FreeBSD and the Bumblebee Project ??
 

Hello,

Just one question, I want to try FreeBSD and I have the NVIDIA Optimus technology issue on my laptop, so my question is if the Bumblebee Project also works on BSD?? or if there is another program on bsd? or I install Bumblebee Project from source? or what u recommend?

Appreciate any help,

Thanks!!

I don't think it's supported: https://github.com/Bumblebee-Project...bee/issues/240

You may be stuck with the vesa driver on the intel IGP in fact...

@codeman1234


Nvidia Optimus does not work in FreeBSD.

You have to disable Optimus in BIOS and select either Intel integrated graphics or Nvidia discrete graphics card, both would work separately, but not both (Optimus).

Hey guys,

Thanks for the reply, yes I was afraid of that, is it worth it to turn it off from BIOS?

Because personally I am struggling between FreeBSD and Slackware, then I will get Slackware a try until this issue is solved or I change laptop.

I am trying Slackware since I loved Debian for a long time and I wanted to upgraded my Linux Skills with Slackware / Arch / Gentoo and from the 3 I stuck with Slack since seems to be for me since I see it like the next level from Debian, I was going to try Gentoo but, it seems you have to compile everything from source and for me it just takes to long, and Slackware seems to be love for everyone that uses and teaches you Linux, that is what I need since I cannot do BSD.

Thanks!!!


If you have any comment about this distros or BSD I will appreciate any recommendations or any advice.

I believe you can turn it off on some 'BIOS', but you might still be stuck with the vesa driver on either the nvidia gpu or the intel igp. It's best that you search the freebsd forums and see if there is any more info there.

Slackware, Gentoo and the *BSDs will involve building from source, if that's something you're not willing to invest the time in, then sticking with Debian is probably the best option.

Hello cynwulf,

Thanks for the advice, I went back to Debian and I will try slackware, arch, gentoo, and freebsd on virtuabox until I get as comfortable with it as Debian.

Thanks again!!

Bumblebee requires VirtualGL which at the moment is a Linux only project. No word on if it can be compiled in a non-Linux environment.

Currently also, libmesa (not libosmesa) does not have build instructions to compile for *BSD which strictly limits the abilities of the DRI to perform 3D rendering in hardware.

Until Mesa gets a full port to FreeBSD, it's abilities with X11 for 3D hardware accelerated graphics and drivers will be fairly much limited to a few GPUs at best, most of which are Nvidia only.

You might be best to stick to Slackware or Gentoo which both are very BSD-like. Gentoo also has some of the most advanced development going on such with projects like OpenRC, MDev, and several others.

Hello,

Just to know is this issue solved for BSD? Since it seems there official drivers on NVidia Website for my Video Card on FreeBSD.


Thanks

@codeman1234

Nvidia Optimus does not work under FreeBSD, it has to be disabled in BIOS and only one graphics card can be enabled in BIOS (Intel or Nvidia).

As a single card both Intel and Nvidia work, but not together (Optimus).

Hello Vermaden,

Thanks for the help, but then which card is recommended to use? is better to use my NVidia GeForce GT 540M better than intel one right??

And with that card I will be available to use compiz and windows effects, play games etc. right?

It will work like having one video card not 2 but, is the nvidia video card strong enough to work by itself??

Please let me know,

Thanks again for your help, really appreciate!

@codeman1234

Depends what You need.

If You just want the desktop with ability to play movies, listen to music, work, browse the Internet, then choose then Intel one, lower power consumption (longer battery life). But there is a catch, after You start X11 You can not switch back to VT (its being worked on to allow this).

If You want to play games or do some heavy 3D stuff (blender) then use the Nvidia one.

Hey Vermaden,

Thanks again!!

What I want is very simple is all of the above, from playing movies, to listen music, to work, to use emulators like Mame and Play PC Games, also programming applications and websites using frameworks like Ruby on Rails or PHP ones like ZF2, Symfony2, CI, Laravel, etc... Basically everything I could do in a Windows System with no restrictions on this Optimus Technology, using the NVidia would do this for me right? Is the best choice right?

Try both and then make the choice ;)