433 DX (259-5150) VGAMODE.EXE Faxback Doc. # 1918 To install the VGAMODE.EXE utility on your hard disk, run the INSTALL program from the VGA and Utilities disk supplied with your computer. Note: Faxback Document # 1946 will provide specific instructions on running the INSTALL program. At the INSTALL main menu, select Utilities. The select VGAMODE.EXE. Follow the instructions on the screen. The VGAMODE Screen ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ VGA Mode Switch Utility ║ ║ MODE 3 BIOS Date-Time 08/28/92-01:00:00 ║ ║ BIOS Part Number 003268-521 ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ Exit to DOS ║ ║ Switch to VGA Color ║ ║ Switch to VGA Monochrome ║ ║ Set 200 Scan Lines ║ ║ Set 350 Scan Lines ║ ║ Set 400 Scan Lines ║ ║ Switch to CGA Mode ║ ║ Switch to MDA Mode ║ ║ Switch to Hercules Half Mode ║ ║ Switch to Hercules Full Mode ║ ║ Set Extended Modes ║ ║ Set board options ║ ║ Reboot System in Current Mode ║ ║ Lock the Current Mode ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ Use the UP and DOWN arrows to move around ║ ║ and the ENTER key to select an item ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Using VGAMODE.EXE: The VGAMODE.EXE utility enables you to configure you video circuitry. You can select a video standard, video mode, or refresh rate. You can choose options either from a menu or directly from the operating system prompt line. CAUTION: Some video standards enable you to change frequencies or switch to higher resolutions. To avoid damaging your monitor or causing it to malfunction, be sure that it supports the frequency selected. Note: If your mouse driver is installed through the CONFIG.SYS file or if the mouse is controlled by a program such as MOUSE.COM, you might need to restart the computer after choosing a video standard. Selecting Options from the VGAMODE Menu: To access the VGAMODE.EXE menu: 1. Start the computer. 2. Type: c:\(path)\vgamode where (path) is the directory containing VGAMODE.EXE. Then, press . 3. Use the up and down arrow keys on the keyboard to select the desired video mode from the VGAMODE.EXE menu. Then, press . To exit, choose Exit to DOS and press . Note: Some VGAMODE options will take you to a submenu. Others will be executed immediately and will return you to the MS-DOS prompt without your having to select Exit to DOS. If the vga standard is selected, two menus are available: Set Board Option and Set Extended Modes. Look at the Set Board Options Menu to verify that your monitor supports the extended mode you want to select from the Set Extended Modes Menu. This is particularly important for higher resolutions, which use higher frequencies. Your monitor can malfunction if it does not support the higher frequency. Specifying VGAMODE Options without the Menu: To bypass the VGAMODE.EXE menu, include the desired video option(s) when accessing VGAMODE.EXE. At the MS-DOS prompt or in a batch file, type the command in the form: drive:\path:\vgamode [options] where "options" is one or more of the following video options: ° vga--Sets the video to VGA mode (the default configuration for the SVGA circuitry). ° cga--Sets the video to CGA mode. This mode emulates the video capabilities of the IBM Color/Graphics Adapter. ° mda--Sets the video to emulate the Hercules Graphics Card with no graphics memory allocated. In this configuration, the SVGA circuitry is equivalent to IBM's text-only Monochrome Display Adapter. ° herc0--Sets the video to emulate the Hercules Graphics Card with one page of graphics memory allocated. In this configuration, the SVGA circuitry is equivalent to the Hercules Graphics Card in HALF mode. ° herc1--Sets the video to emulate the Hercules Graphics Card with two pages of graphics memory allocated. In this configuration, the SVGA circuitry is equivalent to the Hercules Graphics Card in FULL mode. ° color--Sets the video to color mapping as needed. This setting supports video modes that require color mapping. These include the 132-column color text modes and any other modes that you select by specifying the resolution (for example, 256-color, 640 x 400 graphics). ° mono--Sets the video to monochrome mapping. This setting supports video modes that use monochrome mapping (such as monochrome text mode). ° 56--Sets the video to 800 x 600 resolution for 56 Hz operation. Be sure your monitor supports this frequency. ° 60--Sets the video to 800 x 600 modes for 60 Hz operation. Be sure your monitor supports this frequency. ° 72--Sets the video to 800 x 600 modes for 72 Hz operation. Be sure your monitor supports this frequency. ° 200--Sets the number of lines used for VGA text mode to 200. ° 350--Sets the number of lines used for VGA text mode to 350. ° 400--Sets the number of lines used for VGA text mode (Modes 0-3) to 400 (the standard VGA setting). ° 400256--Sets the video to 640 x 400 resolution in 256 colors. ° 480256--Sets the video to 640 x 480 resolution in 256 colors. ° 600--Sets the video to 800 x 600 resolution 16 colors if the computer currently is in color mode. ° 768--Sets the video to 1024 x 768 resolution in 16 colors. ° 600256--Sets the video to 800 x 600 resolution in 256 colors. ° 132(xx)--Sets the video to 132-column color text mode. (xx) specifies the number of lines (25, 28, 44, or 50) to be displayed. The resolutions provided by the 132-column modes are not available with monochrome mapping. Therefore, if you have a monochrome monitor, switch the video to color before using these modes. For example, use the command vgamode color 13244 to specify 132-column, 44-line text mode. Use 132-column color text modes only with application programs that have been designed to take advantage of Super VGA text capabilities. ° Interlace--Sets 1024 x 768 modes as interlaced. ° 60non-interlace--Sets 1024 x 768 modes as non-interlaced, 60 Hz. Be sure your monitor supports this frequency. ° 70non-interlace--Sets 1023 x 768 modes as non-interlaced, 70 Hz. Be sure your monitor supports this frequency. ° Restart--Same as reboot. ° Lock--Locks in the current video configuration as the new default configuration. This option can be used with another parameter to lock that particular mode. For example, vgamode cga lock enables the SVGA circuitry to remain configured for the CGA standard even after you press ++. Any specific video mode command, such as vgamode cga, unlocks the video circuitry unless you include lock in the command. ° Reboot--Locks and reboots the currently selected video mode so that the system re-initializes in the current video mode. Can also be used with any parameter to lock that particular mode. ° Mode (xx)--Switches the video to the specified mode. (xx) is the two-digit hexadecimal mode number. (smm 08/24/93)