Hooray for xorg! [solved]

Message

Uber_n00b · Post by **Uber_n00b** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:09 am

I'm an uber n00b, so please bear with me. I hate for my first post to be complaining and asking you guys for help, but i really need it here.

Okay, so I've been trying to get a gnome up and running on my new install for god only knows how long. This is my first time installing gentoo, and it hasn't been nice to me thus far. Anyway, I had at one point gotten gnome to load, albeit in 640x480, but at least it was something. Now, of course i had to go play with it and mess it all up. since then, I've been stuck in a dos environment.

I really wish i could post my xorg.conf and all that good stuff, but I can't because I'm a n00b w/o a gui.

I have a few problems.

1) I try to run gdmconfig and I get his message: (gdmsetup:24676): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:

and 2) when I startx I get (EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module!
also, it says screens found, but none have a usable configuration.

I've been googling and searching the forums here, and thus far none of the posted solutions have worked for me. Any idea guys what my xorg.conf should look like?

Also, so you have an idea of my hardware, this is what I'm running:
A64 3000+ (don't ask what core, I'm ignorant, I guess)
2x512 ddr400 geil
geforce 6600gt
chaintech vnf4 ultra
monitor is a sony multiscan 200es

Thanks in advance!

nephros · Post by **nephros** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:25 am

Okay, first question(s):

Did you install the nvidia drivers? (emerge nvidia-kernel)
Did you load the nvidia module afterwards? (modprobe nvidia)

Uber_n00b · Post by **Uber_n00b** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:33 am

Oh, heh. I knew i forgot something. Yes, I have emerged the nvidia kernel, glx and settings. i also did opengl-update, modprobe nvidia as well.

apmurray · Post by **apmurray** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:55 am

you may need the latest nvidia drivers to work with the 6600gt, but they are masked as unstable. to unmask them, type as root:

Code: Select all

mkdir /etc/portage
echo "media-video/nvidia-kernel ~x86" >> /etc/portage/package.keywords
echo "media-video/nvidia-glx ~x86" >> /etc/portage/package.keywords
modprobe -r nvidia
emerge nvidia-kernel
modprobe nvidia

and with any luck that should work

Uber_n00b · Post by **Uber_n00b** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 6:05 am

should that be ~amd64 instead of ~x86 using a 64-bit processor?

edit: i tried it using ~amd64 and it didn't seem to work

Cinder6 · Post by **Cinder6** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:04 am

also need PORTDIR_OVERLAY="/etc/portage" in your /etc/make.conf

Uber_n00b · Post by **Uber_n00b** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 3:59 pm

I'm at work now, but I'll give that a try when I get home. Thanks.

Uber_n00b · Post by **Uber_n00b** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 7:53 pm

Cinder6 wrote:also need PORTDIR_OVERLAY="/etc/portage" in your /etc/make.conf

I added that line and re-emerged all, and that solved my problem. Now, I just can't get glx to work. Any ideas?

DarkMind · Post by **DarkMind** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 8:00 pm

Uber_n00b wrote:
Cinder6 wrote:also need PORTDIR_OVERLAY="/etc/portage" in your /etc/make.conf
I added that line and re-emerged all, and that solved my problem. Now, I just can't get glx to work. Any ideas?

after install the nvidia driver

Code: Select all

opengl-update nvidia

Headrush · Post by **Headrush** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:26 pm

From /etc/make.conf

Code: Select all

# PORTDIR_OVERLAY is a directory where local ebuilds may be stored without
#     concern that they will be deleted by rsync updates. Default is not
#     defined.

This shouldn't have to be set just to unmask packages.

Not that it matters, but I think /usr/local/portage is generally the default location for the overlay.
You could chose any place but I think /etc/portage isn't the best spot.
( /etc is more appropriate for configuration type files )

Cinder6 · Post by **Cinder6** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 5:25 am

It has to be set so that portage knows where to look for the packages.unmask file.

I like it in /etc/portage, because it is more similar to /usr/portage, vs. being in the 3rd tier of a folder (both /usr/portage and /etc/portage being in the 2nd tier). But that's just how I like it. In a way, you could also view ebuilds as config files, since the overlay can also be used to change compile options on a specific ebuild, thus a different config. Not that it really matters, though...

Note: I am installing an x86_64 system as I type this, and the 2005.0 stage automatically gave me /etc/portage.

EDIT:

Uber, by any chance, do you have compositing enabled in your xorg.conf? If so, since you are using nvidia, you have to use, under the nvidia driver option:

Code: Select all

Option "AllowGlxWithComposite" "True"
Option "Composite" "Enable"

Please note that this sometimes gives shady performance, and is sometimes best that you disable Composite before using glx. Try it out first.

apmurray · Post by **apmurray** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 11:58 am

you shouldnt need to set portdir overlay for portage to find the files in /etc/portage as it should look there automatically.
The portage overlay and the package.mask/keywords/whatever are unrelated

Cinder6 · Post by **Cinder6** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 4:22 pm

Really? For some reason, that still doesn't sound right to me...oh well. Seems it worked, though : \

Uber_n00b · Post by **Uber_n00b** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:59 pm

Cinder6 wrote:
EDIT:

Uber, by any chance, do you have compositing enabled in your xorg.conf? If so, since you are using nvidia, you have to use, under the nvidia driver option:
Code: Select all
Option "AllowGlxWithComposite" "True"
Option "Composite" "Enable"
Please note that this sometimes gives shady performance, and is sometimes best that you disable Composite before using glx. Try it out first.

Sorry, I kinda forgot about this thread for a while. trying to sort out other various problems I got myself into once I ot my gui up and running. I got excited =). Anyway, I'm not really sure, to be honest. I'll give that a shot, though, and if you just happen to be coming back to this thread, I'll let ya know how it goes.

Cinder6 · Post by **Cinder6** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:04 pm

Cool, let me know how it goes.

Uber_n00b · Post by **Uber_n00b** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:54 pm

All seems to be well for the moment. (until I break something else, anyway

) thanks for all the help!

Cinder6 · Post by **Cinder6** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 2:21 am

Cool, can you put [solved] in the topic title? (edit your first post)

Glad everything is working!