NVIDIA (port) driver fails to create /dev/nvidactl; 8.2Prerelease

[Duane H. Hesser]

I am attempting to replace the 'nv' X11 driver with the "official"
nvidia driver from ithe x11/nvidia-driver port, in order to handle
the AVCHD video files from my Canon HF S20.

I have been trying for several days now, having read the nvidia
README file in /usr/local/share and everything Google has to offer.

Unfortunately devilfs is smarter and meaner than I.

The 'xorg.conf' file is created by nividia-xconfig.  The console
output when calling 'startx' to begin the frustration is

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
X.Org X Server 1.7.5
Release Date: 2010-02-16
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE i386 
Current Operating System: FreeBSD belinda.androcles.org 8.2-PRERELEASE FreeBSD 8.2-PRERELEASE #3: Thu Jan 27 13:45:06 PST 2011     root at belinda.androcles.org:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/BELINDA i386
Build Date: 08 January 2011  05:52:50PM
 
Current version of pixman: 0.18.4
        Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
        to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
        (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
        (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Fri Jan 28 11:32:46 2011
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
NVIDIA: could not open the device file /dev/nvidiactl (No such file or directory).
(EE) Jan 28 11:32:46 NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module. Please see the
(EE) Jan 28 11:32:46 NVIDIA(0):     system's kernel log for additional error messages and
(EE) Jan 28 11:32:46 NVIDIA(0):     consult the NVIDIA README for details.
(EE) NVIDIA(0):  *** Aborting ***
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

There must be others out there who have been using this driver under 8.x,
which suggests that I must be uttering the wrong incantation (or that
devilfs is smarter and meaner than I).

I have uploaded all relevant files to my ISP's website

	http://accima.com/members/dhesser/fbsd8.2P-nvidia-driver/

so that anyone willing to make suggestions may access the information.

My primary question at this point is "Is this driver known to work under
8.2 PRERELEASE?"

The files on the website represent the most recent attempt, after a
"make update" at noon (PST8PDT) yesterday (Jan 28, 2011)  followed
by the usual upgrade process, and a deinstall/reinstall of the nvidias
driver port.

There is one further point of confusion.  I've compared the list of
files which the README claims to install, and found that 3 or 4 files
related to "libvdpau.so" are not actually installed by tne driver
port.  These files are installed by the "multimedia/libvdpau" port.
I have installed those files from that port, with no change in the
behavior of the driver port.  Versions of these files are actually
included in x11/nvidia-driver/work/NVIDIA-FreeBSD-x86-256.53/obj,
but are not installed by the Makefile.  I've tried those too, with
no change.  I have currently re-installed the multimedia/libvdpau
files.

Anyone know which is correct, or why the nvidia-driver port does
not explain?  

Note: the "hastd" problem has been fixed in stable, but now the 
"jme" module fails to compile.
-- 
Duane H. Hesser <dhesser at accima.com>