Putting nvidia kernel driver into initial ram disk

[pinguin74]

Do I have any benefit from putting the nvidia kernel module into the initial ram disk?

Would the driver module recognize the nVidia hardware on bootup? The Linux Nouveau driver seem to set the display resolution at bootup. It would be cool if the nVidia driver could do the same when put into the initial ram disk.

Malte

[poltsy]

The nvidia driver does not support KMS so that would be a no.

[Gusar]

Originally Posted by poltsy

The nvidia driver does not support KMS so that would be a no.

To be nitpicky, but it's important to be in this case, KMS has nothing to do with the console switching to a high resolution. It's all because there a fbcon driver integrated into the KMS drivers.

Nvidia doesn't use KMS but they do have modesetting in the kernel. So all that would be necessary is for them to have a fbcon driver in their module. But they won't do it because none of their main customers require it.

[artem]

NVIDIA's blob doesn't do/support KMS, so adding it to initrd makes no sense.

[Deanjo]

Originally Posted by Gusar

But they won't do it because none of their main customers require it.

Actually it is more of a license issue then anything else.

[phil@elrepo]

Originally Posted by pinguin74

The Linux Nouveau driver seem to set the display resolution at bootup. It would be cool if the nVidia driver could do the same...

You can set the display resolution at boot time using the 'vga' kernel parameter from the kernel boot line.

Just append "vga=xxx" to the end of the kernel bootline in /boot/grub/grub.conf where "xxx" corresponds to the resolution and colour depth desired. See here for a list of codes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VESA_BI...o_mode_numbers

Is that what you are looking for?

[Gusar]

Originally Posted by Deanjo

Actually it is more of a license issue then anything else.

Oh? It's not possible to have a fbcon driver in a closed module?

Originally Posted by phil@elrepo

You can set the display resolution at boot time using the 'vga' kernel parameter from the kernel boot line.

Two issues with that: One, vesafb is slow as hell. And two, the desired resolution may or may not be (with nvidia it tends to be the latter) in the card's vbios.