The DIY Gentoo Linux Guide

[CPDMF]

Gentoo has great hardware support so I wouldn't worry about making specific hardware choices unless your needs are very specialized then you may want to check and see if it's supported.

 

There was support built into the kernel for the ULI chip on my CFX 2 weeks after it was released. 99% of the time the boot cd will pick it and all you will have to do is go through net-setup and then check the appropriate option when you configure the kernel and then use the gentoo hanbook for additional setup.

 

I have found answers to most problems just googling.

[likewhoa]

Here's a question for you...what wireless PCI card works with Linux and can I buy it at my local Best Buy?

 

I currently don't run wireless on my systems but here are a few links to help you figure out if your wireless card is supported by the kernel.

 

Wpa Supplicant

 

Linux Wireless Tools

 

both packages are provided by gentoo by the names:

 

wireless-tools or wpa_supplicant

 

Chapter from the Gentoo Official Handbook describing the tools above:

 

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/hand...l?part=4&chap=4

 

for wireless access on the livecd you would run iwconfig to set the wireless parameters and then use either net-setup again or run ifconfig, dhcpcd and/or route manually. for specify supported wireless cards look inside the kernel's configuration under:

 

Device Drivers -->

Network device support -->

Wireless LAN (non-hamradio)

 

here you'll find a list similar to this:

 

[*] Wireless LAN drivers (non-hamradio) & Wireless Extensions │ │

│ │ [ ] Wireless Extension API over RtNetlink (NEW) │ │

│ │ --- Obsolete Wireless cards support (pre-802.11) │ │

│ │ < > STRIP (Metricom starmode radio IP) (NEW) │ │

│ │ --- Wireless 802.11b ISA/PCI cards support │ │

│M │ < > Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 Network Connection (NEW) │ │

│ │ < > Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG and 2915ABG Network Connection (NEW) │ │

│ │ < > Cisco/Aironet 34X/35X/4500/4800 ISA and PCI cards (NEW) │ │

│ │ < > Hermes chipset 802.11b support (Orinoco/Prism2/Symbol) (NEW) │ │

│ │ < > Atmel at76c50x chipset 802.11b support (NEW) │ │

│ │ --- Prism GT/Duette 802.11(a/b/g) PCI/Cardbus support │ │

│ │ < > Intersil Prism GT/Duette/Indigo PCI/Cardbus (NEW) │ │

│ │ < > USB ZD1201 based Wireless device support (NEW) │ │

│ │ < > IEEE 802.11 for Host AP (Prism2/2.5/3 and WEP/TKIP/CCMP) (NEW)

 

Hope this answers your question.

[Thraxz]

How is the hardware support for things on the 64 bit side? I really love the IDEA of 64 bit... but damn it, not everything works over there with windows for sure... how about gentoo?

[likewhoa]

How is the hardware support for things on the 64 bit side? I really love the IDEA of 64 bit... but damn it, not everything works over there with windows for sure... how about gentoo?

 

everything for me works so far,.. my guide is setup to utilize 64bit in a multilib profile meaning it will allow you to compile and run 32bit code in the 64bit environment same as you were on the 32bit system but in a 64bit kernel

 

most hardware works, the only things that don't really work are some browser plugins and some video codecs.

 

don't worry, firefox-2.0 with flash9 works, openoffice 2.0 works, mplayer with wmv video support works also.

[likewhoa]

just to get you excited here is my latest AIGLX BERYL screenshot of my 3d desktop..

 

pimp'in ain't ez

[KimTjik]

Nice guide likewhoa!

 

What I like with Gentoo is also their tradition of making good handbooks, and I see that you're living up to it. I'm just a bit worried about what will happen to Gentoo the coming year, since it's difficult at the time to see what line the distro will follow.

 

Personally I'll try to find some time to get Arch64 installed and running. I like its uncompromising approach to be a genuin 64-bit.

[likewhoa]

Gentoo was one of the first distro to provide 64bit support in linux

 

Arch is nice but it's package tree is small compare to Gentoo's.

[red930]

Well, I seem to have the computer up and running (in windows) just fine. Tomorrow I'll bash my head against this Gentoo stuff...

 

I ended up grabbing a Linksys PCI card by the way. I like how the instructions in the book say install the software before inserting the card, then the first thing the software tells me to do is shut her down and insert the damn card. dummies...

 

Edit: Tried booting off the disk and it keeps choking when it detects my cheapo wireless Logitech mouse. I'll plug in my Razer tomorrow I spose - I know it booted fine on the Infinity anyways.

 

I assume a board with integrated graphics isn't a problem, right?

[CPDMF]

I never thought about those with wireless mice and keyboards. May not be supported by the Gentoo official CD yet. I have wireless stuff but it is on my music/movie server with Windows MCE.. I'll get with likewhoa and see if maybe we can put together an unofficial diy-street minimal install cd with some updated components.

 

Integrated graphics aren't a problem. What is it, 6100/6150, ati or intel?

[red930]

6150, it's an Abit NF-M2 'nView'

 

Wireless...well it's just plugged right into the PS/2 ports so I don't think there'd be a big difference or anything. I hate wireless personally, but felt it made sense if put in a living room so I went ahead and grabbed the kit, it was only $45 or so, so it's pretty cheap. The keyboard runs off AAA batteries and the mouse off of AA batteries.

 

Eh, whatever. I'm out.

[Coors]

Don't know if this means squat but my wireless kb and mouse work with Ubuntu.

[red930]

Well it has nothing to do with being wireless, it chokes when detecting the keyboard now (a PS/2 corded Logitech).

 

I've tried two different copies downloaded and burned by the way, so I don't think it's a disk issue.

 

Edit: I did some searching and found a guy that ran into the same problems.

 

So, I did the next logical thing, disable ACPI and APM on the boot line, and it came up fine.

 

I'll look in the options but how would I go about doing this?

 

Egit 2:

 

Guess that was simple...at least for disabling ACPI, I didn't see any code to disable APM, at least on boot.

 

gentoo acpi=off

 

But anyways, I'm to the graphical interface now.