Best Cirrus Logic CL-GD540x driver package to use with Win 3.1 BB emulation

superfrog · 02 September 2018, 20:19

What is the best driver package to use with the Cirrus Logic emulated x86 Bridgeboard for Windows 3.1? I have tried a few packages that I've downloaded and had problems with them like screen corruption or just not working at all when I try to use resolutions > 640x480 and > 16 colors. I would think that any driver package that says it is compatible with CL-GD542x chipset would work, but so far have not had success.

Please share link if you have one. Thanks!

Toni Wilen · 02 September 2018, 20:57

Could you upload Bridgeboard HDF (+config file + nvr) that has 542x driver installed win3.1 but shows corruption? CL emulation still may have some bugs in some rarely used functions.

I tried one package (don't remember where I downloaded it) and it worked fine.

superfrog · 07 September 2018, 04:32

I've tried various combinations of CL ROMs and drivers with PCem as well as WinUAE BB emulation. After installing and activating the driver, I get a display like what is shown in the screenshots. I get the same results in PCem and WinUAE, so I'm wondering if I've got the wrong ROM or drivers. I tried various packages that can be found through searches for GD542x Windows 3.1 drivers.

I've tried the ROMs mentioned in the winuaechangelog.txt, as well and the one that is included in the PCem/86Box ROM collection (5429.vbi):

http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/...ogic-cl-gd5420
http://tinyurl.com/rs20170821

I've also tried various versions of GD542x/5426/5429 drivers that can be found at these sites:

http://vogonsdrivers.com/index.php?catid=47
http://www5.ncr.com/support/support_...ibrary_c_logic
http://files.mpoli.fi/hardware/DISPLAY/CIRRUS/

It seems that pretty much every other CL driver package or ROM I can find out there is some version of what's available from the links above. Everything works fine in DOS. But I have not been able to get Windows 3.1 to work with any CL drivers I've tried. Changing the emulated chipset in WinUAE between CL-GD5426 and CL-GD5429 does not make any difference either.

I will upload the config and hdf I've been using for my testing if you want to try it out. I just tried but for some reason The Zone would not take my upload so I will try again later. Can you please upload the ROM and drivers that you have used successfully?

Thanks.

superfrog · 07 September 2018, 06:16

Okay I've uploaded my stuff to The Zone:

http://eab.abime.net/zone/CL%20x86%20W311%20Drivers.zip

Toni Wilen · 07 September 2018, 20:07

It most likely works "correctly" if PCem has same output (it has totally different CL implementation than winuae's QEMU based CL emulation).

I think it was this driver that was confirmed working: http://ftp.mpoli.fi/pub/hardware/DIS...S/K5429-D2.ZIP

Your Windows HDF does not even enable CL "high resolution" mode bit (256 colors or more in 640x480 or higher) so I am not really sure whats going on.

AnnaWu · 08 September 2018, 07:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

It most likely works "correctly" if PCem has same output (it has totally different CL implementation than winuae's QEMU based CL emulation).

I think it was this driver that was confirmed working: http://ftp.mpoli.fi/pub/hardware/DIS...S/K5429-D2.ZIP

Your Windows HDF does not even enable CL "high resolution" mode bit (256 colors or more in 640x480 or higher) so I am not really sure whats going on.

@superfrog

I have uploaded the installed driver(s) in The Zone!
Use the VGAUtil/WinMode to change the colors, resolution, ...
It makes the required changes on the Autoexec.bat file.

superfrog · 11 September 2018, 18:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnaWu

@superfrog

I have uploaded the installed driver(s) in The Zone!
Use the VGAUtil/WinMode to change the colors, resolution, ...
It makes the required changes on the Autoexec.bat file.

I tried your config and it worked. I tried using your hdf in my config and it worked. But when I set everything up myself, I still get the same result as before. I'm using mostly the same configuration as you. The only real differences are that I'm using an AB hardfile instead of AT IDE hdf, and the amouse driver instead of serial mouse. But those things should make no difference. I verified that the ROM and driver package I'm using are the same as yours.

I did a clean install of Amiga OS 2.1, Janus 2.1, MS-DOS 6.22, WFW 3.11, and the K5429-D2 driver package by running INSTALL.EXE from Windows. I used default settings for all software installations.

I can't figure out what the difference is between your installation and mine.

I've uploaded my latest test files to The Zone if you want to have a look. Thanks!

EDIT: I get the same results in PCem, so this is definitely not a WinUAE issue. I'm trying to figure out what is the difference in the software or way we are installing that results in it working for you and not for me.

superfrog · 11 September 2018, 19:52

Okay I see what the problem is now. If you don't make any changes to the display settings after installation is complete, then it doesn't write the needed changes to AUTOEXEC.BAT and SYSTEM.INI. Which does not make any sense, because it should still work without making any changes. Anyway, once I make changes and save them then it works.

superfrog · 11 September 2018, 19:56

I am beginning to have more moments of scratching my head wondering how we ever survived the earlier days of PC computing. So much of how all this early PC/DOS/Windows stuff "works" is just complete nonsense. Makes me really grateful that I mostly stayed away from PC and used Amiga until PC platform was much more mature.

