samba Credentials file (cat /usr/pluto/var/sambaCredentials.secret) -> Permission denied

I have a FiireStation set-top-box and a "Generic PC as MD" template for this machine, the machine is stucking, where it tries to start the AVWizard. Can someone please explain me, how I can install the driver on a MD or how I can get root access on this MD?
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: tkmedia on February 12, 2008, 04:46:50 pm
The md does not have a password for root.

If you need a root shell type sudo -s
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: Zaerc on February 13, 2008, 12:03:46 am
You can manipulate the MD's files under /usr/pluto/diskless/## directly on the core.  And it is also possble to "chroot" there (unless it's an amd64 MD on an i386 core I think).  And as tkmedia pointed out there is no root password on a MD by default, see also: http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Logging_In.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: eNoodle on February 13, 2008, 08:44:46 am
thank you all.

@zaerc, this is exactly what I've done. Now I have a running box and only need to install the unichrome driver to get a functional FiireStation (with MythTV).
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: totallymaxed on February 13, 2008, 10:16:49 pm
The md does not have a password for root.

If you need a root shell type sudo -s


If you need to login to an MD before it has been added fully by the system... as in the case where you are trying to add new display drivers and therefore have not run the AVwizrad and finished the Setup wizard on the MD in question you can do the following;

chroot /usr/pluto/diskless/NN passwd
(**where NN is the device number of the MD or 'Moon' in question**)

After that you can use the following line to login to the MD;

ssh root@moonNN
(**again NN is the moon number for the MD in question**)

Hope that helps

Andrew
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: alphapenguin on May 24, 2008, 06:50:49 pm
This seems to be the thread and steps I need to be looking at/following to get my silly MD working. I will do my best with this before I start asking questions, so I just wanted to thank you all for this info first. I hope I dont come crawling back with my tail between my legs too fast. This compiling business is confusing the heck out of me.

Thanks in adv.
Title: Re: Adding the Via Unichrome Pro drivers
Post by: alphapenguin on May 27, 2008, 06:49:28 am
i got the thing up and running, but I used a script someone on here made with the help of some other threads. It's not running 100% to my satisfaction but hey, its running. I will try to put a step my step layman's guide to get the stupid VIA CX700 stuff to work.
I appreciate the help ya'll have been giving. It took me a week of reading and trial and error to get it to work. Very frustrating for someone who is a n00b with linux. again i thank all of you, and I hope to contribute back to the community some how.