[TODO]: Add See ( footnote_number ) notes.
# pkg bootstrap
# pkg update
# cat /etc/rc.conf
zfs_enable="YES"
ifconfig_ue0="DHCP"
defaultrouter="192.168.1.254"
sshd_enable="YES"
# bectl list
BE Active Mountpoint Space Created
default NR / 655M 2025-03-01 17:42
# freebsd-update fetch
# freebsd-update install
# bectl list
BE Active Mountpoint Space Created
14.2-RELEASE_2025-03-01_190330 - - 4.20M 2025-03-01 19:03
default NR / 675M 2025-03-01 17:42
# zpool set cachefile=/etc/zfs/zpool.cache zroot
# reboot
zdb(8) is now not complaining with “cannot open /etc/zfs/zpool.cache: No such file or directory”.
# zdb
zroot:
version: 5000
name: 'zroot'
state: 0
---- snip ----
# freebsd-version
14.2-RELEASE-p2
# bectl create 14.2-p2-pre-xorg
# bectl list
BE Active Mountpoint Space Created
14.2-RELEASE_2025-03-01_190330 - - 5.01M 2025-03-01 19:03
14.2-p2-pre-xorg - - 1K 2025-03-01 19:25
default NR / 716M 2025-03-01 17:42
# pkg install xorg
See [5].
To create the locate(1) database /var/db/locate.database, run:
# /etc/periodic/weekly/310.locate
# adduser
### Add your user here
### The username for my user is dusko
# pw groupmod video -m dusko
Graphics Driver
# pciconf -lv | grep -B4 VGA
root@:~ # pciconf -lv | grep -B4 VGA
vgapci0@pci0:0:2:0: class=0x030000 rev=0x0c hdr=0x00 vendor=0x8086 device=0x
46a6 subvendor=0x17aa subdevice=0x22ee
vendor = 'Intel Corporation'
device = 'Alder Lake-P GT2 [Iris Xe Graphics]'
class = display
subclass = VGA
Intel Graphics refers to the class of graphics chips that are integrated on the same die as an Intel CPU. The graphics/drm-kmod package, https://cgit.freebsd.org/ports/tree/graphics/drm-kmod/, indirectly provides a range of kernel modules for use with Intel Graphics cards.
The Intel driver can be installed by executing the following command: # pkg install drm-kmod.
However, for 14.2-RELEASE, installing drm-kmod will not work so you have to apply “drm-kmod Graphics Fix”.
# bectl create 14.2-p2-pre-drm-kmod-fix
# bectl list
BE Active Mountpoint Space Created
14.2-RELEASE_2025-03-01_190330 - - 5.01M 2025-03-01 19:03
14.2-p2-pre-drm-kmod-fix - - 1K 2025-03-01 20:50
14.2-p2-pre-xorg - - 222K 2025-03-01 19:25
default NR / 2.02G 2025-03-01 17:42
# pkg install git
From: [Solved] FreeBSD 14.2 Graphics Fix and Bug 283123 - loading i915kms causes black screen (as per open issue):
# pkg remove drm-kmod
# pkg clean
# pkg autoremove
# ls /usr/
# ls /usr/src/
# ls /usr/ports/
# git clone --depth=1 --branch releng/14.2 https://git.FreeBSD.org/src.git /usr/src
# git clone --depth 1 https://git.FreeBSD.org/ports.git /usr/ports
# cd /usr/ports/
# git -C /usr/ports pull
# make fetchindex
# make search name=drm-kmod
# cd /usr/ports/graphics/drm-kmod
# make describe
# MAKE_JOBS_UNSAFE=yes
# make run-depends
# make install
# make clean
# cd /tmp
See [4].
# kldload i915kms
To configure the Intel driver in a configuration file [6]:
# cat << EOF > /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf
Section "Device"
Identifier "Intel Iris Xe Card"
Driver "intel"
EndSection
EOF
Try starting X (X Window System), aka X11 or Xorg.
