Getting X up and running

Read all of the guides below carefully and follow the instructions:

• The X Server Configuration HOWTO
• Xorg 1.5 Upgrade Guide
• Gentoo Linux nVidia Guide

Follow them to configure the kernel, and then install the xorg and video drivers.

Getting this part right is the hardest, and it often involves recompile the kernel a couple of times until we get it right. Everytime after we re-compile the kernel,we must re-emerge nvidia-drivers.

Configure and compile the kernel

I use genkernel as much as possbile. I found it too time comsuming to do the menu config myself.

# genkernel --menuconfig all

Setup compilation options

In /etc/make.conf, add the following:

VIDEO_CARDS="vesa nvidia nv vmware"
INPUT_DEVICES="keyboard mouse evdev"

Also add "xvmc nvidia X" to the USE flag in /etc/make.conf.

What you really need is the "nvidia" video card, and "evdev" for input device. I include the other ones because I want to.

In /etc/portage/package.use, add the following:

x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers acpi 

Install xorg

# emerge -pv xorg-server xorg-x11

This shall be able to bring in the x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers.

Prepare the system

Module "agpgart"

If you compiled agpgart as a module, you will need to add it to /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6.

update modules

# env-update
# source /etc/profile
# lsmod | grep nvidia && rmmod nvidia
# modprobe nvidia
# update-modules

APCID

We also need to make sure we have the APCID running

# /etc/init.d/apcid start
# rc-update add apcid default

GLX

Check that the system is using nvidia's glx module

# eselect opengl list
Available OpenGL implementations:
  [1]   nvidia
  [2]   xorg-x11 *
# eselect opengl set 1
Switching to nvidia OpenGL interface... done

Input devices

Follow my note on upgrading Gentoo Xorg Server from 1.3 to 1.5 to configure the input devices.

Configure the X

# Xorg -configure
# X -config /home/daisyb/xorg.conf.new

Now check whether everything works fine. Correct any error if there might still be any.

Font

Gentoo-wiki has an article on fonts: X.Org/Fonts. The essence is

1. Add "truetype" to USE flag in /etc/make.conf.
2. emerge -av freetype corefonts freefonts artwiz-aleczapka-en terminus-font ttf-bitstream-vera unifont dejavu media-fonts/font-misc-misc
3. Here are some Asian and CJK fonts:
   media-fonts/acroread-asianfonts media-fonts/wqy-bitmapfont media-fonts/wqy-microhei media-fonts/wqy-unibit
4. If you get "twm: warning: font for charset JISX0208.1983-0 is lacking.", then try emerging the package "intlfonts".

Desktop

Once we have install the video drivers, xorg-server, and xorg-x11, we can proceed to the desktop of our choice:

• Gnome Configuration HOWTO
• The KDE Configuration HOWTO
• The Xfce Configuration Guide

There are other desktop guides in the Gentoo Documentation Resources.