Some typical uses: A. Capturing a POST trace B. IO logging a mode set C. Dumping the card's BIOS to a file A. Capturing a POST trace ========================= 0. Be prepared for the possibility of crashing 1. Change to VT. Doing this in X is going to go bad 2. Run 'make' in the vbtracetool directory, if you haven't already 3. Run "./postandrestore.bash -d 2> logfile" Note that logfile will be big (300MB-3GB), and note the '2' in the redirection "2> logfile". This step will take a little while (~30s) and during this time your screen may do various odd looking things. Do not attempt to make the machine do anything else during this time (with the exception of resetting, if it gets stuck -- HD activity being a good indicator) 3b. If you make it back to the message "POST complete", a visible prompt, and a reasonably large logfile, proceed to step 4, otherwise complain to whoever told you to do this in the first place 3c. If your tracing dies horribly (on a laptop), leaving you with an undersized logfile, and/or a broken console, read KNOWN_ISSUES and try the patch therein 4. Run "./deloopify logfile". Another file "logfile-deloopd", somewhat smaller than the original log, will be produced 5. "gzip -9 logfile-deloopd" 6. Introduce "logfile-deloopd.gz" to whoever wants it 7. Submit your card's rom image with the trace (see use case C) B. IO logging a mode set ======================== 1. Change to VT. Doing this in X is going to go bad 2. Run 'make' in the vbtracetool directory, if you haven't already 3. Run "./vbtracetool" and note the returned mode number (in parentheses) 4. Run "./vbtracetool -ls YOURMODENUMBER 2> logfile" Logging should be near instant, and the logfile should run to a few MB. As for use case A, note the '2' in the redirection "2> logfile" 5. Compress logfile with your favourite utility, and acquaint the person requesting the log with it 6. Submit your card's rom image with the trace (see use case C) C. Dumping the card's BIOS to a file ==================================== 1. Run 'make' in the vbtracetool directory, if you haven't already 2. Run "./vbtracetool -w 2> myvga.rom" 3. Send to someone who wants it