Just a heads up since a lot of the NetBSD desktop users seem to be here... Riastradh and Maya have been syncing our graphics drivers with the DRM/KMS stack in Linux 5.6. This will bring support for a large amount of newer hardware, as well as support for GLAMOR, a new acceleration mode in the X Window System. The newer shims for Linux kernel interfaces should also make future GPU driver updates much easier, resulting in less of a lag before newer GPUs are supported in NetBSD. The new drivers are now running semi-successfully on several developer's machines, but more testing is always appreciated (in particular, crash reports). ~~~ If you're interested in testing the new code, clone the repository from Riastradh's GitHub and build a kernel (remember to back up the known-working one): ~~~ Just track -current since the branch was merged. Please report any bugs the standard way, not in this thread. The modesetting driver must be used currently. This can be specified in `/etc/xorg.conf`: Section "Device" Identifier "Card0" Driver "modesetting" EndSection

@"nia"#p8593 Super stoked for this, kudos to all involved!

@"Bruno"#p8599 Same as everything else, experimental, being worked on

I've been seeing graphics drivers brought up a lot on r/BSD, maybe we could get a write up over there. Seems like some people over there might be willing to install NetBSD and do some testing.

@"tcmart14"#p8621 I asked Taylor if I could blog about this and he was reserved about it because it's in a very unfinished state. At least people have to be dedicated enough to NetBSD to bother compiling a kernel and writing up useful crash debug output ;)

@"nia"#p8625 Yea that is true, it can be rough to get people to do those steps and give good output. I just figured it might be a good opportunity to tell people to 'put their money where there mouth is,' since I've noticed some groaning about graphics on BSD on r/BSD. If those people are serious, they should take the opportunity to help out with at least by testing. I would, but none of my computers have graphics or at least graphics new enough to worry about support. I think my 2009 mac mini has a graphics card built in, but I just use it as a NetBSD test box over ssh and the age of it, the graphics is probably already supported or not relevant enough to spend the developer's resources (time) to support it.

> @"tcmart14"#p8627 I just figured it might be a good opportunity to tell people to 'put their money where there mouth is,' since I've noticed some groaning about graphics on BSD on r/BSD. If those people are serious... r/BSD is one of the most toxic techie community I've ever come across in my modest *nix computing history. A masterful showcase of the Dunning–Kruger effect. From time to time something interesting pops up there and makes it worth to keep it among my reddit subscription, but that's all. On the plus side, the community seems very OpenBSD-centric and I doubt most people would be factually interested in trying the new graphic stack. If they were, they would probably find the info they need elsewhere. The amount of common places, vague assumptions, and outdated info I've seen posted on r/BSD -regarding NetBSD- is disheartening

> @"nia"#p8625 At least people have to be dedicated enough to NetBSD to bother compiling a kernel and writing up useful crash debug output I'm willing to help with this, but I don't know how to provide useful crash debug info for developers. Is there some guide I can refer to? I have two different Dell Optiplex machines (3020M and 3040M) that I can test the kernel with the new DRM/KMS stack on.

@"oui"#p8639 You can set in sysctl.conf: ``` ddb.onpanic?=0 ddb.commandonenter=bt;show registers;sync ``` This will save crash dumps to /var/crash which can be examined with crash(8) when decompressed, particularly useful is the "bt" (backtrace) command.. Perhaps more usefully if you've built a kernel you get netbsd.gdb, which can be opened with gdb, then you can open a crash dump in gdb with "target kvm /var/crash/..." and get a much more elaborate backtrace. It is also useful to build a kernel with the LOCKDEBUG option enabled.

5.6 GPU drivers update

neubaer

nia The RX 560 works. The WX 2100 doesn't, but I may have made a mistake so I'll re-test tomorrow. I don't have space for a dedicated test machine, so I went with a VM with PCI passthrough.