Mad-Matt · 11 September 2018, 20:15

It was the most fun time in home computing. learning how your computer worked and tweaking things to your liking. Buying a new game and getting it to actually work was part of the fun

superfrog · 11 September 2018, 21:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by superfrog

Okay I see what the problem is now. If you don't make any changes to the display settings after installation is complete, then it doesn't write the needed changes to AUTOEXEC.BAT and SYSTEM.INI. Which does not make any sense, because it should still work without making any changes. Anyway, once I make changes and save them then it works.

@AnnaWu:

I see you told me I needed to make changes using VGAUtil in a previous post. Thanks, but it's still bad implementation on the part of CL to require changes to the default settings to get the drivers to work properly.

Another thing I had to do was go into SYSTEM.INI and add the line "device=vtdapi.386" to the [386Enh] section. I got an error after driver installation that this was not properly configured. Again, something the CL installer should have done and didn't. Did you have to do that too?

superfrog · 11 September 2018, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad-Matt

It was the most fun time in home computing. learning how your computer worked and tweaking things to your liking. Buying a new game and getting it to actually work was part of the fun

Yeah, it was fun up to a point. Beyond that it was (and still is) just an exercise in frustration trying to get a very badly designed system to work properly by using all sorts of hacks and tricks. Fun for a while, but I get tired of it after a while.

02 September 2018, 20:19	#1
superfrog Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 168	Best Cirrus Logic CL-GD542x driver package to use with Win 3.1 BB emulation What is the best driver package to use with the Cirrus Logic emulated x86 Bridgeboard for Windows 3.1? I have tried a few packages that I've downloaded and had problems with them like screen corruption or just not working at all when I try to use resolutions > 640x480 and > 16 colors. I would think that any driver package that says it is compatible with CL-GD542x chipset would work, but so far have not had success. Please share link if you have one. Thanks! Last edited by superfrog; 07 September 2018 at 06:20.

07 September 2018, 04:32	#3
superfrog Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 168	I've tried various combinations of CL ROMs and drivers with PCem as well as WinUAE BB emulation. After installing and activating the driver, I get a display like what is shown in the screenshots. I get the same results in PCem and WinUAE, so I'm wondering if I've got the wrong ROM or drivers. I tried various packages that can be found through searches for GD542x Windows 3.1 drivers. I've tried the ROMs mentioned in the winuaechangelog.txt, as well and the one that is included in the PCem/86Box ROM collection (5429.vbi): http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/...ogic-cl-gd5420 http://tinyurl.com/rs20170821 I've also tried various versions of GD542x/5426/5429 drivers that can be found at these sites: http://vogonsdrivers.com/index.php?catid=47 http://www5.ncr.com/support/support_...ibrary_c_logic http://files.mpoli.fi/hardware/DISPLAY/CIRRUS/ It seems that pretty much every other CL driver package or ROM I can find out there is some version of what's available from the links above. Everything works fine in DOS. But I have not been able to get Windows 3.1 to work with any CL drivers I've tried. Changing the emulated chipset in WinUAE between CL-GD5426 and CL-GD5429 does not make any difference either. I will upload the config and hdf I've been using for my testing if you want to try it out. I just tried but for some reason The Zone would not take my upload so I will try again later. Can you please upload the ROM and drivers that you have used successfully? Thanks. Attached Thumbnails

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02 September 2018, 20:57	#2
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,502	Could you upload Bridgeboard HDF (+config file + nvr) that has 542x driver installed win3.1 but shows corruption? CL emulation still may have some bugs in some rarely used functions. I tried one package (don't remember where I downloaded it) and it worked fine.

07 September 2018, 06:16	#4
superfrog Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 168	Okay I've uploaded my stuff to The Zone: http://eab.abime.net/zone/CL%20x86%20W311%20Drivers.zip

07 September 2018, 20:07	#5
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,502	It most likely works "correctly" if PCem has same output (it has totally different CL implementation than winuae's QEMU based CL emulation). I think it was this driver that was confirmed working: http://ftp.mpoli.fi/pub/hardware/DIS...S/K5429-D2.ZIP Your Windows HDF does not even enable CL "high resolution" mode bit (256 colors or more in 640x480 or higher) so I am not really sure whats going on.

11 September 2018, 19:52	#8
superfrog Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 168	Okay I see what the problem is now. If you don't make any changes to the display settings after installation is complete, then it doesn't write the needed changes to AUTOEXEC.BAT and SYSTEM.INI. Which does not make any sense, because it should still work without making any changes. Anyway, once I make changes and save them then it works.

11 September 2018, 19:56	#9
superfrog Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 168	I am beginning to have more moments of scratching my head wondering how we ever survived the earlier days of PC computing. So much of how all this early PC/DOS/Windows stuff "works" is just complete nonsense. Makes me really grateful that I mostly stayed away from PC and used Amiga until PC platform was much more mature.

11 September 2018, 20:15	#10
Mad-Matt Longplayer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lincoln / UK Age: 44 Posts: 1,846	It was the most fun time in home computing. learning how your computer worked and tweaking things to your liking. Buying a new game and getting it to actually work was part of the fun

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