# Video Problem - Asus ATI Radeon HD6450 Silence



## decuser (Apr 12, 2019)

I am trying to install FreeBSD 12 on my Dell with a Radeon HD6450 card. After the installation completes, I am able to `kldload radeonkms` and it clearly works (mode changes to higher res). I then `kldstat` to see the modules and based on the list that appears, I edit /boot/loader.conf:

```
radeonkmsfw_CAICOS_pfp_load="YES"
radeonkmsfw_CAICOS_me_load="YES"
radeonkmsfw_BTC_rlc_load="YES"
radeonkmsfw_CAICOS_mc_load="YES"
radeonkms_load="YES"
```
after rebooting, the mode remains low res throughout the boot.

So, I remove the lines from loader.conf, `pkg install drm-kmod`, and add a line to /etc/rc.conf:

```
kld_list="/boot/modules/radeonkms.ko"
```
and reboot. This 'works', but the video change is pretty late in the boot process. A kldstat now shows 7 radeon ko's:

```
radeonkms.ko
radeon_CAICOS_pfp_bin.ko
radeon_CAICOS_me_bin.ko
radeon_BTC_rlc_bin.ko
radeon_CAICOS_mc_bin.ko
radeon_CAICOS_smc_bin.ko
radeon_SUMO_uvd_bin.ko
```
I'm hoping to get some confirmation on my approach to getting the driver loaded. Is this expected behavior, or am I doing something wrong. It seems to me that having the driver load during boot (after `zfs_load="YES"`, of course) is ideal, but that doesn't seem to work. Since `kldload radeonkms` works, it seems like drm-kmod isn't required and I'd rather not install stuff that isn't needed, but the kld_list bit doesn't work without drm-kmod being installed.

I appreciate your suggestions.


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## SirDice (Apr 12, 2019)

Graphics - FreeBSD Wiki


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## k.jacker (Apr 12, 2019)

As a rule of thumb, only modules required to boot, should be loaded from /boot/loader.conf. Like e.g. zfs, when you have root-on-zfs.
A graphics driver is not needed to boot, so is preferably loaded from /etc/rc.conf as you did.
It does no harm though, to load a module in /boot/loader.conf, even if it's not needed to boot, but it can slow down the booting process.


decuser said:


> kld_list="/boot/modules/radeonkms.ko"



The kms drivers in the base system of FreeBSD is located in /boot/kernel, while all modules from ports are located in /boot/modules.
To use a kms driver from the base system, one would use
`kld_list="/boot/kernel/radeonkms.ko"`
which is the same as one would use
`kld_list="radeonkms"`

The kms drivers in /boot/kernel have support for CAICOS as well, but they are not updated anymore.
I guess, if there would be any optimizations for those old drivers, they would only appear in the port.
You could give the old drivers in the base system a try and see how they perform.


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## decuser (Apr 17, 2019)

Thanks for the detailed response. I will try out the kernel driver and see if it works, just in case of zombie apocalypse, but it sounds like the port is the better choice until then .


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## decuser (Apr 20, 2019)

Well how about that, the kernel driver works fine... all it took was the aforementioned line in /etc/rc.conf:


```
kld_list="/boot/kernel/radeonkms.ko"
```


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## aht0 (Apr 22, 2019)

Have you got HDMI sound? I used to edit radeon driver source because of this, had to change single variable from 0 to 1, then recompile. It worked though (as opposed to Haswell HDMI audio, which seems to be completely out regardless of time spent messing with it).


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## decuser (Apr 22, 2019)

re: sound over hdmi

I can’t confirm working sound over hdmi. I only use hdmi to drive my monitor. Sound goes from soundcard to speakers. But, I’ll try it this weekend and report back - FreeBSD machine is in one location and I’m in another during the week.


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