Solved X doesn't start: Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT

[LeandroRamos]

I installed FreeBSD-12.0-RELEASE successfully, and everything is fine except that i can't start X because i get the following error:

NVRM: failed to copy vbios to system memory
NVRM: RmInitAdapter failed! (0x30:0xffffffff:747)
nvidia0: NVRM: rm_init_adapter() failed!

Then the kernel panic and the system restart.

 

[zkaa71n]

After upgrade nvidia-driver to 430.50, my X cannot start either. Downgrade back to 410.104 can fix my problem.

 

[shkhln]

I installed FreeBSD-12.0-RELEASE successfully, and everything is fine except that i can't start X because i get the following error:

NVRM: failed to copy vbios to system memory
NVRM: RmInitAdapter failed! (0x30:0xffffffff:747)
nvidia0: NVRM: rm_init_adapter() failed!

Then the kernel panic and the system restart.

https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/enter_bug.cgi

 

[shkhln]

After upgrade nvidia-driver to 430.50, my X cannot start either. Downgrade back to 410.104 can fix my problem.

Pay a little attention to what you are replying. Your problem is obviously different and should be mentioned on PR 232645 (with details).

 

[shkhln]

https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/enter_bug.cgi

Might be PR 195097, actually.

 

[Minbari]

I installed FreeBSD-12.0-RELEASE successfully, and everything is fine except that i can't start X because i get the following error:

NVRM: failed to copy vbios to system memory
NVRM: RmInitAdapter failed! (0x30:0xffffffff:747)
nvidia0: NVRM: rm_init_adapter() failed!

Then the kernel panic and the system restart.

If you installed the latest x11/nvidia-driver it won't work. Your device need a legacy one: x11/nvidia-driver-340.

 

[shkhln]

If you installed the latest

In that case, since the latest driver knows PCI ids for all legacy video cards, it will print a corresponding message:

% strings /usr/local/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nvidia_drv.so | grep -i legacy | fold -s
The NVIDIA %s GPU installed in this system is supported through the NVIDIA %s 
Legacy drivers. Please visit http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html for more 
information.  The %s NVIDIA driver will ignore this GPU.  Continuing probe...

 

[LeandroRamos]

Thank you all for the help, i will try to install FreeBSD in BIOS mode instead of UEFI mode.

I think the problem is that i was using UEFI mode.

I am trying to use FreeBSD on an old MacBookPro (4,1 - 2008), and i really think the problem is the UEFI, because i get similar issues if i try to install any Linux distro in UEFI mode.

Then i am going to try FreeBSD in BIOS mode, i will use Grub and Plop Boot Manager to boot the USB stick in BIOS mode.

 

[LeandroRamos]

Good News

The Nvidia driver works if i install FreeBSD in BIOS mode, i can start X now

YAY i can enjoy FreeBSD now.

 

[zkaa71n]

After upgrade nvidia-driver to 430.50, my X cannot start either. Downgrade back to 410.104 can fix my problem.

One thing not clear was Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT is in supported list.
Today I just figured out the root cause!

load nvidia module from /boot/loader.conf no longer works for unknown reason.

nvidia-modeset_load="YES"

load nvidia module from /etc/rc.conf works

kld_list="nvidia-modeset"