Base system post installation questions

laci92 · n00b Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Posts: 32

1. I installed the base system successfully (using genkernel), and before installing X I'd like to install the graphic drivers. My laptop has hybrid graphics, an Intel card and an AMD Radeon HD6630M (codename Whistler, TURKS family). Should I follow the instructions from both of the Intel and Radeon wiki pages because of the hybrid graphics? What other things I should pay attention to when dealing with hybrid graphics?

2. Should I also setup ALSA before emerging X? If I'll have to recompile the kernel because of the graphic drivers, I thought it would also be good to set up the kernel for ALSA right away.

3. This one's not so critical, but I'll ask just to be sure - I can't run lspci as a regular user, I get "-bash: command not found" (something like that), but it works when I'm logged in as root. Is this normal or is something messed up?

Sorry for the noobish questions, this is my first time install.

Ant P. · Watchman Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 6920

lspci is in /usr/sbin/ which isn't in a normal user's $PATH. You can run/alias it in a normal user account as `/usr/sbin/lspci`.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:21 pm Post subject:

laci92,

The graphic drivers are in two pieces, a kernel piece and a user space piece.
The kernel pieces provide your framebuffer console.

You cannot install the userspace parts until you install Xorg. With the proper settings in make.conf the user space parts of the drivers will be installed but not configured.

With these muxless hybrid graphics, make the Intel work alone first, then add the rest to something that works. Then you can quickly get back to a working system if you mess it up.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

The Doctor · Moderator Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 2678

I wouldn't worry too much about audio. Chance are once you install your environment it will just work. If you intend to use plain alsa it will probably also just work. I would focus on one thing at a time. I would start with getting X, whatever wm, and networking (not necessarily in that order) working since problems tend to be easer to solve if you can browse the net.
_________________
First things first, but not necessarily in that order.

Apologies if I take a while to respond. I'm currently working on the dematerialization circuit for my blue box.

laci92 · n00b Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Posts: 32

Thanks everyone for your replies.

NeddySeagoon,

does it mean that I can just continue with installing Xorg? Also, is it necessary to make the changes in the kernel that are mentioned in the Xorg wiki (i.e. evdev) if I used genkernel or could I assume that it is enabled?

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 6:12 pm Post subject:

laci92,

Some video related kernel options are incompatible with other video related kernel options.
genkerel will not set any of them as it has no idea what video hardware you have, nor your ambitions for drivers.
Look at your kernel configuration and see what is set.
Rule 1 is assume nothting.

You will need to rebuild your kernel giving genkernel some help. I believe it has a -menuconfig option that will let you play with the kernel setup before the build takes place.

You may as well look in /dev/snd before you redo your kernel. If you have one controlCX where X is a number for each sound card you have, you kernel is good for sound.
genkernel will include the kernel bits for almost everything except very old (ISA Bus) or very new sound cards.

As The Doctor says, work on one thing at a time. Gentoo works best when you build on what you already have working. This allows you to back out changes that break it and that happens to everyone from time to time.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

laci92 · n00b Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Posts: 32

Thanks for your help guys.

I've just installed Xorg. I had to make some changes to the kernel. I compiled the Intel support and other related stuff into the kernel as suggested by the Xorg configuration article and added VIDEO_CARDS="intel" to make.conf. I emerged twm and xterm and everything seems fine. I have not messed with radeon yet. If I want to install the radeon drivers, I'll have to make the needed changes to the kernel, add radeon to VIDEO_CARDS and re-emerge Xorg, right?

Also, I looked into /dev/snd, and the kernel is good for sound.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 4:24 pm Post subject:

laci92,

Its not quite that easy with your hybrid graphics.
You actually have one and a half graphics cards, which is why its not straight forward.

The intel graphics chip can both draw in the pixel buffer and read the pixel buffer to the display, so you can see the image.
Thats why you need to start with the Intel Graphics.

The Radeon chip can only draw in the pixel buffer. It cannot refresh the display so if you just switch to the Radeon driver, you will only get a blank screen.
To use the Radeon chip, both graphics chips must cooperate.
The Radeon draws the image and the Intel one refreshes the display.

Stick with the Intel driver until you have everything else installed.
I'm sure that the Intel/Radeon muxless graphics set up is documented but its not as easy as following the pure Radeon guide.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.