Also the default ctwm config you made is awesome. I have a 4k screen and the font scaling by default is great.

nia

neubaer Please report stuff on GitHub, there's not much point telling me.

vazub

RX580 doesn’t work yet - kernel panic on boot for me. Reported on GitHub.

Not sure why, but nia ‘s suggestions on how to get a crash dump didn’t work for me - there was none generated in /var/crash.

Mosfet

Hi @nia , since November is here (BTW I wish you to have a nice month), can you please give us an update about the merge (of DRM code)?
What about the branch of 10.0 in general? Will it happen this year or is it scheduled towards 2022?

Many thanks!

nia

Mosfet re: drm merge, no idea, martin wants it to happen before 10 is released

10 will be branched "soon", not sure how long afterwards it'll be released

vazub

nia I am eager to help with testing for amdgpu, but there seems to be quite a delay in communication with the author. Is he frequenting this forum as well?

nia

No, he's busy with other things right now.

andreasdr

Hi, super nice! Will try very soon. <3

andreasdr

Hmm. Do I need to download firmware somewhere? I got a kernel panic. Using a Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 480 8G D5 OC, 1342MHz, 8GB GDDR5, DVI, 2x HDMI, 2x DP.

https://pasteimg.com/image/f2WYi
https://pasteimg.com/image/f2Plb

Jay

andreasdr did you build a kernel from repo?

andreasdr

@nia I know that amdgpu class graphics board need firmware. The error 2 does tell file not found. I also did not download a firmware. Where to download it and where to place it in NetBSD file system? Thank you!

andreasdr

Jay Yes! Of course! Just like described on top of topic here. And using NetBSD manual. But usually a kernel does not itself contain firm wares.

Mosfet

andreasdr since firmware files are just binary blobs, I am guessing you could grab them for example from debian: https://packages.debian.org/bullseye/firmware-amd-graphics

Moreover, from: https://man.netbsd.org/firmload.9
I see:
Default search path for firmware
/libdata/firmware
/usr/libdata/firmware
/usr/pkg/libdata/firmware
/usr/pkg/libdata

So, the first path ("/libdata/firmware") I think should be OK.

20-100

The original repo for firmware blobs is https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git
When you copy the blobs to /libdata/firmware, you need to place them in a sub-directory with the name of the NetBSD module.
In my case, it was an i915drmkms driver, whose blobs are under the i915 sub-directory on github.
I had to create /libdata/firmware/i915drmkms and copy i915 and all its content inside, so all my blobs were located in /libdata/firmware/i915drmkms/i915/.
You get the idea.

andreasdr

Hmm. Just placing the firmware into /libdata/firmware/amdgpu works! Now DRM for AMDGPU is loaded and initialized. However using amdgpu driver in standard installation XOrg fails due to missing symbol. Actually I was super excited. But why are there no instructions how to properly test? So what instructions to follow to get a working X with new NetBSD DRM.
I just built the kernel as stated on top and used it with a 9.2 stock installtion. So what to do to get X working now?

Mosfet

andreasdr I don't think that you can simply just grab a current kernel, put it in 9.2 (alongside with firmware files) and have a working X desktop (with amdgpu acceleration).
Well, the obvious question is: Does it work on current?
From your post, I am not sure that you have tried on a current (daily snapshot) installation.

andreasdr

Mosfet Ok. Ill tr a current snapshot.

nia

Also you need to use the modesetting driver. No idea if that's built in -9

andreasdr

nia Hmm. Your description on top sais for "modesetting" for "Intel" only. I am confused. Just right now installed NetBSD current, building DRM kernel now. Fingers crossed.

andreasdr

Dudes!!! It works with last nights daily current snapshot and built kernel from repo described on top using the firmware from original linux firmware repository. Also I am using X AMDGPU driver. Rock N Roll. Let me test this a bit 🙂

Used graphics board: Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 480 8G D5 OC, 1342MHz, 8GB GDDR5, DVI, 2x HDMI, 2x DP.

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