# [Solved] x11/nvidia blank screen and xrandr refuses to size LED monitor



## debguy (Feb 8, 2021)

The particular card is nvidial gtx 1050 on PCIe bus (no kernel agp mod needed).

Did my xorg.conf.new and edited.  Ran  "X loglevel 5 & xterm &  twm ".  /var/log/Xorg.log  gives me some error (NO EDID) and says "640x480 mode only" in the nvidia loading/logging section (which seemed to go very well minus the monitor part).  I get:

* black screen with large mouse cursor and one large keyboard cursor (both which are frozen) (aka black screen)

* re-editing and trying "vesa" driver did work - but monitor is wrong size, doesn't look great, acceleration not good, video mode for native resolution is wrong ... messed UP but 1/2 usable.

I ran xrandr thinking "ok nvidia didn't sense the monitor i will use xrandr to fix it".  xrandr refuses to resize the monitor.

That seems expected (xrandr's refusal) until we say "but xrandr works when vesa is loaded instead of nvidia" (but xrandr still refuses to give my monitor's correct sizes, uses a size about 1/2 of what the LED's native size).

* one suspicious thing i see is nvidia us loading of "fb" (frame buffer) module(s).  i mention that because i had a linux laptop intel graphics i setup for "fb" once.  i remember it's complicated you have to have "fb" setup and boot to a graphics terminal (on linux, once linux starts the standard text console fb won't work: you have to have the kernel boot to graphics mode with text - at which point either fb or vesa works, but fb commands are touchy you have to give and take control when entering/leaving X or die if you get the comands wrong).  i have no idea if any of that applies to freebsd.

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I did not compile nvidia I used the port (which should be preferred - by someone who knows).  It didn't install the /compat/linux/lib but some of the libs in the list are on the system.  nvidia-xconfig and nvidia-settings also were no where to be found - whoever ported it deleted those.

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I've had many problems installing.  1st the "parition" didn't want to work (installing to 2nd hd with linux gpt already smack in middle after 2nd attempt).  Then Win10 re-install wrote over my freebsd-boot (i reinstalled, which failed to create boot, finally figured how to make my own CAREFULLY as i didn't need the linux damaged).   The Handbook has allot of outdated advice (ie, stating partition command to do something for non-GPT and i have no idea that's the case being new to freebsd).  Using vesa worked (no sound yet) but xfce is highly broken:  mouse cursor is "big X", often invisible, xterm has no frame wrapper (cannot move it around) and firefox - if you click on options - it closes the menu as soon as you move the mouse toward preferences.  However TWM works fine except the DPI is wrong (poor fonts but not totally bad either - better than bitmap default scaled up i'm sure).  Also I have to boot from USB or go into bios every time i reboot (it's one of those damn dual boot PC - can't afford a second PC).  Also note i'm not gaming around this is for work and win10 won't let me work either - though i consider unix a hobby I have an app to run which is broken in win10 (likely intentionally).


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## debguy (Feb 8, 2021)

Though I'm new to freebsd I'm suspecting "fb".  I know freebsd boots to standard text mode.  I know older nvidia and intel (for laptop anyhow, though i'm a PC on pcie) can't change video mode if booted in standard text mode (not even "vesa"), nor use "fb" either.  I don't know how to boot freebsd to graphics text mode (how?), and x11/nvidia documentation (which has 1,000 options) is absolutely quiet about use of "fb" (ie, whether the OS supports fb consoles) or of any kernel (dri drm i always get the two confused) modules for "agp" - again i'm pcie.  excuse my typing i have a bad finger i can't use for typing today.


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## SirDice (Feb 8, 2021)

debguy said:


> Did my xorg.conf.new and edited


Remove it, you don't need it. Create a /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/driver-nvidia.conf:

```
Section "Device"
        Identifier "Card0"
        Driver     "nvidia"
EndSection
```
That's it. You don't need anything else. I have seen some reports of people that apparently needed to add the `BusID` though. But I've never had to add this.



debguy said:


> nvidia-xconfig and nvidia-settings also were no where to be found - whoever ported it deleted those.


Still there; x11/nvidia-xconfig and x11/nvidia-settings.


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## debguy (Feb 8, 2021)

Do I need "Modeline" in my XF*^Config?  i thought modeline were for CRT only.  aren't LED digital?  would modeline allow xrandr to set up monitor or help nvidia driver skip EDID (if i set use EDID to false)?


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## SirDice (Feb 8, 2021)

debguy said:


> Do I need "Modeline" in my XF*^Config?


Don't need it. Only if you have some weird aspect ratio or configuration. Modern monitors all support EDID and this works for 999 of 1000 cases.


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## debguy (Feb 8, 2021)

SirDice said:


> i'll try that thanks.   i have to reboot to try it, which will be an hour later.


the monitor is:  Sony 49x800h 49" (2020).  it's known for supporting only a few native modes as a 'limitation' but being 'good at what it does otherwise.  but it's modern (ie, nvidia drivers in windows play with it well and pick up speakers automatically using name of unit)


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## SirDice (Feb 8, 2021)

debguy said:


> i suspect that's working for agp not pcie.


Completely irrelevant.


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## debguy (Feb 8, 2021)

Your advice did not work.

Users that experience hangs when starting X11 server, or observe
        (II) NVIDIA(0): Validated MetaModes:
        (II) NVIDIA(0):     "NULL"
in /var/log/Xorg.0.log should replace ``nvidia'' with ``nvidia-modeset''
in their /boot/loader.conf or /etc/rc.conf configuration files, depending
on how they prefer to load NVidia driver kernel module.
See /usr/local/share/doc/NVIDIA_GLX-1.0/README for more information.

I followed the advice above and it now works.  I see no reason why nvidia-xconfig (or something) could not have sensed that and suggested (yes/no) make the modification and immediately do the kldunload and load; which is needed.  I mean - i'm lucky i even saved that message I am so knew i have no idea how to find installer messges or if infact they are recorded.  This is compounded by the fact the nvidia README doesn't say a word.

(guess a mode set is needed for the driver to kick the mode but shouldn't be used unless kicking the mode is needed - ie not AGP.  the "fb" fear was likely right except that nvidia corp did the favor of providing the kickstart)

The fonts (4k TV) are super tiny for xterm but in firefox, resized with Alt-Wheel-Up, they are crystal clear which i think is impressive on a first startup 0 configuration.  In firefox screen tearing but far smoother scrolling than using win10 or freebsd vesa; nicer overall.  Very happy, but wish install was easier 

and thank you Sir Dice!


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## SirDice (Feb 8, 2021)

debguy said:


> i'm lucky i even saved that message I am so knew i have no idea how to find installer messges or if infact they are recorded.


`pkg info -D nvidia-driver`


```
-D, --pkg-message
             Show the pkg-message for matching packages.
```
pkg-info(8)


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