Nvidia driver for Linux and FreeBSD

[David30]

I have 2 questions, hence posting this in "The Lounge".

1. Is the FreeBSD Nvidia graphics driver the same one used for Linux, since both are using X?

2. If there were an update made available for the Nvidia graphics driver on PC-BSD, can it be safely installed? You may be wondering why I'm asking this? Read on...

I had to repair Ubuntu 12.04 earlier today because a kernel update, installed from the list of updates, would not load the Nvidia driver on bootup. I discovered that trying the different versions of this (proprietary) Nvidia graphics driver (from the "Additional Drivers" settings GUI) a few weeks' ago had caused a conflict - it appears that the kernel update was trying to load a different version of the Nvidia driver, one that I had tried previously. How can this happen just by using a GUI dialogue ("Additional Drivers")? Surely when you change driver versions it would make sense to purge the other driver(s) and make sure only the chosen driver gets loaded during bootup?

This is how I managed to get it working again, by following the instructions given in the first reply:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/68220/system-wont-boot-with-nvidia-driver-enabled

[david_a]

The first reply in that thread seems to be a simple correction for a minor Ubuntu updater error. Does this have something to do with PC-BSD?

[David30]

The first reply in that thread seems to be a simple correction for a minor Ubuntu updater error. Does this have something to do with PC-BSD?

Yes it does. Both use X and I'm wondering if the X configuration got mucked up somehow by the Nvidia drivers?

[bds]

Yes it does. Both use X and I'm wondering if the X configuration got mucked up somehow by the Nvidia drivers?

Re #1 - I don't know for certain, but I would guess that there are minor differences between the two drivers (Linux <-> FreeBSD). BUT I don't know.

Re #2 - Probably? How are you selecting the Nvidia driver?
PC-BSD Control Panel > System Manager > System Packages > Hardware-Drivers > NVIDIA -- is one method. This will grab whatever latest version of the Nvidia driver is maintained on the PC-BSD servers. You'll probably need to run through the Display setup wizard at your next boot.