Mason Loring Bliss wrote:
> 
> [Crossposted to port-i386 and current-users.]

Stripped current-users from reply, as I hate crossposting :-)
Please note, that if you want to reply to me, you have to include
me in the cc, as I am not on port-i386.

> Hi, all. Last weekend I picked up a new Intel-type machine with an
> all-in-one motherboard. It's a SiS... um...5597. I assume that refers to
> the board itself and not just the video circuitry. Anyway, I'm running

It's the chipset, which contains an integrated VGA chip.

> The XFree86 FAQ says that support for SiS 5597/5598 boards won't be around
> until 1.4 or something, but what about the rest? Does NetBSD support USB

I got an email from someone saying that XFree86 works shaky with him:


Here is a subsection of my /etc/XF86Config file.  Note the changes
to "Device":


# Device configured by xf86config:

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "SiS 5598"
    VendorName  "SiS"
    BoardName   "5598"
    Chipset     "sis86c205"
    VideoRam    4096
    Ramdac      "normal"
    Option      "sw_cursor"
    Clocks  25.18
EndSection


# **********************************************************************
# Screen sections
# **********************************************************************

# The Colour SVGA server

Section "Screen"
    Driver      "svga"
    # Use Device "Generic VGA" for Standard VGA 320x200x256
    #Device      "Generic VGA"
    Device      "SiS 5598"
    Monitor     "Super-VGA"
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       8
        # Omit the Modes line for the "Generic VGA" device
        Modes       "640x480" "800x600" "1024x768" "1280x1024"
        ViewPort    0 0

I couldn't get it to work completely; the screen looks fuzzy in places
and
the north-south edges of windows are bowed inward.  I would be wary
about
this change until the xfree86 project can come out with a SiS 5598
driver;
this driver is close but not exact.  Also, it could damage the monitor
and
video card.

When I cycle to a higher res. (cntrl+alt+<keypad +/->), the fuzziness
clears up somewhat.  You have to use XF86_SVGA for this.

> Tomorrow (Saturday, 1998.06.27) I'm going to the shop where I bought the
> machine, and we're going to slap in traditional video, sound, and serial
> controllers as an interim solution, until the ballsy hardware on my
> motherboard is supported. HOWEVER... Here's the rub. When I turn off the
> USB in my BIOS Setup, the kernel still detects com0 and com1. They still

? How are USB and com0/1 connected? There should be an option to
disable com0/1. IIRC, you can have both, normal serial ports and USB.
My girlfriend is running l*nux on her SIS5598 (still need to convert her
:-), 
and serial ports work just fine. Did you try and boot into another OS
and see if the serial ports work at all?

  Guenther