[English]
README.TXT MATROX GRAPHICS INC. 2000.12.14
Matrox System Utilities
(for Matrox G200/G400/G450-based graphics cards)
Revision 2.05.002
Contents
========
- Overview
- Installation
- Removing this software
- Matrox emergency disk
- TV output support for DOS
- VESA (Super VGA) display mode support
- Updating your graphics card BIOS
- 8 x 14 font support
- Diagnostic program for PCI/AGP graphics cards
Overview
========
This software includes Matrox graphics-related system utilities. These
utilities may help you configure your Matrox graphics card for your
system. For easy access to these utilities, we recommend you install
this software on your computer.
This document assumes you're familiar with the basics of the operating
system you're using. For more information on how to use your operating
system, see its documentation or your system manual.
Installation
============
If this software is on your Matrox installation CD-ROM and you're
using Windows 95/98/Me/2000 or NT 4.0, you can install it from the
main menu of the CD-ROM setup program. Otherwise, you can run the
"install.exe" program included with this software. ("install.exe" is
a DOS-based program.)
IMPORTANT: This document assumes this software is installed in the
default path, "c:\matrox\util".
NOTE: For Matrox System Utilities to work properly under Windows
NT 4.0, make sure Microsoft Service Pack 3 or later is installed.
Removing this software
======================
If this software was installed with the CD-ROM setup program, you can
remove this software through Windows: Click "Start" -> " Settings" ->
"Control Panel" -> "Add/Remove Programs" (double-click) -> "Matrox
System Utilities" -> "Add/Remove", then follow the on-screen
instructions.
If this software was installed using the DOS-based "install.exe"
program included with it, you can remove this software manually.
Delete the "c:\matrox\util" directory.
Matrox emergency disk
=====================
The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) of your Matrox graphics card is a
chip that stores basic display information (for example, how to handle
DOS display modes). This BIOS can be changed or updated with Matrox
software.
Before changing the BIOS of your Matrox graphics card (see "TV output
support for DOS" and "Updating your graphics card BIOS"), we recommend
you make an emergency disk. If something ever goes wrong with the BIOS
of your Matrox graphics card (for example, if there's a power failure
while the BIOS is being updated), you can use the emergency disk to
restore the BIOS. (If there is a problem with the BIOS of your Matrox
graphics card, your display may be unusable.)
In Windows 95/98/Me/2000 or NT 4.0, you can use the "pbioswin" program
to make an emergency disk. Follow the on-screen instructions.
You can also make an emergency disk from a DOS prompt:
(1) Have an empty floppy disk ready.
(2) Type "cd c:\matrox\util", then press [Enter].
(3) Type "makedisk", then follow the on-screen instructions.
(4) Label the disk "Matrox emergency disk", then store it in a
safe place.
If you need to use the emergency disk, simply insert it in your floppy
disk drive, then restart your computer. The BIOS of your Matrox
graphics card will automatically be restored. After your BIOS is
restored, remove the disk from your disk drive, then restart your
computer again.
NOTE: To be able to use your emergency disk in the future, make sure
your computer is configured to check drive "A:" for a boot disk when
it restarts. This is the default configuration for most computers, but
this setting can be changed in the BIOS of most computers. For more
information, see your system manual.
TV output support for DOS
=========================
Some models of Matrox graphics cards support TV output. With TV output
support, you can view or record your computer display with a TV or
video recorder connected to your graphics card.
TV output is supported with Windows 95/98/Me/2000, Windows NT 4.0, and
DOS. By default TV output is disabled. If TV output is disabled, a TV
connected to your computer will display black. For information on how
to enable TV output mode in Windows 95/98/Me/2000 or NT 4.0, see
Matrox online documentation.
To enable TV output for DOS display modes, the BIOS of your Matrox
graphics card needs to be configured.
DOS display modes may be used when:
- your computer is restarted in DOS mode
- DOS programs are run full-screen
- a full-screen DOS prompt is used under Windows
- text is displayed on your computer monitor before Windows starts
Note: For G450-based graphics cards, DOS display modes are not
supported.
BIOS configuration
------------------
To configure the BIOS of your Matrox graphics card to support TV
output for DOS display modes:
Windows 95/98/Me/2000 or NT 4.0
-------------------------------
(1) Click "Start" -> "Run", type "c:\matrox\util\pbioswin", then
click "Update the Matrox Graphics BIOS".
If you have more than one graphics card, select the graphics
card you want to update.
Note: DOS display modes are only supported on the primary
display.
(2) Select a TV standard (*), then click "OK".
(3) After the BIOS is updated, make sure no disk is in your disk
drive, then restart your computer.
DOS
---
(1) Make an emergency disk (see "Matrox emergency disk").
(2) Type "cd c:\matrox\util", then press [Enter].
