fbdev: update outdated help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA

fbdev: update outdated help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA

[robgithub]

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The help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA refers to obsolete hardware and
incorrect default behaviour. This patch updates the description to
reflect the current state of the driver and supported devices.

Signed-off-by: robgithub <rob.github@jumpstation.co.uk>

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From 688a061ba0db71fc2d5facd8344db7a4d5b1575a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: robgithub <rob.github@jumpstation.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2026 22:14:43 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] fbdev: update outdated help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA

The help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA refers to obsolete hardware and
incorrect default behaviour. This patch updates the description to
reflect the current state of the driver and supported devices.

Signed-off-by: robgithub <rob.github@jumpstation.co.uk>
---
 drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig | 8 ++++----
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig b/drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig
index ac9ac4287c6a..d8e331427443 100644
--- a/drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig
@@ -668,10 +668,10 @@ config FB_NVIDIA
 	select BITREVERSE
 	select VGASTATE
 	help
-	  This driver supports graphics boards with the nVidia chips, TNT
-	  and newer. For very old chipsets, such as the RIVA128, then use
-	  the rivafb.
-	  Say Y if you have such a graphics board.
+    Supports NVIDIA GPUs from TNT through early GeForce generations
+    (NV4–NV2x: Twintor, Twintor2, Celsius, Kelvin).
+    Later architectures (Rankine and newer) are not reliably supported.
+    If unsure, say N.
 
 	  To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the
 	  module will be called nvidiafb.
-- 
2.52.0

Re: fbdev: update outdated help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA

[Randy Dunlap]

Hi,

On 3/12/26 1:55 PM, robgithub wrote:
> The help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA refers to obsolete hardware and
> incorrect default behaviour. This patch updates the description to
> reflect the current state of the driver and supported devices.
> 
> Signed-off-by: robgithub <rob.github@jumpstation.co.uk>

Inline patches are preferred over attachments.

I thought that Claws mail could send inline patches successfully. (?)

Documentation/process/email-clients.rst says that it works (after a little
configuration setting).

I don't know anything about which products are supported, so I have no
comment on that.

In the patch, the indentation is incorrect. Kconfig help text should be
indented with one tab + 2 spaces, not with 4 spaces.

thanks.
-- 
~Randy

Re: fbdev: update outdated help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA

[robgithub]

From 688a061ba0db71fc2d5facd8344db7a4d5b1575a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: robgithub <rob.github@jumpstation.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2026 22:14:43 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] fbdev: update outdated help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA

The help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA refers to obsolete hardware and
incorrect default behaviour. This patch updates the description to
reflect the current state of the driver and supported devices.

Signed-off-by: robgithub <rob.github@jumpstation.co.uk>
---
 drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig | 8 ++++----
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig b/drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig
index ac9ac4287c6a..d8e331427443 100644
--- a/drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/video/fbdev/Kconfig
@@ -668,10 +668,10 @@ config FB_NVIDIA
 	select BITREVERSE
 	select VGASTATE
 	help
-	  This driver supports graphics boards with the nVidia chips, TNT
-	  and newer. For very old chipsets, such as the RIVA128, then use
-	  the rivafb.
-	  Say Y if you have such a graphics board.
+	  Supports NVIDIA GPUs from TNT through early GeForce generations
+	  (NV4–NV2x: Twintor, Twintor2, Celsius, Kelvin).
+	  Later architectures (Rankine and newer) are not reliably supported.
+	  If unsure, say N.
 
 	  To compile this driver as a module, choose M here: the
 	  module will be called nvidiafb.
-- 
2.52.0



Thanks, this my first time submitting a patch.

I have fixed the invisible whitespace inconsistency, wonder why I missed that :)

I really wanted to stop future users reading the "and newer" and enabling it on an unsupported card. It stopped my kernel booting with no errors.

The references I used to confirm the Nvidia devices affected are

List of devices documented in the code between lines 1228-1277
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/tree/drivers/video/fbdev/nvidia/nvidia.c?h=v6.19.6

with more human readable extraction available at
https://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/FB_NVIDIA.html

and the code names for all Nvidia cards are here
https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/CodeNames.html

Regards

Rob

On Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:02:18 -0700
Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> On 3/12/26 1:55 PM, robgithub wrote:
> > The help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA refers to obsolete hardware and
> > incorrect default behaviour. This patch updates the description to
> > reflect the current state of the driver and supported devices.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: robgithub <rob.github@jumpstation.co.uk>
> 
> Inline patches are preferred over attachments.
> 
> I thought that Claws mail could send inline patches successfully. (?)
> 
> Documentation/process/email-clients.rst says that it works (after a little
> configuration setting).
> 
> I don't know anything about which products are supported, so I have no
> comment on that.
> 
> In the patch, the indentation is incorrect. Kconfig help text should be
> indented with one tab + 2 spaces, not with 4 spaces.
> 
> thanks.

Re: fbdev: update outdated help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA

[Helge Deller]

On 3/13/26 21:35, robgithub wrote:
>  From 688a061ba0db71fc2d5facd8344db7a4d5b1575a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
> From: robgithub <rob.github@jumpstation.co.uk>
> Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2026 22:14:43 +0000
> Subject: [PATCH] fbdev: update outdated help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA
> 
> The help text for CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA refers to obsolete hardware and
> incorrect default behaviour. This patch updates the description to
> reflect the current state of the driver and supported devices.
> 
> Signed-off-by: robgithub <rob.github@jumpstation.co.uk>

applied with minor modifications.

Thanks!
Helge