# Advice on 64 bit FreeBSD/X.Org/XFCE/Compiz installation



## micski (Sep 5, 2013)

I am in urgent need of advice from experienced users. I would like to install FreeBSD on a desktop computer and configure it for neat graphics on dual monitors combined. I would like to know, if I need to be aware of special tricks and tweaks in order to succeed.

I am thinking 64 bit FreeBSD 9.1-RELEASE (amd64), X.Org window system, XFCE desktop environment, Compiz Fusion 3D desktop effects and UTF-8 language encoding. My biggest concern is the 64 bit computing and the X.Org graphics configuration. The computer will also be used as a VirtualBox host.

The computer is based on a Gigabyte GA-HA65M-D2H-B3 Ultra Durable 2 ErP Ready motherboard with a Socket 1155 and an Intel Core i5-2500 @ 3.30 GHz CPU with 4 cores with 4 threads in it. The CPU is of the Sandy Bridge HE 4 type. The CPU has Intel 64, Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) and Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology.

The CPU has integrated Intel HD Graphics 2000 850-1350 MHz, that supports two displays. The monitors, that are connected via DVI and VGA, are both Samsung SyncMaster 2443 with 1920x1200 16:10 resolution.

Any advice is appreciated. I am, by no means, an expert - and though I have many years of FreeBSD server experience - I have only limited graphical desktop computer FreeBSD experience.


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## SirDice (Sep 5, 2013)

I'm not entirely sure but I don't think the Intel video driver supports dual screens. Nvidia cards with the x11/nvidia-driver do support dual screens.

For everything else I can refer you to the handbook: Chapter 6. The X Window System


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## micski (Sep 5, 2013)

It seems, that the Intel video driver supports dual monitors, if the monitors are connected though DVI and VGA - and not both to DVI.

X.Org marked Sandy Bridge "Dual-link DVI" as "Unknown" and "Dual head Randr" as "Done" which should indicate, that it is implemented and relatively bug-free.

http://www.x.org/wiki/IntelGraphicsDriver/


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## SirDice (Sep 5, 2013)

That may be true for the Linux version of the driver but may not be correct for the driver on FreeBSD.

https://wiki.freebsd.org/Intel_GPU


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## adamk (Sep 5, 2013)

I'd be very surprised if the intel driver doesn't support dual monitors on FreeBSD. Even the radeon driver supports that. It doesn't really require any special level of support from KMS (or even UMS).

Adam


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## micski (Sep 5, 2013)

If the FreeBSD version of the X.Org Intel driver does not support dual monitors or does not support the Intel HD 2000 graphics adapter, could this problem be solved by investing in another graphics adapter for the motherboard - and disabling the onboard Intel HD 2000 graphics adapter in BIOS? If so, which graphics adapter would be suitable? The motherboard has a Serial ATA 6 GB/s socket and two PCI Express 2 sockets.


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## SirDice (Sep 5, 2013)

You need a PCIe x16 slot for a graphics card.


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## micski (Sep 5, 2013)

Thanks. I am downloading the memstick image at time of writing and will see, how far the install process will take me. I have a spare NVidia N210, I can test, if the onboard Intel HD are not succesful.


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## micski (Sep 8, 2013)

For what it is worth for future readers, I can report, that I could not get the integrated Intel HD 2000 graphics to work, but, my spare NVidia N210 in the PCIe x16 slot - and the NVidia driver from the homepage of NVidia - worked right away with fast graphics on both monitors. NVidia included a very detailed settings program. I can not rule out, that further time investment in the integrated Intel HD graphics could have been successful also.


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## wblock@ (Sep 8, 2013)

The Intel graphics will work, but require KMS: http://forums.freebsd.org/showpost.php?p=187947&postcount=3


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## SirDice (Sep 9, 2013)

The KMS option can be safely enabled in combination with the NVidia driver. Not sure if the driver actually benefits from it but at least it doesn't have any detrimental effects.


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