# Noob looking for some help installing



## excollier (Dec 13, 2020)

Hi, I am new to FreeBSD and need a couple of pointers for a dual boot install. Mainly which Nvidia driver I need. I had posted earlier today but seem to have lost my post.....anyway in VirtualBox I have managed to install as far as a working XFCE desktop and now want to go to a hardware install.
Here is some info on my system - I want to install the smaller 120GB ssd listed

System:    Host: <filter> Kernel: 4.19.0-6-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.19.0-6-amd64 
           root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
           Distro: MX-19.3_x64 patito feo February 15  2020 base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Desktop Mobo: Gigabyte model: GA-78LMT-USB3 v: x.x serial: <filter> BIOS: Award 
           v: FA date: 04/23/2013 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: AMD FX-4350 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Bulldozer 
           family: 15 (21) model-id: 2 stepping: N/A microcode: 6000852 L2 cache: 2048 KiB 
           flags: avx lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm bogomips: 33749 
           Speed: 1570 MHz min/max: 1400/4200 MHz boost: enabled Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1429 

Graphics:  Device-1: NVIDIA GF114 [GeForce GTX 560 Ti] vendor: Gigabyte driver: nouveau 
           v: kernel bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 10de:1200 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz, 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: NVCE v: 4.3 Mesa 18.3.6 direct render: Yes 

Drives:    Local Storage: total: 577.55 GiB used: 42.65 GiB (7.4%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WDS500G2B0A-00SM50 size: 465.76 GiB 
           block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 3.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 00WD 
           scheme: MBR 
           ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: SanDisk model: SDSSDHII120G size: 111.79 GiB block size: 
           physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: <unknown> serial: <filter> rev: 00RL 
           scheme: MBR


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## excollier (Dec 14, 2020)

update - I installed the base system successfully but grub in my Linux install does not recognise it. When I updated grub it saw the install byt said "failed" and does not list it at boot-up time. Now I have to wait until next Saturday to make any progress


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## SirDice (Dec 14, 2020)

excollier said:


> Mainly which Nvidia driver I need.


Go to the geforce.com website, enter your card's model and have a look which driver it suggests. Don't download it from there though. 



> GeForce GTX 560 Ti


Old card, according to NVidia you need to use the 390 version: x11/nvidia-driver-390. Driver should still work, I use it for an old Zotac box with an GT 520M.


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## excollier (Dec 14, 2020)

thanks for your help - much appreciated


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## petersen77 (Dec 14, 2020)

I'm using rEFInd as boot manager. With Windows/Linux/FreeBSD on two SSD drives (FreeBSD on second drive)


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## SKull (Dec 14, 2020)

> Don't download it from there though


Why not? I remember using the directly downloaded FreeBSD drivers from nvidia.com to get my Thinkpad T410's weird hybrid GPU to work.


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## SirDice (Dec 14, 2020)

SKull said:


> Why not? I remember using the directly downloaded FreeBSD drivers from nvidia.com to get my Thinkpad T410's weird hybrid GPU to work.


Because it gets installed outside of the package registration, so it's not tracked (can't tell which version, if it needs updating, etc). It also replaces a few Xorg libraries, you don't want to mess with that. Just use the port or package.


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## SKull (Dec 14, 2020)

SirDice said:


> Because it gets installed outside of the package registration, so it's not tracked (can't tell which version, if it needs updating, etc). It also replaces a few Xorg libraries, you don't want to mess with that. Just use the port or package.


Ah. Makes sense.
Seems that I am just lucky that I didn't run into any problems yet


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