Change default video driver during install

[Prospero424]

Since I haven't received any replies to my topic here: http://forums.pcbsd.org/viewtopic.php?t=4354 I thought I'd ask a more specific question:

My best guess is that the video driver PC-BSD wants to use for my Radeon 9200 (PCI) is crashing the system when KDE first tries to initialize; locking the system in the process.

Is there any way to force PC-BSD to use a different video driver during the first boot after installation?

TIA, me hearties.

[antik]

Since I haven't received any replies to my topic here: http://forums.pcbsd.org/viewtopic.php?t=4354 I thought I'd ask a more specific question:

My best guess is that the video driver PC-BSD wants to use for my Radeon 9200 (PCI) is crashing the system when KDE first tries to initialize; locking the system in the process.

Is there any way to force PC-BSD to use a different video driver during the first boot after installation?

TIA, me hearties.

Yes, you can use vesa driver for all video cards. After installation and while booting first time, press any key when asked before splashscreen. Go to single user mode:
boot -s
from command line mount all filesystems read&write:
mount -a
edit your xorg config file:
ee /etc/X11/XF86Config

replace any driver with vesa:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "vesa" #"neomagic"
EndSection

exit

[Prospero424]

Thanks very much for the tips! I'll try that out as soon as I can.

But does anyone have any input on what affect will this have on desktop functionality? Will the performance always be abysmal and be limited to low resolutions?

Regardless, this should prove once and for all if it's really the video driver causing the problem.

BTW antik, do you happen to know for sure if the Radeon 9200 PCI is supported, or just the AGP version?

Thanks again.

[antik]

BTW antik, do you happen to know for sure if the Radeon 9200 PCI is supported, or just the AGP version?

Thanks again.

I think PCI or AGP does not matter, they all use PCI addressing anyway.

[Prospero424]

Hmmmmm, that gives me an idea.

I haven't tried moving the vid card to a different PCI slot yet. Maybe it's an odd IRQ issue.

I'll let you know how it comes out.

If anyone else has a suggestion, please don't hesitate.

[Apatewna]

Hmmmmm, that gives me an idea.

I haven't tried moving the vid card to a different PCI slot yet. Maybe it's an odd IRQ issue.

I'll let you know how it comes out.

If anyone else has a suggestion, please don't hesitate.

This is a suggestion only, no harm to try it.
Whenever I install some *nix OS, I usually select in BIOS "Plug-and-Play OS=disabled" so that the BIOS controls which IRQs are assigned where. This is ok to use even with windows. I never trusted the core MS functions anyway.

[Prospero424]

I did indeed try disabling PnP OS in the BIOS. No worky.

Thanks for the tip, anyway. :)

[antik]

I did indeed try disabling PnP OS in the BIOS. No worky.

Thanks for the tip, anyway. :)

You have to create proper xorg.conf file with xorg autodetection feature:

# X -configure
# cp /root/xorg.conf.orig /etc/X11/xorg.conf
and syncronize all fonts folders and screen resolution you want from /etc/X11/XF86Config file.

[Blob]

Section "Device"
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "vesa" #"neomagic"
EndSection

exit

This really helped me with my Dell laptop :) Thanks antik!