Right, it looks like you have a working/workable driver from
x11-drivers/xf86-video-ati/ (not being further developed), albeit using User Mode Setting (UMS) and not using Kernel Mode Setting (KMS). That may limit various 2D/3D etc. acceleration methods.
For the graphics stack, UMS is being phased out, new developments use KMS.
However, for a not fully functioning drm-61-kmod using radeonkms, consider submitting a PR as mentioned by
Emrion in message #10. You get these "drm" errors referencing the radeonkms reliably in your dmesg output (mentioned in your message
here); I noticed at beginning of the log of the boot process:
Code:
[drm ERROR :radeon_ib_ring_tests] radeon: failed testing IB on GFX ring (-60).
[drm ERROR :radeon_device_init] ib ring test failed (-60).
IMO you have a hook for developers to work on. Additional info when Xorg has started may be useful too.
Your AMD HD 6450 is frequently referenced by its alternate (code) name : CAICOS, that is part of the "Northern Island" group; you see that referenced in your Xorg logs and dmesg output.
Based on:
there should be a working Kernel Mode Setting supported driver for your HD 6450.
That means there must be a working pair:
- a DRM-KMS driver like the kernel module radeonkms from graphics/drm-61-kmod referenced by
kld_list="radeonkms"
in rc.conf
- an Xorg driver, that would be the general default modesetting driver* (modesetting_drv.so) referenced by
Driver "modesetting"
in a Section Device
. Usually this gets loaded automatically when staring X.
For KMS to work in X you need these two that interact with each other.
A graphics driver that does not use KMS but instead uses User Mode Setting works in User Space. Such a driver does not need a counterpart DRM-KMS driver.
Right now I removed radeonkms from kld_list but X11 is still working okay, is this unusual?
So I think this is not unusual. When operating by itself it is only activated when X is started. When you have an appropriate DRM-KMS for your GPU driver kldload-ed, then before you start X you have additional benefits like GPU power management or extra (higher) resolution options available for your terminal.
The graphics stack contains a lot of parts that should all work together. More info at
Kernel Mode Setting,
Mode setting, and
modesetting(4) and
drm-kms(7)
___
* Unfortunately, your HD 6450 does not seem to be supported by the Xorg amdgpu driver from
x11-drivers/xf86-video-amdgpu that is also able to drive KMS:
Description:
This package contains the X.Org xf86-video-amdgpu driver.
The amdgpu driver supports AMD Radeon chipsets: OLAND, HAINAN, TAHITI, PITCAIRN,
VERDE, BONAIRE, KABINI, MULLINS, KAVERI, HAWAII, TOPAZ, TONGA, CARRIZO, FIJI,
STONEY, POLARIS11, POLARIS10
On FreeBSD requires amdgpu KMS driver from graphics/drm-kmod.