diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_drv.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_drv.h
index a24cad4..7485ff9 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_drv.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_drv.h
@@ -384,6 +384,9 @@
 int ast_mmap(struct file *filp, struct vm_area_struct *vma);
 
 /* ast post */
+void ast_enable_vga(struct drm_device *dev);
+void ast_enable_mmio(struct drm_device *dev);
+bool ast_is_vga_enabled(struct drm_device *dev);
 void ast_post_gpu(struct drm_device *dev);
 u32 ast_mindwm(struct ast_private *ast, u32 r);
 void ast_moutdwm(struct ast_private *ast, u32 r, u32 v);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_main.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_main.c
index c2ff793..556d065 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_main.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_main.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 }
 
 
-static int ast_detect_chip(struct drm_device *dev)
+static int ast_detect_chip(struct drm_device *dev, bool *need_post)
 {
 	struct ast_private *ast = dev->dev_private;
 	uint32_t data, jreg;
@@ -109,6 +109,21 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * If VGA isn't enabled, we need to enable now or subsequent
+	 * access to the scratch registers will fail. We also inform
+	 * our caller that it needs to POST the chip
+	 * (Assumption: VGA not enabled -> need to POST)
+	 */
+	if (!ast_is_vga_enabled(dev)) {
+		ast_enable_vga(dev);
+		ast_enable_mmio(dev);
+		DRM_INFO("VGA not enabled on entry, requesting chip POST\n");
+		*need_post = true;
+	} else
+		*need_post = false;
+
+	/* Check if we support wide screen */
 	switch (ast->chip) {
 	case AST1180:
 		ast->support_wide_screen = true;
@@ -124,6 +139,7 @@
 			ast->support_wide_screen = true;
 		else {
 			ast->support_wide_screen = false;
+			/* Read SCU7c (silicon revision register) */
 			ast_write32(ast, 0xf004, 0x1e6e0000);
 			ast_write32(ast, 0xf000, 0x1);
 			data = ast_read32(ast, 0x1207c);
@@ -136,11 +152,23 @@
 		break;
 	}
 
+	/* Check 3rd Tx option (digital output afaik) */
 	ast->tx_chip_type = AST_TX_NONE;
+
+	/*
+	 * VGACRA3 Enhanced Color Mode Register, check if DVO is already
+	 * enabled, in that case, assume we have a SIL164 TMDS transmitter
+	 */
 	jreg = ast_get_index_reg_mask(ast, AST_IO_CRTC_PORT, 0xa3, 0xff);
 	if (jreg & 0x80)
 		ast->tx_chip_type = AST_TX_SIL164;
+
 	if ((ast->chip == AST2300) || (ast->chip == AST2400)) {
+		/*
+		 * On AST2300 and 2400, look the configuration set by the SoC in
+		 * the SOC scratch register #1 bits 11:8 (interestingly marked
+		 * as "reserved" in the spec
+		 */
 		jreg = ast_get_index_reg_mask(ast, AST_IO_CRTC_PORT, 0xd1, 0xff);
 		switch (jreg) {
 		case 0x04:
@@ -161,6 +189,17 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* Print stuff for diagnostic purposes */
+	switch(ast->tx_chip_type) {
+	case AST_TX_SIL164:
+		DRM_INFO("Using Sil164 TMDS transmitter\n");
+		break;
+	case AST_TX_DP501:
+		DRM_INFO("Using DP501 DisplayPort transmitter\n");
+		break;
+	default:
+		DRM_INFO("Analog VGA only\n");
+	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -345,6 +384,7 @@
 int ast_driver_load(struct drm_device *dev, unsigned long flags)
 {
 	struct ast_private *ast;
+	bool need_post;
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	ast = kzalloc(sizeof(struct ast_private), GFP_KERNEL);
@@ -379,7 +419,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	ast_detect_chip(dev);
+	ast_detect_chip(dev, &need_post);
 
 	if (ast->chip != AST1180) {
 		ast_get_dram_info(dev);
@@ -387,6 +427,9 @@
 		DRM_INFO("dram %d %d %d %08x\n", ast->mclk, ast->dram_type, ast->dram_bus_width, ast->vram_size);
 	}
 
+	if (need_post)
+		ast_post_gpu(dev);
+
 	ret = ast_mm_init(ast);
 	if (ret)
 		goto out_free;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_post.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_post.c
index 38d437f..810c51d 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_post.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/ast/ast_post.c
@@ -33,18 +33,23 @@
 
 static void ast_init_dram_2300(struct drm_device *dev);
 
-static void
-ast_enable_vga(struct drm_device *dev)
+void ast_enable_vga(struct drm_device *dev)
 {
 	struct ast_private *ast = dev->dev_private;
 
-	ast_io_write8(ast, 0x43, 0x01);
-	ast_io_write8(ast, 0x42, 0x01);
+	ast_io_write8(ast, AST_IO_VGA_ENABLE_PORT, 0x01);
+	ast_io_write8(ast, AST_IO_MISC_PORT_WRITE, 0x01);
 }
 
-#if 0 /* will use later */
-static bool
-ast_is_vga_enabled(struct drm_device *dev)
+void ast_enable_mmio(struct drm_device *dev)
+{
+	struct ast_private *ast = dev->dev_private;
+
+	ast_set_index_reg_mask(ast, AST_IO_CRTC_PORT, 0xa1, 0xff, 0x04);
+}
+
+
+bool ast_is_vga_enabled(struct drm_device *dev)
 {
 	struct ast_private *ast = dev->dev_private;
 	u8 ch;
@@ -52,7 +57,7 @@
 	if (ast->chip == AST1180) {
 		/* TODO 1180 */
 	} else {
-		ch = ast_io_read8(ast, 0x43);
+		ch = ast_io_read8(ast, AST_IO_VGA_ENABLE_PORT);
 		if (ch) {
 			ast_open_key(ast);
 			ch = ast_get_index_reg_mask(ast, AST_IO_CRTC_PORT, 0xb6, 0xff);
@@ -61,7 +66,6 @@
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
-#endif
 
 static const u8 extreginfo[] = { 0x0f, 0x04, 0x1c, 0xff };
 static const u8 extreginfo_ast2300a0[] = { 0x0f, 0x04, 0x1c, 0xff };
@@ -371,6 +375,7 @@
 	pci_write_config_dword(ast->dev->pdev, 0x04, reg);
 
 	ast_enable_vga(dev);
+	ast_enable_mmio(dev);
 	ast_open_key(ast);
 	ast_set_def_ext_reg(dev);