FreeBSD: (EE) Failed to load module “fbdev” (module does not exist, 0) Error and Solution

The error message “EE Failed to load module ‘fbdev’ (module does not exist, 0)” typically occurs when trying to start the X Window System on a FreeBSD system, and it indicates that the fbdev module, which is used to provide graphics support for the X server, is missing.

To resolve this issue, try the following steps:

  1. Install the xorg-drivers package:
sudo pkg install xorg-drivers
  1. Check the contents of the /usr/local/lib/xorg/modules/drivers directory:
ls /usr/local/lib/xorg/modules/drivers
  1. If the fbdev_drv.so file is not present in the drivers directory, try reinstalling the xorg-drivers package:
sudo pkg install -f xorg-drivers
  1. If the issue persists, check the Xorg.0.log file in /var/log for additional error messages that may provide more information about the cause of the problem:
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log

If the above steps do not resolve the issue, you may need to consult the Xorg manual page, or seek further assistance from the FreeBSD community.

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