Re: How to determine the correct graphics card driver

On Sat, 16 Jul 2022 11:22:18 +0200, Rocky Hotas wrote:
> After installing FreeBSD 13.1-RELEASE amd64 on an old machine with Intel
> Pentium E5300, I would like to properly configure the graphics card.
> Currently the display has a 640x480 resolution and I'm struggling to
> find the right graphics driver.
> 
> `pciconf -lv' shows:
> 
> vgapci0@pci0:0:16:0:    class=0x030000 rev=0xa2 hdr=0x00 vendor=0x10de
> device=0x07e1 subvendor=0x1734 subdevice=0x115b
>     vendor     = 'NVIDIA Corporation'
>     device     = 'C73 [GeForce 7100 / nForce 630i]'
>     class      = display
>     subclass   = VGA
> 
> So I guessed that it's an NVIDIA card. 

Yes, looks like it.

Remember that in order to get X up and running, it's advised
to not use a full xorg.conf anymore. Partial configurations
can be used from the xorg.conf.d/ subdirectory (for example
if you want to be able to use your keyboard's native language
independently from desktop environments or their absence).

Note that /etc/X11/xorg.conf is deprecated, the correct path
now is /usr/local//etc/X11/xorg.conf for a full config file,
and /usr/local//etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ for partial config files
(such as keyboard, forcing specific modes, loading custom
modes and fonts, and so on).

On the part of the kernel side, you need to load the correct
kernel module. For X, you need to install the correct driver.
Regarding nVidia cards, there are three drivers to choose
from: "nv", "nouveau" and "nvidia"; the first two are open
source drivers that offer just the most basic functions, no
3D acceleration, so you probably want to use the "blob" driver
"nvidia" from nVidia (vendor-supplied). Whatever suiting driver
is available, X will load (and record in /var/log/Xorg.0.log).

Also see:

https://wiki.freebsd.org/Graphics

I'm using this vintage card (haha) here:

    class=0x030000 card=0x06201462 chip=0x039210de rev=0xa1 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'NVIDIA Corporation'
    device     = 'NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS (G73)'
    class      = display
    subclass   = VGA

Works with full 3D support (check output of "glxgears" test
program and "xlock -nolock -mode fire" and with "-mode lament").

After getting X up and running, check "glxinfo" and "xvinfo"
program output as well as /var/log/Xorg.0.log to see if all
the parts are working together as intended.



Good luck!






-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...