difference between loading kernel module during boot and after boot manually?

[David Gurvich]

I don't know what the difference is, but there is one.  I have a system
that automatically reboots if nvidia is added to /boot/loader.conf on
FreeBSD7. If the module is loaded from the loader prompt the system
boots and xorg works.  I now use solaris on that system as FreeBSD had
all sorts of issues, but I recall adding a kldload statement to a
startup script.