(3) Depending on the TV standard (*) of your TV output device,
type "progbios -maven ntsc" or "progbios -maven pal". (To
disable TV output support for DOS display modes, type
"progbios -maven off".)
(4) After the BIOS is updated, make sure no disk is in your disk
drive, then restart your computer.
After restarting, when a DOS display mode is used, your Matrox
graphics card will automatically work with a TV or VCR connected
to it.
* NOTE: Two TV standards are supported for TV output. NTSC is used in
North America and Japan, among other places. PAL is used in most of
Western Europe and in China, among other places. If you're not sure
what standard your TV or VCR uses, see its documentation.
Limitations
-----------
If you use TV output support for DOS display modes, note the
following:
- TV output isn't supported for all DOS display modes. As a result, a
DOS program or game may use a DOS display mode that's not supported
for TV output. A DOS display mode without TV output support will
only display on your computer monitor (a TV would display black).
- While using DOS display modes with TV output support, your computer
monitor is also using TV settings. While using TV settings, the
displays of some computer monitors may flicker or become off-
centered, garbled, or unusable. As a result, you may have to turn
off your computer monitor.
Supported DOS display modes
---------------------------
720 x 400, text (02h, 03h)
640 x 480, 16 colors (12h) *
320 x 200, 256 colors (13h) *
640 x 400, 256 colors (100h) *
640 x 480, 256 colors (101h) *
640 x 480, 32 K colors (110h) *
640 x 480, 64 K colors (111h) *
640 x 480, 16 M colors (112h) *
* Under Windows NT 4.0, these modes may not display properly on your
TV.
VESA (Super VGA) display mode support
=====================================
Some DOS-based programs (for example, games and older CAD programs)
use VESA (Super VGA) display modes.
The following VESA display modes are supported:
Display | Simultaneous display colors
resolution | 16 256 32 K 64 K 16 M
--------------+----------------------------------------------
640 x 400 | -- 100 -- -- --
640 x 480 | (VGA) 101 110 111 112
800 x 600 | 102 103 113 114 115
1024 x 768 * | -- 105 116 117 118
1280 x 1024 * | -- 107 119 11A 11B
* To use these VESA display modes, you may need to update the BIOS
of your graphics card (see "Updating your graphics card BIOS").
Updating your graphics card BIOS
================================
"Matrox System Utilities" software can be used to update the BIOS of
your Matrox graphics card. If your version of this software was
included with your Matrox graphics card, you shouldn't need to update
your card with it.
If your version of this software didn't come with your Matrox graphics
card (for example, you downloaded it from the Matrox Web site), it may
contain an update for the BIOS of your Matrox graphics card.
To update the BIOS of your Matrox graphics card:
Windows 95/98/Me/2000 or NT 4.0
-------------------------------
(1) Click "Start" -> "Run", type "c:\matrox\util\pbioswin", then
click "Update the Matrox Video BIOS".
If you have more than one graphics card, select the graphics
card you want to update.
(2) Select the BIOS option you want, then click "OK".
(3) After the BIOS is updated, make sure no disk is in your disk
drive, then restart your computer.
DOS
---
(1) Type "cd c:\matrox\util", then press [Enter].
(2) Type "ubiosdos", then press [Enter].
(3) Before the BIOS of your graphics card is updated, you're
prompted to make an emergency disk. Follow the on-screen
instructions.
(4) After the BIOS is updated, make sure no disk is in your disk
drive, then restart your computer.
8 x 14 font support
===================
Based on VESA recommendations, support for the 8 x 14 font has been
removed from the BIOS of Matrox graphics cards. (This is to make room
for VESA features such as VBE 2.0 and VBE/DDC.) If you're using a DOS
program that needs this font, add the following line to your
"autoexec.bat" file, then restart your computer:
c:\matrox\util\fnt8x14
Diagnostic program for PCI/AGP graphics cards
=============================================
Use "pcispy" if you have a PCI or AGP graphics card and you're
experiencing problems that may be related to the way your computer
allocates resources to your graphics card. This utility may provide
information that may be useful if you need to contact external
technical support.
To use "pcispy":
Windows 95/98/Me
----------------
(1) Click "Start" -> "Run", type "c:\matrox\util", then press
[Enter].
(2) Type ONE of the following commands, then press [Enter].
pcispy -l
pcispy -c
pcispy -r
pcispy -w
pcispy -d
(To see a description of each option, type "pcispy", then press
[Enter].)
Note: The above commands can only be used one at a time.
DOS
---
(1) Type "cd c:\matrox\util", then press [Enter].
(2) Type ONE of the following commands, then press [Enter].
pcispy -l
pcispy -c
pcispy -r
pcispy -w
pcispy -d
(To see a description of each option, type "pcispy", then press
[Enter].)
Note: The above commands can only be used one at a time.
Download Driver Pack
After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.
Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).
If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.
Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.
Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.
From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.
Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.
Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.
For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.