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Date:      Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:46:46 -0600
From:      Paul Procacci <pprocacci@datapipe.com>
To:        Giuseppe Pagnoni <gpagnoni@gmail.com>
Cc:        "freebsd-questions@freebsd.org" <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: FreeBSD 7.1, nvidia-driver, GeForce 8500 GT
Message-ID:  <4963ED66.4050309@datapipe.com>
In-Reply-To: <92056ebc0901061455r10bc4c53wee01d10e2fb96a7f@mail.gmail.com>
References:  <92056ebc0901061334o40f37463y84cdfda54e281126@mail.gmail.com>	 <4963D96E.7090700@datapipe.com> <92056ebc0901061455r10bc4c53wee01d10e2fb96a7f@mail.gmail.com>

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Giuseppe Pagnoni wrote:
> Hello,
>
> well that is interesting.  I do have 4 Gigs of RAM but I thought that
> the nvidia driver would not work only if the 64 bit version of FreeBSD
> was installed.  I installed the i386 version, so I assumed that I was
> just wasting some memory.  In case I would want to use the nvidia
> driver, would you suggest to remove 1GB stick of RAM?
>
> thank you very much
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 11:21 PM, Paul Procacci <pprocacci@datapipe.com> wrote:
>   
>> 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.
>>
>>     
>
>
>
>   
I'm not sure of the internals exactly, but the amount of onboard memory 
plus the memory that comes with the card can't exceed 4G.  (I could be 
wrong, but I think this is accurate).  In this case, assuming you have a 
512M card or similar then 3 Gigs of memory should work.  I have seen 
reports of 2Gigs of memory working (i386) and am sure that works without 
problems.  amd64 doesn't work at all, as you have already stated.

If you have a requirement to use the nvidia based graphics driver, then 
you really don't have an alternative at this time, then to remove system 
memory from your main board.

~Paul



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