From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Dec 13 18:08:11 2012 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8AC046B0 for ; Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:08:11 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd-questions@m.gmane.org) Received: from plane.gmane.org (plane.gmane.org [80.91.229.3]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 380C58FC13 for ; Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:08:10 +0000 (UTC) Received: from list by plane.gmane.org with local (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1TjDCm-0000Ev-Mz for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:08:20 +0100 Received: from pool-173-79-84-117.washdc.fios.verizon.net ([173.79.84.117]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:08:20 +0100 Received: from nightrecon by pool-173-79-84-117.washdc.fios.verizon.net with local (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:08:20 +0100 X-Injected-Via-Gmane: http://gmane.org/ To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org From: Michael Powell Subject: Re: KDE trouble, perhaps related to display wizard usage Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:08:02 -0500 Lines: 50 Message-ID: References: <1355416134.2606.34.camel@q> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org X-Gmane-NNTP-Posting-Host: pool-173-79-84-117.washdc.fios.verizon.net X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.14 Precedence: list Reply-To: nightrecon@hotmail.com List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:08:11 -0000 Ralf Mardorf wrote: > Hi :) > > the KDE 4 desktop does cause issues, since I set up the panel and then > booted with display wizard enabled, on PC-BSD 8.2 64-bit. > > The last panel I add often isn't visible and accessible, but the first > panel did work before I restarted with display wizard enabled. I add > several panels, that are invisible and not accessible. Resetting > graphics and monitor settings using display wizard doesn't solve the > issue. > > Opened window apps aren't shown on the desktop. > > Any ideas what's broken that I can't access, resp. seldom can access the > panel and that the application's windows aren't accessible (only shown > in the panel, assumed there is a panel, but not shown on the desktop)? > > FWIW changing the X settings doesn't please me, I'll test a xorg.conf > that I used with Linux and for sure I'll switch to another DE, on Linux > I e.g. prefer Xfce4, but I guess first I should set up the default > install to my needs. > I don't use KDE with FreeBSD any longer, however, FWIW a couple of generic ideas to maybe get you started. I've never had much luck with the KDE system config monitor tool. But one thing to notice - if only 3 resolutions such as 640,800, & 1024 are listed it may be an indicator you have only these VESA modes available. This is most likely due to not having the mfr's binary blob drivers installed, rather than using the open source variants. The open source versions (Nouveau for Nvidia) lag behind the mfr blob in terms of performance and feature support. KDE really demands having the best drivers runnning. Performance issues can be examined in a couple of areas. You can disable the Desktop Effects as well as change the rendering backend from OpenGL to XRender. XRender might be more suitable for older, really low end video cards while OpenGL is more horsepower intensive. I've used radeonhd driver before a couple of years ago, and nowadays use a Nvidia GTS 450. What I don't have experience with is the Intel graphics. However, the essential thing of getting off of VESA and into hardware accelerated via drivers might be something to look at. -Mike