Bugs found so far in XFree86/OS2 3.3.5

Last updated 17 November 1999

These HTML pages can be downloaded from SET.GMD.DE (/pub/misc/XFree86OS2/html) by FTP. Bug fixes below are collected in /pub/misc/XFree86OS2/fixes at the same site.

If you came here by a notice of this URL in some newsgroup article: Here is the toplevel of the XFree86/OS2 pages.


Note: If possible, I will provide fixes as fast as possible on this page. The main archive for the distribution is ftp.xfree86.org. If appropriate, I'll also update the distribution files at this site. Maintainers are urged to mirror ftp.xfree86.org for this software.

Generally, please ensure, that you have NO HARDWARE CONFLICTS, and that your system runs stable in general. Flaky hardware and improper OS/2 configuration may hide various effects or cause problems that wouldn't be there otherwise. Don't expect that XFree86/OS2 can turn an instable OS/2 into a stable one.

List of recent files

The following is the list of recent file dates and sizes from the main archive at ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86/3.3.3/binaries/OS2. If your archives or files differ from that, you have old versions (likely from some other archive). Obtain the recent files!

Bug descriptions for older releases

The following link(s) refers to bugs known to be present in older releases. Note that once there is a new release, we won't give support for older versions any longer, unless the bug is still present - it is mainly of problem of man power. Please upgrade to the most recent version.

Severe bugs

Please get the following fixes, and apply them after the system is installed.

Trap of xf86sup.sys in Aurora on shutdown and access to PTYs (e.g. xterm).
Finally, I think, I have found the problem with Aurora. It appears to be a real incompatibilty between Aurora and Warp3/4 kernels. Get the follwoing fixed xf86sup.sys and install it in the XFree86/lib directory. Warning: The archives may still have an outdated version of the driver. The archives at borneo.gmd.de are fixed.
Error Message: "readBIOS failed....rc=87" in log.
This bug was introduced in 3.3.5 by some incompatible change of the corresponding OS interface. This hasn't been found since the cards used for testing didn't need this readBIOS function at all, unfortunately. The bug will be corrected hopefully in 3.3.6.

Minor bugs

Annoying, but harmless, likely to be fixed in the next version, use workaround for now, if available.

None now.

General problems

May appear with XFree86 on other platforms as well, no idea when this will be fixed. These problems are usually repeated on each bug page until there is a final solution.
There exists a general hardware conflict between certain S3 or Mach32/64 based cards and COM4 (port address 0x2e8)
This is a deficiency of these chip sets, unfortunately. If this happens, the only workaround known is to disable the COM4 port, or switch it to a base address other than 0x2e8.
Superprobe misdetects the videocard.
Double check that you really have the hardware which was sold to you We have found one case where Superprobe was right, and the dealer was lying. If you are right, this turned out to be almost always a problem with Superprobe, not with OS/2 or XFree86/OS2. Please send the output of Superprobe from now on directly to xfree86@xfree86.org with a detailed description of what this card really is.

Things that are not a bug

(but candidates for the FAQ...)

None known yet, but actually, look at the FAQ.

Mistakes in the documentation

None known yet.

Inaccuracies or omissions from the XFree86 docs

None known yet.

Useful hints and tricks

The following are not bugs, but comments and hints, partly from other people. Added here without warranty.

None reported yet. See also offical XFree86 FAQ.


This page was accessed since 4 June 97 (2418 times since 1 Nov 96, 645 times since 1 Sep 96, 1159 times since 22 May 96, 1749 times since 11 Mar 96).
Send reports to: Holger.Veit@gmd.de