# startx
Or:
# xinit
If the Intel driver is not working, then try using modesetting:
# cat /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-modesetting.conf
Section "Device"
Identifier "Modesetting Intel Iris Xe"
Driver "modesetting"
EndSection
# printf %s\\n 'kld_list="i915kms"' >> /etc/rc.conf
# printf %s\\n 'hostname="tp14s.home.arpa"' >> /etc/rc.conf
To configure the touchpad:
# cat << EOF > /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/30-touchpad.conf
Section "InputClass"
Identifier "Touchpad"
MatchIsTouchpad "on"
Driver "libinput"
Option "Tapping" "on"
Option "NaturalScrolling" "on"
EndSection
EOF
# reboot
See [7]:
# cp -i /usr/share/skel/* /usr/home/dusko/
# cd /usr/home/dusko/
# mv dot.cshrc .cshrc
# mv dot.login .login
# mv dot.login_conf .login_conf
# mv dot.mail_aliases .mail_aliases
# mv dot.mailrc .mailrc
# mv dot.profile .profile
# mv dot.shrc .shrc
# chown -R dusko /usr/home/dusko
# bectl create 14.2-p2-pre-FVWM
# bectl list
BE Active Mountpoint Space Created
14.2-RELEASE_2025-03-01_190330 - - 5.01M 2025-03-01 19:03
14.2-p2-pre-FVWM - - 1K 2025-03-01 22:27
14.2-p2-pre-drm-kmod-fix - - 3.21M 2025-03-01 20:50
14.2-p2-pre-xorg - - 222K 2025-03-01 19:25
default NR / 2.16G 2025-03-01 17:42
# pkg install fvwm
Log in as a regular user.
% printf %s\\n "exec fvwm" >> ~/.xinitrc
% cat ~/.xinitrc
exec fvwm
% exec startx
Programs and Fonts to Install
% sudo pkg install librewolf ungoogled-chromium firefox thunderbird
% sudo pkg install mutt aspell aspell-ispell en-aspell openconnect hsetroot
% sudo pkg install xv feh slock keepassxc conky bash
% sudo pkg install ruby ruby32-gems rubygem-rake rubygem-jekyll rubygem-bundler
NOTE: hsetroot is needed because (as of time of this writing), picom is incompatible with xsetroot’s -solid option, and a workaround is to use hsetroot to set the background color:
% hsetroot -solid gray
For my setup, the line hsetroot -solid gray goes to my .xinitrc.
NOTE: The taskwarrior’s binary name is task.
% sudo pkg install remind taskwarrior
% pkg query "%Fp" taskwarrior | wc -l
82
% pkg query "%Fp" taskwarrior
/usr/local/bin/task
---- snip ----
% sudo pkg install claws-mail claws-mail-plugins
% sudo pkg install claws-mail-archive claws-mail-attachwarner \
claws-mail-keyword_warner claws-mail-litehtml_viewer \
claws-mail-managesieve claws-mail-notification claws-mail-pdf_viewer \
claws-mail-perl claws-mail-rssyl claws-mail-vcalendar \
clawsker
% sudo pkg install rsync cpuid sqlite3 sqlite-ext-miscfuncs sqlitebrowser \
sqliteconvert sqlitemanager sqlitestudio
% sudo pkg install adminerevo php83-mysqli php83-pgsql php83-sqlite3
% sudo pkg install mame
Create a shell script mamestart.sh.
% cat mamestart.sh
#!/bin/sh
mame -window -resolution 800x600 \
-cfg_directory ~/.mame/cfg \
-pluginspath ~/.mame/ \
-rompath ~/.mame/roms
Dotfiles to Transfer to New System
Directories:
~/.config ~/.fonts ~/.fvwm
Files:
~/.Xresources ~/.xinitrc ~/.cshrc ~/.shrc
Dotfiles Not Needing Transfer as They are on the USB Flash Drive
remind(1)- Taskwarrior (
task(1)) today.pl- Recursive sticky notes
- GPG-encrypted private notes
Other Files to Transfer
- Crontab for the regular user
- Crontab for root
- Password safe (KeePassXC)
Scripts Not Needing Transfer as They are on the USB Flash Drive
/mnt/usbflashdrive/bin/startopenconnect.sh
/mnt/usbflashdrive/bin/closevpn.sh
Accounts to Transfer or Re-Setup
mutt(1)Mozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla Firefox
- IMAP (993), SMTP (465) - mailx.example.com - Thunderbird
- Address book: LDAP (389) - ldap.example.com - Thunderbird
Base DN: ou=People,dc=myunit,dc=example,dc=com
POP3 (993), SMTP (587 via VPN) - mail.example.com - Thunderbird
- IMAP (993) outlook.office365.com, SMTP (587) smtp.outlook365.com, OAuth2, fn.ln@example.com
- For older versions of TLS, in Thunderbird: go to Settings > Config Editor.
