I upgraded to the 2.6.12 kernel the other day. Everything seems to be working well. Checking out my kernel config, though, I came up with a question. First some code:

I am using an NVIDIA GeForce 5700 LE. I was wondering if this is the optimal configuration. Note the intersting parts:

CONFIG_FB=y

So the framebuffer is what allows the higher resolution command line, correct? Reading the kernel configuration help:

So is there any performance hit on a desktop that primarily uses X? Is the help suggesting that running with a framebuffer may cause unexpected results, or that running without a framebuffer may cause unexpected results?

CONFIG_FB_CFB_FILLRECT=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_COPYAREA=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_IMAGEBLIT=y
CONFIG_FB_SOFT_CURSOR=y
CONFIG_FB_MODE_HELPERS=y

The above five, I don't seem to see in the kernel configuration tool. Are they automatically selected because of other choices I made, or am I just looking in the wrong place?

# CONFIG_FB_TILEBLITTING is not set

Is there any advantage to enabling this with an NVIDIA card? All the help gives as a clue is this:

CONFIG_FB_VESA=y

So this is still needed along with the specific framebuffer module for my card? I am thinking yes because even though this is compiled directly into the kernel, I still see th following:

So what does this indicate? Is the nvidiafb module not being used? Isn't that what the 0 indicates? Shouldn't it be used?

CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA=m

Help sayd that you should say yes if you have an graphics card with nVidia chips, so I figure it is a good thing to have it, even if only as a module. Any benefits to compiling it directly in?

CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA_I2C=y

Just folowing help's advice on this one.

Nothing seems to be broken right now, just wondering if I am squeezing every last bit of performance (that I never use ) out of my hardware.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

the frame buffer is for graphics outside of x. I tried the riva fb option for my card and ended up re compilling without it 'case it conflicted with the nvidia drivers. since on most systems the most intensive thing that the fb will do is a "cool" splash screen at boot up I would just stick with the generic vesa fb option.

I have the same card, I don't enable CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA
as johnson_steve said, it may produces conflict with the
proprietary driver.

Also as you compiled it as module, I think it is not used
because the framebuffer function is loaded before any
modules if I refer to the boot process (see the output
at boot) The kernel set the framebuffer video memory
once and don't come back. (That's why framebuffer
features need to be enabled as built-in not modules)
I think it can be enabled as module if it is loaded from
an initrd though.

For this card you need only enable
CONFIG_FB,
CONFIG_FB_VESA,
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE,
CONFIG_VGA_CONSOLE,
CONFIG_VIDEO_SELECT
CONFIG_FONTS
(and one font)

That should be all for framebuffer