HOWTO: Working Intel Graphics Card Setup

[vermaden]

After minimal install of FreeBSD and adding the default x11 server package:
pkg_add -r xorg

I ended with unfunctional 2.7.1 version of xf86-video-intel driver, that slows simple glxgears test to about 1 FPS, the sollution is to downgrade the
xf86-video-intel package to 2.6.3 version using portdowngrade:

# pkg_add -r portdowngrade
# portsnap fetch extract (omit if you already have Ports)
# setenv CVSROOT :pserver:anoncvs@anoncvs.tw.FreeBSD.org:/home/ncvs
# portdowngrade xf86-video-intel (select 2.6.3 version)
# cd /usr/ports/x11-drivers/xf86-video-intel
# make deinstall install clean

After these steps restart x11 server and enjoy working 2D/3D accelration on Intel graphics cards.

Tested on Intel Q35 motherboard with Intel GMA 3100, works like a charm.

A QUESTION TO FREEBSD DEVELOPERS: If 2.7.1 drivers DOES NOT WORK why include them into mainline Ports tree?

[richardpl]

2.7.1 works fine for me, except that I need to use Mesa 7.5 RC3 because latest graphics/dri from ports have some new nasty bugs introduced for intel cards.

You really should direct question to right list: @freebsd-x11

BTW, FYI there is always way to PR.

[adamk]

xf86-video-intel 2.7.1 works fine here, along with Mesa 7.4.2 and X server 1.6.1 (basically, the latest version of everything from ports).

Adam

[vermaden]

Thanks for input, I will try to rebuild everything from Ports.

[richardpl]

xf86-video-intel 2.7.1 works fine here, along with Mesa 7.4.2 and X server 1.6.1 (basically, the latest version of everything from ports).

Latest Mesa from ports is 7.4.4

[adamk]

Latest Mesa from ports is 7.4.4

Well it wasn't last time I updated (last week? week before?) :-)

Adam

[bb]

I have:

mesa 7.4.4 (= libglut, libGL, libGLU, dri)
xorg-server-1.6.1,1
xf86-video-intel-2.7.1

Basically, latest from ports as of today;

I know of 3 problems with the current intel graphics driver:

1) Restarting the X-server or even switching to the text console once and back again renders the X-server nearly unusable.

2) Video playback has problems in fullscreen mode. The symptoms are hard to describe for me in english.

3) Connecting a big second monitor needs tweeking in /etc/X11/xorg.conf to get a larger buffer (don't remember exactly what it is called). However, I couldn't manage to get 2 big monitors side-by-side, but only above each other. This could be a general limitation of the graphics hardware (G45 chipset) also. I don't know.

[aragon]

I'm running the latest of the above on FreeBSD 8.0 and am having some issues:

* The only way to restart X without killing the vtys is by using ctrl+alt+backspace. If my window manager exits normally, when Xorg restarts it leaves the vtys with horizontal stripey garbage on the screen.

* Xorg only runs reliably if used straight after a fresh boot of the system. If it is restarted, everything just starts pausing/stuttering at random, even the xdm login screen.

I haven't tested video playback. This is on a 965GM based laptop.