3rd Party Graphics Card Install (finally)

[Ted Frederick <tedf@cadence.com>]

This has been a long time coming, sorry for the delay to those folks who
have been looking for this info.

This is a description of the "stable" process for installation of a 3rd
party graphics board in the ThinkPad 755 running Win95.  I have a DockII,
however a Dock I should behave the same.  Read the procedure a couple of
times before you begin.  Follow it closely and you should be successful. (No
guarantees, tho.)

Tested Hardware: 
----------------
755CDV P-75, 810MB/40MB
Dock II
STB Nitro 64 2MB DRAM ISA Graphics Card
PanaSync Pro C1792P .25mm dp 17" 1600x1280 monitor.
OS: Windows 95

Graphics card stats:
--------------------
32bpp up to 800x600 @ 75Hz
16bpp up to 1024x768 @ 75Hz
8bpp up to 1280x1024 @ 60Hz or 87Hz(i)
Acquisition source: Computer City @ McCarthy Ranch, Milpitas, CA

Before you start:
-----------------
Get the latest (1.4 or higher) version of the 755 BIOS from the IBM file
archives: ( http://www.pc.ibm.com/files.html )  The filename you are looking
for is sytpe141.exe or similar.

Install it according to the instructions that extract out of the file when
you open it.  No procedure for the install here; contact IBM if you run into
troubles. (BTW, be sure not to down-rev your BIOS. The system will ask you
to confirm if it detects a potential down-rev situation.)

Graphics Board Set-up Procedure:
--------------------------------
1) Undock your ThinkPad

2) Start system under Win95, normal mode.

3) Under My Computer -> (right click pop-up menu) Properties -> Device Manager
   -> Display Adapter, 'Remove' the Western Digital driver from all
   configurations.

4) In the Control Panel -> Display -> Settings, select 'Change Display Type'.  
   Select Standard VGA (no frills)  Make sure this is the default for all
   configurations (docked and un-docked)

   (You can also get to the Display Properties form by right-clicking on the
   background and selecting Properties from the pop-up menu.)

   BTW, if you are unable to modify your display properties, you are not ready.
   Stop here, go directly to your retailer, return the graphics board and
   collect $200. 

5) Shut down the ThinkPad.

6) Install the graphics board in the Dock II and connect the monitor.

7) Dock your ThinkPad and start-up win95.

8) Win95 may attempt to auto-config the display adapter.  It may complain about
   the display settings, that's OK. *Do not* go into the Auto-Config Wizard if 
   you are prompted.

9) Check to see that the display adapter is still set to Standard VGA.  Go to
   display settings and if it changed from VGA, change it back, close the form.

10) Restart Win95 with the system docked.

11) Again, do not go into auto-config if prompted.  Check the display settings,
    and they should still be set to Standard Display Adapter (VGA).  If not, you
    may continue, however there are no guarantees.

12) Now, believe it or not, go to My Computer -> (right-click) Properties ->
    Device Manager -> Display Adapters and 'remove' the Standard Display Adapter
    (VGA) from all configurations.

13) From the Control Panel, select 'Add New Hardware'

14) Do not let Win95 scan for the new hardware, when prompted.

15) In the next window, select "Display Adapter" from the list.

16) (Optional) Select 'STB Systems'.

17) Insert the 'STB Vision 95' disk that came with your board in your A: 
    drive and select 'Have Disk'

18) From the driver list that appears, select 'Nitro 64 with Vision 95'.
    
19) Confirm all dialogs and reboot the system when prompted.

20) If the system locks on reboot, restart in DOS mode and remove the 
    'load= STBVISN.EXE' line from your c:\windows\win.ini file and reboot.

21) If the system locks again, restart in safe mode and restart the procedure
    from step 12.  Remove the STB Driver from all configurations instead of
    the VGA  driver as indicated in that step.  Reinstall the STB driver from
    the disk, but this time WITHOUT Vision 95 and reboot.

22) There's still hope if it locks again.  Restart in safe mode, delete the
    STB drivers and load the default 'STB Nitro (Cirrus Logic)' driver that 
    came with the Win95 distribution CD/disks.  You just won't be able to 
    adjust refresh rates and it may default to 60Hz.

23) When the system successfully reboots with the STB driver loaded, it will
    re-detect the WD display driver, however it will keep the STB driver 
    intact.

24) Go to My Computer -> (right-click) Properties -> Device Manager -> Display
    Adapter, and 'Remove' the Western Digital driver from the "Docked"
    configuration only.

25) Next, 'Remove' the STB Nitro driver from the "UnDocked" configuration.

26) If using Vision 95, set your display settings (Refresh rates, resolution,
    color-depth, etc.) and restart your system.

27) If using the STB Nitro 64 Driver w/o Vision, you can probably still use the
    stbvisn.exe application (in c:\windows), just don't let it configure 
    Windows to auto-start the application on reboots when you are prompted 
   (that is when the software adds the load= line in the win.ini)

28) If using the generic STB Nitro driver that came with win95, or you just
    can't seem to get the stbvisn.exe application to run, set the resolution
    and color-depth in the Windows 'Display Settings' form.

29) Reboot.  You're done!

Happy sailing.

If you run into troubles, make sure you have exhausted all other resources
(like STB's tech support) before you contact me... (lest I publicly chastise
you and flame your keester).

If there are errors or omissions in the procedure, please let me know and I
will make the appropriate changes.

Best regards,
-Ted
*******************************
 Ted Frederick

 Strategic Programs Manager
 Worldwide Practice Management
 Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
*******************************

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