Re: [LDWG] NVIDIA driver installation for FreeBSD 15: PKG & KMOD repository version mixup.

From: Lars Tunkrans <drsnx60_at_gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2025 13:08:58 UTC
       Presently  it appears  that  the quaterly PKG-PORTs   REPO 
contains the   nessesary NVIDIA-KMOD  module.
        the PKG-PORTS and KMOD  repos are expected diverge into 
containing different contents  into the  future.
       KMOD  repo  is a new feature , disabeling it now for installtion  
of  a  working  NVIDIA subsystem  is just a workaround.
       KMOD repo  shoud be  enabled  again  after setting up  the NVIDIA 
drivers.
          The  point is  that  the  newbie FreeBSD  user  that  wants 
to  have a tryout  session,  does not  know  this, as  this workaround 
is not documented.
       and will conclude  that  FreeBSD  is unusable.


Den 2025-12-14 kl. 13:51, skrev Mario Marietto:
>
> ---> After disabling  the KMOD  repo   PKG  fetches all  NVIDIA 
> drivers  at version 580.95.05.  and the installation  succeeds.
>
> I mean :  What's the downside of disabling the KMOD repo ? thanks.
>
>
> On Sun, Dec 14, 2025 at 1:40 PM Lars Tunkrans <drsnx60@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>        The installation of  FreeBSD 15.0-Release onto a  laptop or
>     Desktop  computer is expected to work  as described  in the Handbook.
>        Presently it does not,  and the Novice User has to investigate
>     why.   This raises the BAR  unnecessarily  for FreeBSD adoption.
>
>             //L.
>
>
>     Den 2025-12-14 kl. 13:32, skrev Mario Marietto:
>>
>>     ---> After disabling  the KMOD  repo   PKG fetches  all  NVIDIA
>>     drivers  at version 580.95.05. and the installation  succeeds.
>>
>>
>>     What's the downside ?
>>
>>     On Sun, Dec 14, 2025 at 1:07 PM Lars Tunkrans <drsnx60@gmail.com>
>>     wrote:
>>
>>          HI
>>
>>           Im  sending this  email  to  raise awareness of below KMOD 
>>         repo issue.
>>
>>         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>         the Default PKG, KMODs REPOS are mixed up and provide
>>         non-working set of NVIDIA drivers for a clean from scratch
>>         installation .
>>         as shown in the transcript below , the REPOS provide mixed up
>>         versions of NVIDIA driver that does not work together.
>>          The KMOD REPO is not in synk with the quarterly PKG repo and
>>         prevents a new user from installing a Desktop based on NVIDIA
>>         GPU.
>>
>>         n*vidia-driver: 580.95.05 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         nvidia-drm-66-kmod: 580.95.05.1500068 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         nvidia-drm-kmod: 580.95.05_1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         nvidia-kmod: 580.105.08.1500068 [FreeBSD-ports-kmods]/_This
>>         KMOD s newer that the other packages ._/  [wrong version] *
>>
>>         A unsuspecting new user of FreeBSD will not succeed in
>>         setting up a Graphics environment because the REPOS are
>>         inconsistent.
>>         Inorder  to create  a working NVIDIA Driver installation  on 
>>         a NEW  default   installation of  FreeBSD 15..0-Release
>>         its nessesary to  disable  the KMOD repo.
>>
>>         # cat /etc/pkg/FreeBSD.conf
>>         .
>>         .
>>         FreeBSD-ports-kmods: {
>>         url:
>>         "pkg+https://pkg.freebsd.org/${ABI}/kmods_quarterly_${VERSION_MINOR}",
>>         mirror_type: "srv",
>>         signature_type: "fingerprints",
>>         fingerprints: "/usr/share/keys/pkg",
>>         *enabled: no*
>>
>>
>>         After disabling  the KMOD  repo   PKG  fetches all  NVIDIA
>>         drivers  at version 580.95.05.  and the installation  succeeds.
>>
>>
>>
>>         --------------------------------------------
>>
>>         root@alderan:~ # uname -a
>>         FreeBSD alderan 15.0-RELEASE FreeBSD 15.0-RELEASE alderan amd64
>>         root@alderan:~ # pciconf -lv | grep -B3 display
>>         vgapci0@pci0:1:0:0: class=0x030000 rev=0xa1 hdr=0x00
>>         vendor=0x10de device=0x1c30 subvendor=0x10de subdevice=0x11b3
>>         vendor = 'NVIDIA Corporation'
>>         device = 'GP106GL [Quadro P2000]'
>>         class = display
>>         root@alderan:~ # pkg install nvidia-drm-kmod
>>         Updating FreeBSD-ports repository catalogue...
>>         FreeBSD-ports repository is up to date.
>>         Updating FreeBSD-ports-kmods repository catalogue...
>>         FreeBSD-ports-kmods repository is up to date.
>>         All repositories are up to date.
>>         The following 46 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):
>>
>>         New packages to be INSTALLED:
>>         drm-66-kmod: 6.6.25.1500068_6 [FreeBSD-ports-kmods]
>>         egl-wayland: 1.1.20 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         freetype2: 2.13.3 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         hwdata: 0.399,1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libX11: 1.8.12,1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXau: 1.0.12 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXdamage: 1.1.6 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXdmcp: 1.1.5 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXext: 1.3.6,1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXfixes: 6.0.1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXfont2: 2.0.6 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXrandr: 1.5.4 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXrender: 0.9.12 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXv: 1.0.13,1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libXxf86vm: 1.1.6 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libdrm: 2.4.123,1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libedit: 3.1.20250104,1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libepoll-shim: 0.0.20240608 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libepoxy: 1.5.10 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libfontenc: 1.1.8 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libglvnd: 1.7.0 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libpciaccess: 0.18.1_1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libudev-devd: 0.6.0 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libunwind: 20250904 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libxcb: 1.17.0 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libxcvt: 0.1.3 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libxkbfile: 1.1.3 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libxml2: 2.14.5 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         libxshmfence: 1.3.3 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         llvm19: 19.1.7_1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         lua53: 5.3.6_1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         mesa-dri: 24.1.7_9 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         mesa-libs: 24.1.7_1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         n*vidia-driver: 580.95.05 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         nvidia-drm-66-kmod: 580.95.05.1500068 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         nvidia-drm-kmod: 580.95.05_1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         nvidia-kmod: 580.105.08.1500068 [FreeBSD-ports-kmods]*
>>         pixman: 0.46.2 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         png: 1.6.52 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         spirv-llvm-translator-llvm19: 19.1.12 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         spirv-tools: 2025.4 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         wayland: 1.24.0_2 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         xkbcomp: 1.4.7 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         xkeyboard-config: 2.41_4 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         xorg-server: 21.1.20,1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>         xorgproto: 2024.1 [FreeBSD-ports]
>>
>>         Number of packages to be installed: 46
>>
>>         The process will require 2 GiB more space.
>>         537 MiB to be downloaded.
>>
>>         Proceed with this action? [y/N]:
>>
>>
>>         -- 
>>         -------------------------
>>         Lars Tunkrans
>>         Oracle SPARC/Solaris System Administrator
>>         Fujitsu M12 SPARC Specilaist
>>
>>
>>
>>     -- 
>>     Mario.
>
>     -- 
>     -------------------------
>     Lars Tunkrans
>     Oracle SPARC/Solaris System Administrator
>     Fujitsu M12 SPARC Specilaist
>
>
>
> -- 
> Mario.

-- 
-------------------------
Lars Tunkrans
Oracle SPARC/Solaris System Administrator
Fujitsu M12 SPARC Specilaist