# What to do first? Install video card driver or install X.Org?



## Kalero (Sep 6, 2018)

Hi,

I would like to know what is the recommended way to properly set up the desktop. Should someone first install the video card driver (for instance, NVIDIA) and then install X.Org or first install X.Org and then install the video card driver? Or it doesn't matter? Thanks.


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## ShelLuser (Sep 6, 2018)

Doesn't matter too much. In most cases you need to explicitly configure the driver manually anyway. Don't forget that FreeBSD doesn't automatically configure or activate stuff.


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## SirDice (Sep 6, 2018)

Normally it shouldn't matter but the NVidia driver might be a notable exception because it uses its own version of a few Xorg libraries. So I would install Xorg first, then the NVidia driver. For every other driver it shouldn't matter.


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## Deleted member 30996 (Sep 9, 2018)

When I build my systems I build a few things first that don't need X, like security/wipe, then build Xorg before anything that depends on it.


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## shepper (Sep 10, 2018)

A pitfall for some new users is the installation and enabling of display manager, prior to verifying a working xorg.  The NVidia ports also has some xorg dependencies:
From the NVidia Makefile:

```
30     ARCH_SUFX=      x86${ARCH:S/i386//:S/amd/_/}
31     USES=           kmod uidfix
32     USE_XORG=       x11 xorg-server xext
33     USE_GL=         gl
```

IMHO:
1)  Build/Install xorg.  You will also need a simple window manager like twm
2)  Build NVidia driver - I do not run NVidia, but my understanding is that you also need to generate an xorg.conf/xorg.conf.d
3)  Test your build and configuration with the local command "startx".
4)  If startx works then install your display manager and preferred DE/WM


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## ucomp (Sep 11, 2018)

shepper said:


> ..
> 3)  Test your build and configuration with the local command "startx".
> ....



'startx' is not necessarily the right command,
 for example for xfce the command is called ' startxfce4 '


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## shepper (Sep 11, 2018)

ucomp said:


> 'startx' is not necessarily the right command,
> for example for xfce the command is called ' startxfce4 '



startx would be the correct command if the installation sequence I recommended is followed.  Xfce4 is a  Desktop Environment (DE) and installation of a DE was the 4th step - after confirming xorg works.  The "full" xorg installation includes twm and a system wide default xinitrc that will start twm.


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## ucomp (Sep 11, 2018)

yes, by default ' startx' starts TWM( nothing else) . Assuming that TWM is not what you want after xfce-Installation just type `startxfce4`instead of it.
Or you can mix TWM and xfce with ' startx' and 'startxfce4' (typing in TWM) .


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## SirDice (Sep 11, 2018)

Or create a ~/.xinitrc:

```
exec startxfce4
```
And start XFCE using `startx`. Using `startx` is common and you can decide which WM or DE to start through ~/.xinitrc. If ~/.xinitrc doesn't exist, a `startx` simply falls back to a system-wide xinitrc, which starts TWM by default.


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## Nikaea (Sep 16, 2018)

I'm a step behind. Is there a thread where I can pick up from how to install a DE? I've got 12.0 running in VM under Linux Arch but I'm not sure what the next step is. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.


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## Deleted member 53988 (Sep 16, 2018)

The FreeBSD Foundation show how to install a Desktop Environment on FreeBSD: https://www.freebsdfoundation.org/freebsd/how-to-guides/installing-a-desktop-environment-on-freebsd/


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## Beastie (Sep 16, 2018)

Nikaea said:


> I'm a step behind. Is there a thread where I can pick up from how to install a DE? I've got 12.0 running in VM under Linux Arch but I'm not sure what the next step is. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.


The Handbook, always.


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## puretone (Sep 26, 2018)

Kalero said:


> Hi,
> 
> I would like to know what is the recommended way to properly set up the desktop. Should someone first install the video card driver (for instance, NVIDIA) and then install X.Org or first install X.Org and then install the video card driver? Or it doesn't matter? Thanks.



Sequence is not necessarily so important. A Beastie won't come stalking you from under your bed, or from a dark corner in your closet *if* you install things in a different sequence. Probably best to install xorg first as a manner of good/sound practice, followed by video driver *if* you use some discreet GPU, instead of a basic generic setup merely requirnig xf86-video-vesa|scfb. 
If using an NVidia card: x11/nvidia-driver and highly recommended x11/nvidia-xconfig to auto-create a fully functional xorg.conf
Intel GPU / AMD GPU: graphics/drm-next-kmod no need to create a custom xorg.conf, as the auto-probed & auto-added requirements for xorg & a DE is done automagically and does a decent job.


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## puretone (Sep 26, 2018)

Nikaea said:


> I'm a step behind. Is there a thread where I can pick up from how to install a DE?.



I was about to say, sounds like the sorta thing coming from being used to Linux. You weren't around back in the day when X on Linux was started with the traditional 'startx', were you?

RTFM is implied.
1) KDE (puke, might swap places with #2)
2) GNOME (mega puke)
3) MATE (tolerable puke)
4) Fluxbox (if you have a penchant for Soviet-era austere minimalism)
5) i3 / dwm / wmii (see #4)
6) WindowMaker (see #5)
7) OpenBox (good enough for most, and you wanna pretend to be all sorts of L33t computer nerd)

Stripped down guide & easy enough to follow: http://daemon-notes.com/articles/desktop/openbox


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## Nikaea (Sep 26, 2018)

puretone said:


> I was about to say, sounds like the sorta thing coming from being used to Linux. You weren't around back in the day when X on Linux was started with the traditional 'startx', were you?
> 
> RTFM is implied.
> 1) KDE (puke, might swap places with #2)
> ...


Believe it or not, yes, I was, but also on BeOS and Apple. And yes, I remember starting it by command prompt. But yes, I've gotten very lazy. Today, I'd settle for FreeBSD with Lumina. I now need to tweak the heck out of it and that's where I get lost these days.


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## puretone (Sep 27, 2018)

Nikaea said:


> Believe it or not, yes, I was, but also on BeOS and Apple. And yes, I remember starting it by command prompt. But yes, I've gotten very lazy. Today, I'd settle for FreeBSD with Lumina. I now need to tweak the heck out of it and that's where I get lost these days.



I remember BeOS fondly, an OS I enjoyed tinkering with profusely when I initially moved away from Windows. I somehow successfully managed to mostly stay away from Apple OSX.
If you start with the mindset that a decent fully function desktop environment is not intimidating, you'll very quickly come to realize that it is not difficult at all.
I find Lumina rather unnecessarily complicated. You might want to try an OpenBox + tint2 setup...quick, easy and as polished & sophisticated as you might require...sans all the bloat.


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## Deleted member 30996 (Sep 27, 2018)

Nikaea said:


> I'm a step behind. Is there a thread where I can pick up from how to install a DE?





puretone said:


> RTFM is implied.
> 
> 4) Fluxbox (if you have a penchant for Soviet-era austere minimalism)
> 5) i3 / dwm / wmii (see #4)
> ...



x11-wm/fluxbox, x11-wm/i3, x11-wm/windowmaker, x11-wm/openbox are all Window Managers.

RTFM is implied.


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## puretone (Oct 6, 2018)

Trihexagonal said:


> x11-wm/fluxbox, x11-wm/i3, x11-wm/windowmaker, x11-wm/openbox are all Window Managers.
> 
> RTFM is implied.



Indeed. But the line between what is a WM & a DE is becoming seriously blurred these days as certain DE features, or the interpretation thereof, find their way into WM's.


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