Solved Xorg video drivers question

Greetings all,

After having run server for a few years, I ventured to building a desktop. I am using the HowTo found here: https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/howto-minimal-freebsd-desktop.35308/.

Since I was not sure about support for the video chip, I have compiled the x11-servers/xorg-server with several drivers. Examining the /var/log/Xorg.0.log, it appears that the intel driver is being used.

Should I remove the other drivers, which the system attempts to load and eventually unloads? If so, how do I do it? Do I need to re-compile the server, or do I just uninstall the unused specific driver, e.g.: vesa, fbdev, ati?

Thank you,

M
 
Use make config to turn off the unnecessary drivers in x11-drivers/xorg-drivers, then rebuild and reinstall the port. Leave KEYBOARD and MOUSE enabled, the needed video driver, and it's not a bad idea to leave VESA enabled as a fall-back video driver.
 
portmaster --force-config ... should do it; this does the make config step for every port that you are having portmaster build/rebuild at the time, which could be quite a few when it comes to the dependencies of some ports. You might be better off just running make config in the directory of the specific port(s) that you want to tweak.
 
Hi wblock, ljboiler,

Thank you again, the procedure worked like a charm. One more question; when startx is executed from the user's prompt, and then I inspect the /var/log/Xorg.0.log the xserver is pulling some information form a "configuration file". I assume this file is xorg.conf.

However, I can not find the file in either /etc/X11 nor in /usr/local/etc/X11. So, where is it?

Kindest regards,

M
 
If a configuration file is not present, X uses built-in defaults. If there are additional settings that need to be changed, create an xorg.conf that has just those settings.

The right place for this file on FreeBSD is /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf. Some people put it other places, but those people are wrong. ;)
 
Hi wblock,

I understand that the file xorg.conf does need to be present; I posed the question incorrectly. If the file is not present, why does the /var/log/Xorg.0.log claim that some information was obtained form a "configuration file"?

It is not really important, it just confuses ignoramuses like me.

Kindest regards,

M
 
Without seeing the exact line, it's hard to say. However, as an example:
Code:
[  33.816] (==) No monitor specified for screen "Screen0".
  Using a default monitor configuration.
...
[  35.454] (II) RADEON(0): Using hsync ranges from config file
[  35.454] (II) RADEON(0): Using vrefresh ranges from config file

The "config file" in that case is the built-in default.
 
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