FreeBSD 7.1, nvidia-driver, GeForce 8500 GT

Tue Jan 6 14:21:38 PST 2009

Giuseppe Pagnoni wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> I have just installed FreeBSD 7.1 Release on a machine with a GeForce
> 8500 GT (I think this is the card, but more about that later...) and
> an LCD screen with a native resolution of 1680 x 1050.
>
> Xorg works fine with the standard "nv" driver.  However, if I try to
> install the x11/nvidia-driver (which should bring better graphic
> performance, right?) I get a total system freeze when I start the X
> server.
>
> Here are the details of what I have done:
>
> 1) install x11/nvidia-driver
> 2) add nvidia_load="YES" to /boot/loader.conf
> 3) modify /etc/X11/xorg.conf by substituting "nvidia" to "nv" in the
> Driver line.
>
> At this point (after rebooting), if I start the X server with startx,
> I get a black screen and the system *completely* hangs (neither
> ctrl-alt-backspace, nor even ctrl-alt-delete work).  The only way to
> get back the system is to power it off and on (which corrupts the
> filesystem because it has not been properly dismounted).
>
> I also looked at the xorg log file in:
>
>   /var/log/Xorg.0.log
>
> Interestingly it seems to detect the card  as a GeForce 9500 GT rather
> than a 8500 GT (which makes me wonder whether I got the right info
> from the vendor receipt):
>
>   (--) Assigning device section with no busID to primary device
>   (--) Chipset GeForce 9500 GT found
>
> But this should not be an issue because in the same log file it says
> that both GeForce 8500 GT and GeForce 9500 GT are supported by the
> "nv" driver.
>
> As for the monitor, the xorg log file says:
>
> II) NV(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
> (II) NV(0): clock: 146.2 MHz   Image Size:  473 x 296 mm
> (II) NV(0): h_active: 1680  h_sync: 1784  h_sync_end 1960 h_blank_end
> 2240 h_border: 0
> (II) NV(0): v_active: 1050  v_sync: 1053  v_sync_end 1059 v_blanking:
> 1089 v_border: 0
> (II) NV(0): Ranges: V min: 56  V max: 75 Hz, H min: 28  H max: 83 kHz,
> PixClock max 150 MHz(II)
>
> NV(0): Monitor name: L226WA
> (II) NV(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
> (II) NV(0): clock: 119.0 MHz   Image Size:  473 x 296 mm
> (II) NV(0): h_active: 1680  h_sync: 1728  h_sync_end 1760 h_blank_end
> 1840 h_border: 0
> (II) NV(0): v_active: 1050  v_sync: 1053  v_sync_end 1059 v_blanking:
> 1080 v_border: 0
>
> Then the log file says:
>
> (II) NV(0): Output VGA1 disconnected
> (II) NV(0): Output DVI0 disconnected
> (II) NV(0): Output VGA2 disconnected
> (II) NV(0): Output DVI1 connected
> (II) NV(0): Output DVI1 using initial mode 1680x1050
> (--) NV(0): Virtual size is 1680x1680 (pitch 1792)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1680x1050": 146.2 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 65.3 kHz, 60.0 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1680x1050"x60.0  146.25  1680 1784 1960 2240
> 1050 1053 1059 1089 -hsync +vsync (65.3 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1680x1050": 119.0 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 64.7 kHz, 59.9 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1680x1050"x59.9  119.00  1680 1728 1760 1840
> 1050 1053 1059 1080 +hsync -vsync (64.7 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1280x1024": 135.0 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 80.0 kHz, 75.0 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1280x1024"x75.0  135.00  1280 1296 1440 1688
> 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync (80.0 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1280x1024": 109.0 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 63.7 kHz, 59.9 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1280x1024"x59.9  109.00  1280 1368 1496 1712
> 1024 1027 1034 1063 -hsync +vsync (63.7 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1440x900": 136.8 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 70.6 kHz, 75.0 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1440x900"x75.0  136.75  1440 1536 1688 1936  900
> 903 909 942 -hsync +vsync (70.6 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1440x900": 106.5 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 55.9 kHz, 59.9 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1440x900"x59.9  106.50  1440 1528 1672 1904  900
> 903 909 934 -hsync +vsync (55.9 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1280x960": 101.2 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 59.7 kHz, 59.9 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1280x960"x59.9  101.25  1280 1360 1488 1696  960
> 963 967 996 -hsync +vsync (59.7 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1152x864": 108.0 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 67.5 kHz, 75.0 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1152x864"x75.0  108.00  1152 1216 1344 1600  864
> 865 868 900 +hsync +vsync (67.5 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1152x864": 104.0 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 67.7 kHz, 74.8 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1152x864"x74.8  104.00  1152 1224 1344 1536  864
> 867 871 905 -hsync +vsync (67.7 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1024x768": 78.8 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 60.1 kHz, 75.1 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1024x768"x75.1   78.80  1024 1040 1136 1312  768
> 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync (60.1 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "1024x768": 65.0 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 48.4 kHz, 60.0 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "1024x768"x60.0   65.00  1024 1048 1184 1344  768
> 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync (48.4 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "832x624": 57.3 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 49.7 kHz, 74.6 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "832x624"x74.6   57.28  832 864 928 1152  624 625
> 628 667 -hsync -vsync (49.7 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "800x600": 49.5 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 46.9 kHz, 75.0 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x75.0   49.50  800 816 896 1056  600 601
> 604 625 +hsync +vsync (46.9 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "800x600": 40.0 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 37.9 kHz, 60.3 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x60.3   40.00  800 840 968 1056  600 601
> 605 628 +hsync +vsync (37.9 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "800x600": 36.0 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 35.2 kHz, 56.2 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x56.2   36.00  800 824 896 1024  600 601
> 603 625 +hsync +vsync (35.2 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "640x480": 31.5 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 37.5 kHz, 75.0 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x75.0   31.50  640 656 720 840  480 481
> 484 500 -hsync -vsync (37.5 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "640x480": 25.2 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 31.5 kHz, 60.0 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x60.0   25.20  640 656 752 800  480 490
> 492 525 -hsync -vsync (31.5 kHz)
> (**) NV(0):  Driver mode "720x400": 28.3 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz),
> 31.5 kHz, 70.1 Hz
> (II) NV(0): Modeline "720x400"x70.1   28.32  720 738 846 900  400 412
> 414 449 -hsync +vsync (31.5 kHz)
> (==) NV(0): DPI set to (96, 96)
>
>
> After this rather long post (I apologize), I have two simple questions:
> 1) is there a way to use the "nvidia" driver on this system?
> 2) is it worthwhile or does "nv" work just as well?
>
> Thanks in advance for any help or suggestion.
>
> best
>
>    giuseppe
>
>
>   
How much memory do you have?  Freebsd/Nvidia doesn't work with 4Gigs of 
memory OR PAE enabled kernels.  Nvidia's forums have lots more 
information regarding this.