Chapter 5. Using Linux Compatibility Support

If you wish to run Linux OpenGL applications on your FreeBSD computer, you will need to make sure that several prerequisites are met.

First, you should follow the basic Linux compatibility installation guide in the FreeBSD Handbook (install the linux_base package, etc). Once the basic components are in place, you will need to install the NVIDIA Linux OpenGL libraries in /compat/linux/usr/lib (do not brandelf them!); if the /compat/linux/usr/lib/ directory exists when you install the FreeBSD driver, the Linux compatibility OpenGL libraries will automatically be installed.

Additionally, the nvidia.ko kernel module needs to be built with support for the Linux ABI compatibility layer. This is the case by default; as a consequence, the nvidia.ko kernel module requires the linux.ko module to be loaded.

Note: If you have no need for Linux ABI compatibility and do not wish to load linux.ko, you can build the nvidia.ko kernel module without support for the Linux ABI compatibility layer (see nv-freebsd.h for details).