Change the preference security.tls.version.min. Set the value to 1.
- To setup shared mailboxes on Thunderbird using Exchange Online:
Footnotes
[1] From /usr/ports/graphics/drm-kmod/pkg-descr:
amdgpu, i915, and radeon DRM modules for the linuxkpi-based KMS components on
amd64, i915 and radeonkms DRM modules from the former base DRM component on
other architectures.
Metaport for different versions of Linux DRM based on the FreeBSD version
in use. This port encompasses the recommendations of the FreeBSDDesktop team
of DRM versions for FreeBSD versions based on the last update to the LinuxKPI
in that code base. In general, the most recent supported stable DRM for a given
FreeBSD version will be installed. CURRENT receives the most recent
development DRM.
This port does not however hinder the expert user to make other decisions and
continue to install DRM ports directly.
[2]
===> Registering installation for drm-61-kmod-6.1.128.1402000_1 as automatic
Installing drm-61-kmod-6.1.128.1402000_1...
The drm-61-kmod port can be enabled for amdgpu (for AMD
GPUs starting with the HD7000 series / Tahiti) or i915kms (for Intel
APUs starting with HD3000 / Sandy Bridge) through kld_list in
/etc/rc.conf. radeonkms for older AMD GPUs can be loaded and there are
some positive reports if EFI boot is NOT enabled.
For amdgpu: kld_list="amdgpu"
For Intel: kld_list="i915kms"
For radeonkms: kld_list="radeonkms"
Please ensure that all users requiring graphics are members of the
"video" group.
Please note that this package was built for FreeBSD 14.2.
If this is not your current running version, please rebuild
it from ports to prevent panics when loading the module.
===> drm-kmod-20220907_3 depends on file: /boot/modules/drm.ko - found
===> Returning to build of drm-kmod-20220907_3
[3]
Alternatively:
- CFT: repository for kernel modules
https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-ports/2024-December/006997.html
- GhostBSD pkg(8) Repository on FreeBSD
https://vermaden.wordpress.com/2025/02/13/ghostbsd-pkg-repository-on-freebsd/
- Boot hangs after loading i915kms
https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/boot-hangs-after-loading-i915kms.95904/
“I could only have one or the other installed; I’d try: pkg install -f drm-515-kmod.”
Also:
Possible solution to the drm-kmod kernel mismatch after upgrade from Bapt https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/possible-solution-to-the-drm-kmod-kernel-mismatch-after-upgrade-from-bapt.96058/page-2#post-684565
[4]
Then add the module to /etc/rc.conf file, executing the following command:
root@:~ # printf %s\\n 'kld_list="i915kms"' >> /etc/rc.conf
Alternatively:
sysrc kld_list+=i915kms
Xorg Configuration Files
Xorg looks in several directories for configuration files. /usr/local/etc/X11/ is the recommended directory for these files on FreeBSD. Using this directory helps keep application files separate from operating system files.
Single or Multiple Files
It is easier to use multiple files that each configure a specific setting than the traditional single xorg.conf. These files are stored in the /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ subdirectory.
Tip
The traditional single xorg.conf still works, but is neither as clear nor as flexible as multiple files in the /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ subdirectory.
[5] Message from dejavu-2.37_3:
– Make sure that the freetype module is loaded. If it is not, add the following line to the “Modules” section of your X Windows configuration file:
Load "freetype"
Add the following line to the “Files” section of X Windows configuration file:
FontPath "/usr/local/share/fonts/dejavu/"
Note: your X Windows configuration file is typically /etc/X11/XF86Config if you are using XFree86, and /etc/X11/xorg.conf if you are using X. ```
[6] aka, Select Intel video driver in a file.
[7] This is usually not needed – Not sure what caused it this time.
Could it be because I chose “ZFS home directory encryption” when I used adduser(8)?