Re: X: how to *really* switch from nouveau to modesetting?
You did it. You made the switch. But see below.....
(There are multiple components to GPU support in Linux.)
(There is no "the" nouveau "driver". Graphics support is in the hands of multiple
software components, several of which incorporate the string "nouveau" in naming.)
D. R. Evans composed on 2023-09-11 11:47 (UTC-0600):
> Graphics:
> Device-1: NVIDIA GF108 [GeForce GT 430] vendor: Gigabyte driver: nouveau
Above shows your kernel DEVICE driver is nouveau. It ships specifically for each
kernel with each kernel. For NVidia GPUs there is no other FOSS device driver
option for normal use with KMS enabled, which maximum possible FOSS performance
unconditionally requires. With KMS disabled, there is a crude generic option with
limited resolutions available that no one ever would use purposely unless too
naive to understand the opportunity loss. It's for fallback and troubleshooting
when normal is unavailable.
> v: kernel non-free: series: 390.xx+ status: legacy-active (EOL~late 2022)
> arch: Fermi code: GF1xx process: 40/28nm built: 2010-16 pcie: gen: 1
> speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: HDMI-A-1 empty: DVI-I-1,VGA-1
> bus-ID: 04:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:0de1 class-ID: 0300
> Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 driver: X:
> loaded: modesetting dri: nouveau gpu: nouveau display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Above shows your loaded X DISPLAY driver is modesetting, the one & only competent
FOSS alternative to the nouveau that ships in xserver-xorg-video-nouveau.
The DRI driver is another nouveau, another piece of the graphics support puzzle,
another only option for competent FOSS NVidia GPU support.
# dpkg-query -W | grep nouveau
libdrm-nouveau2:amd64 2.4.114-1+b1 amd64 Userspace interface to nouveau-specific
kernel DRM services -- runtime
#
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Rendering_Infrastructure
> My xorg.conf file currently looks like this:
You should have no /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. Proprietary NVidia drivers and
configurators normally make one. It's just something they do. For FOSS drivers,
/etc/X11/xorg.conf is an anachronism that remains occasionally useful. Any such
file created by NVidia installation or reconfiguration must be removed, or
severely edited, in order to revert from proprietary NVidia driver use to
FOSS-only use.
> And the file that Felix suggested I install,
> /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf, looks like this:
> Section "Device"
> Identifier "DDX"
> Driver "modesetting"
> # Driver "nouveau"
> EndSection
That's a valid available option for overriding the selection Xorg would make on
its automagic own. Its existence overrides any conflicting equivalent in any
existing /etc/X11/xorg.conf. By having it it is normally not necessary to keep
xserver-xorg-video-nouveau uninstalled to keep X keeping the modesetting DIX
loaded instead of the nouveau DDX.
DIX: Device Independent X display driver (works with most GPUs regarless of brand)
DDX: Device Dependent X display driver (specific to one brand of GPU)
--
Evolution as taught in public schools is, like religion,
based on faith, not based on science.
Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!
Felix Miata
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