install on asus a7n8x (nforce2) with ATi Radeon 9700pro

directrealist · n00b Joined: 12 Mar 2003 Posts: 7 Location: CT, USA

I am trying to install gentoo on an asus a7n8x deluxe rev1.2 (nforce2) with ATi Radeon 9700pro.
i have googled a bit and found some resources but i still feel unprepared. i am not sure how to configure my kernel and modules. i dont want to leave out someting, but i want to keep my system free of things i dont need. i am trying to install gentoo with 3d support for gaming and general home entertainment use. i have my flags all set but i could use some advice for my specific hardware.

status:
i have started from stage 3. on the 1.4 livecd and used teh 2.6 dev gentoo kernel. next step is to compile kernel....

Admiral LSD · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 5:46 am Post subject:

The most important thing about getting Radeons working on nForce/nForce2 motherboards is to make sure that /dev/agpgart support and nVidia nForce/nForce2 support beneath it (both are in Device Drivers -> Character Devices in the kernel config) are compiled in (either as modules or into the kernel, it doesn't really matter but if you compile them as modules remember they have to be loaded before you try and start X so either use hotplug to load them automatically or add them to modules.autoload) and that the Direct Rendering Manager is compiled out. Other than that, it should all work quite well.
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directrealist · n00b Joined: 12 Mar 2003 Posts: 7 Location: CT, USA

i am going to compile with radeon and nvidia chipst suport in the kernel rather than as a module. hopefully i got the rest of the things right...

i am emerging the ati drivers extra. does anyone know if i should emerge he nforce audio? i will keep this thread posted with my progress. thanks for the quick and helpful reply.

Admiral LSD · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 6:19 am Post subject:

If you want 3D acceleration you have to use the ati-drivers, the DRI drivers in the kernel don't support 3D on R3X0 card, only on the R2X0 series.

As for nforce-audio, it isn't worth installing, even if you were using a 2.4 kernel. The ALSA drivers (which are built into 2.6) are a much better idea.

While on the subject, nforce-net (the proprietary nForce LAN driver) isn't worth installing either as the open source forcedeth driver has been merged into the kernel (though gentoo-dev-sources carried the patch for a while beforehand).
_________________
Wasurenaide...
...watashi ga iru koto o.
Itsudatte soba ni iru yo.

Registered Linux user #319839

directrealist · n00b Joined: 12 Mar 2003 Posts: 7 Location: CT, USA

ok i have the system installed (i think). i am unable to boot gentoo however.... here is the message i am getting after selecting gentoo in grub:

root(hd0,1)
file system is ex2fs partition type 0x83 kernel (hd0,1)/kernel-2.6.3 root/dev/hda4

error15: file not found

my disk is set up with windows on the first partition then following the standard install instructions in gentoo (all numbers are one higher than in the instructions example.)

i suspect i did not name the kernel correctly when i set this up in grub.conf i am using linux-2.6.3-gentoo-r1 kernel i followed the naming scheme in the instructions (which used vanila sources). if i have the name set up correctly perhaps when i cp the kernel over someting went wrong that i missed. any help would be apreciated. grub boots windows fine. i have allreadybeen able to chroot and mount the install after rebooting to fix my first attempt at the grub.conf so i know the system was installed (i had a typo in the splashscreen line and my first look at the grub screen on reboot was wretched looking)...

hardcore · l33t Joined: 01 Nov 2003 Posts: 626 Location: MSU, MI

grub does things differently than you might think, if you made /boot your first partition on the drive, then root (hd0,0) is the command you're looking for. Also you want (hd0,2)/kernel-2.6.3 root=/dev/hda4.

Well just looking at that you have / on the hda4 partition, so where is everything else? just a guess but /home on hda3, swap on hda2 and boot on hda1?? Well post back i can help you get booting in no time.