[lug] RE: Nvidia accelerated divers

[D. Stimits]

Jeff Howell wrote:
> 
> Actually that line in the XF86Config-4 file is telling X which agp
> driver to use. As agpgart is loaded as a module, you're using the kernel
> agp driver which is slowing your 3d performance a lot. The nvidia agp
> driver won't show up as a kernel module. It's internal to the driver. I
> would suggest using it unless you have a motherboard chipset that is
> listed in the nvidia docs as incompatible with thir driver.

There is always need for DRI interfacing modules, and 4.0.x servers use
one API, while 4.1.x servers use another (which is somewhat inconvenient
if you have the wrong kernel). Except in the case of NVidia, which has
its very own DRI API. What I'm fuzzy on is whether that DRI API alters
the AGP module calls. I was under the impression that agpgart had both
an NVidia and a stock version; I've personally used only the NVidia
version where possible, since it seems more reliable under SMP OpenGL
(combine that with 4.0.3 XFree86 for a very stable SMP OpenGL server...I
haven't heard anything at all about 4.1.x and NVidia, I'm wondering if
4.1.x can be used with NVidia at this point, or whether it is still
waiting for new modules).

D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com

> 
> An excellent document for their drivers is here:
>  http://www.nvidia.com/docs/lo/1018/SUPP/NVLinuxNotes_1541.pdf
> 
> On Fri, 2001-11-09 at 13:41, D. Stimits wrote:
> > One thing I've noticed is that XFree86 4.0.3 is much more stable than
> > 4.0.2, and that newer NVidia drivers are also far more stable than old
> > ones. I use an original GeForce I (but DDR). The 4.0.3 has a lot to do
> > with SMP cleanups (I use SMP). The one thing that I found was the real
> > show stopper is that I had to use the NVidia agpgart, and I had to
> > specify 2x AGP, not 4x. The 4x was a problem. But considering I've had
> > 640x480 24/32 bit programs exceeding 300 frames per sec, I don't think
> > it is a problem. To specify 2x AGP with NVidia, within
> > /etc/X11/XF86Config-4, find Section "Device" for the nVidia hardware,
> > and add this (but be sure you are set to boot to console mode in case it
> > doesn't go right...you can escape from a respawning X11 server, but it
> > takes good timing):
> >   Option "NvAgp" "2"
> >
> > Mine reads:
> > Section "Device"
> >    Identifier "nVidia Corporation|GeForce 256 DDR"
> >    Driver "nvidia"
> >    BoardName "Unknown"
> >    Option "NvAgp" "2"
> > EndSection
> >
> > And under lsmod I see these:
> > agpgart                14816   3  (autoclean)
> > NVdriver              659584  15  (autoclean)
> >
> > (though I'm not positive, I do think probably the agpgart is the NVidia
> > version)
> >
> > With the 2x AGP, I find it is difficult to crash X11 under OpenGL
> > (though I did recently come across a strange case that required
> > rearranging the order of setting up an OpenGL window...glClearColor()
> > had to be changed to a different location).
> 
> --
>  Jeff Howell
>  EDS Unix Support
> 
>   Linux Slackware: The Ultimate NT Service Pack
> 
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