In DOS, if you want graphics above the VGA-modes, you need the VESA BIOS EXTENSIONS
(VBE). Often cards only support a limited subset of VESA modes and there are different
versions of the VESA standard (1.2, 2.0, 3.0).
You can gain full VESA support if you have a card specific VESA driver.
FreeBE/AF is a free software project to support full VESA and VBE/AF (2D VESA graphics
acceleration) on a number of cards.
It contains drivers for ATI, Avance Logic, Cirrus, Matrox, Nvidia, Paradise, S3, Trident, Tseng, V7.
FreeBE/AF v1.2 binary
FreeBE/AF v1.2 source
FreeBE/AF homepage
There was a freeware tool called UNIVESA and later UNIVBE that gave VESA support to a set
of graphics hardware. It was later part of the shareware Scitech Display Doctor, which
is no longer developed.
Download of Scitech Display Doctor (Download nonfunctional, but provides serial)
Working download at Internet Archive
UNIVBE v4.0 (old freeware)
UNIVBE v5.2 source code (also called SUPERVGA KIT)
UNIVBE v6.7 (exe installer, from Scitech Display Doctor)
UNIVBE v6.7 (standard zip instead of exe installer)
ATI provided 64vbe for some legacy cards like mach64 and rage128. They no longer
provide it for download, latest version is v2.21.
64vbe v2.10
64vbe v2.21
FTP-mirror with 64vbe
There is a driver written from Carsten Sorensen for the G100, G200 and G400-chip.
It's called Gx00VBE and works very well.
Gx00VBE homepage
gx00vbe.zip
SiSVBE v0.83 (4K)
Trident VESA (8K)
Collection of VESA-Drivers
I found this one while searching for several VESA-drivers. It contains several
drivers for older cards. Try it if you don't find any other help. Also contains the last free Version of UNIVBE.
Contains drivers for:
AHEAD, APPIAN, ATI, BOCA, CIRRUS, COMPAQ, C_AND_T, DIAMOND, EVEREX, GENOA,
HEADLAND, HERCULES, IBM, IRIS, OAK, ORCHID, PARADISE, PERFECTV, SIGMA, SPIDER,
STB, TECMAR, TI_PORT, TRIDENT, TSENG, UNIVESA, VIDEO7, WESTERN
VINFO will display your gfx board's VBE version and all supported videomodes.
It's written by StyX/HeadcrasH.
Download VINFO
