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

In reply to: Lars Tunkrans : "Re: [LDWG] NVIDIA driver installation for FreeBSD 15: PKG & KMOD repository version mixup."
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From: Mario Marietto <marietto2008_at_gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2025 13:48:23 UTC
---> KMOD repo  shoud be  enabled  again  after setting up  the NVIDIA
drivers.

The workaround seems to be easy to implement. The NVIDIA driver when
installed successfully triggers a script that enables the KMOD repo. Done.

On Sun, Dec 14, 2025 at 2:08 PM Lars Tunkrans <drsnx60@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>       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
>
>

-- 
Mario.