Re: cvsup 06/05/2003 breaks nvidia driver

If you started X (by itself) and the screen flickered on and off, then I
would suspect that it is being told to use a video mode that your card, or
more likely - monitor, won't support. If that is true, then you could be in
danger of damaging your monitor.


1) Got all available documentation available (online and from supplied
 manuals) on my flat-panel monitor and video card with respect to video
 modes, including horizontal and vertical frequencies

2) Manually modified a previously existing (FBSD-4.8) XF86Config file to
 include the proper frequencies and raw modelines (without all of the
 frequency information) for the identified video modes from the documentation

3) Downloaded the FreeBSD nvidia driver from nvidia.com

4) Compiled and installed the nvidia driver

5) Included nvidia enable in /boot/loader.conf

6) Started X by itself to make sure that it was stable with the default mode
 that I had chosen in the XF86Config file (ie; the basic/default X window was
 steady)

7) Started X + Gnome and used xvidtune to fine tune the modelines and choose
 which to use

8) Found some reference to two settable sysctl variables (hw.nvidia....AGP..)
 and "enabled" them, though they don't appear to be necessary for normal
 operation

9) Found some reference (nvidia MANual page?) about three AGP "modes"
 definable in the XF86Config file (chooses between OS AGP support versus
 onboard AGP support), though they don't seem to be necessary

10) Recompile nvidia driver after every 5.1 kernel recompile


Worked with 5.1-BETA1, and 5.1-BETA2 (up until the last source update, May
28th or so). Works with 5.1-RC1. I did not try 5.0.


On  6 Jun, Matt wrote:
> 
> none said:
>> After having installed 5.1-RC1, the nvidia driver, and named, are
>> back in full operation. Yeah!
> 
> Can I just ask you a question abuot this? What are the steps you went
> through to get this driver to work?
> 
> I tried this on 5.0-CURRENT a while back and the below happened:
> 
> I have a nvidia geforce 4 MX 220. I tried installing
> /usr/ports/x11/nvidia-driver which compiled fine. I changed the XF86Config
> to use driver "nvidia", kldload'd the module which loaded fine and
> detected my video card. However when I started X the screen flickered on
> and off several times and then the pc rebooted without any panic or
> anything.
> 
> I tried adding agp options etc and same thing happened.
> 
> What have you done to get it to work? I'm on 5.1-RELEASE now but have not
> tried it again yet.
>