[solved] switching from ATI to NVidia graphics card

Illiander · Apprentice Joined: 22 Feb 2011 Posts: 252

I'm in a bit of a bind here, I have a machine that came with a small ati graphics card, which I am in the process of converting into a gaming machine for my wife, I was foolish enough to try to use the ati drivers. I then found out the uselessness of the ati drivers with Wine, and got a replacement NVidia graphics card for the machine (quite a bit beefier than the ati as well, but that's probably not relevant).

I switched my make.conf settings to use the new drivers (VIDEO_CARDS="nvidia noveau vesa") and emerged xorg-server again. It's taken me a while to realise that the machine was still trying to use the old ati drivers (eselect opengl list gave: [1] ati * [2] xorg-x11, after I had changed my make.conf, and re-emerged xorg-server, and still doesn't give me nvidia as an option)

What have I not known to do to make this transition work? I'd really prefer to not have to go down to install files on this machine, so what information have I forgotten to include to diagnose this?

(Oh, it isn't picking up on the monitor resolution either, but I figure that will sort itself out once I get the graphics card driver working properly)

gerard27 · Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 6:09 pm Post subject:

You need to install x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers.
You could also try xf86-video-nouveau.
Watch the emerge output:it might be necessary to change kernel config.
Gerard.
_________________
To install Gentoo I use sysrescuecd.Based on Gentoo,has firefox to browse Gentoo docs and mc to browse (and edit) files.
The same disk can be used for 32 and 64 bit installs.
You can follow the Handbook verbatim.
http://www.sysresccd.org/Download

ccosse · Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:02 pm Post subject:

You can also taint your kernel w/ nvidia drivers from nvidia.com ... they always work well ... the installer writes a working xorg.conf for you as well ... it builds the driver from the cmd line based upon your running kernel, so it's pretty robust. I tried using nvidia-drivers from portage to no avail for a couple hours. The nvidia.com driver worked perfectly the first time. It may not be opensource, but it is produced by the company that makes the card ... and it does work reliably. +2 IMHO. Good Luck!

gerard27 · Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:14 pm Post subject:

@ccosse,
The Gentoo nvidia ebuild installs from the same source and taints the kernel as well.
The advantage is that portage then knows about it.
I am on nvidia myself since forever.
Gerard.
_________________
To install Gentoo I use sysrescuecd.Based on Gentoo,has firefox to browse Gentoo docs and mc to browse (and edit) files.
The same disk can be used for 32 and 64 bit installs.
You can follow the Handbook verbatim.
http://www.sysresccd.org/Download

Illiander · Apprentice Joined: 22 Feb 2011 Posts: 252

Thanks for the help, I had to unmask a couple of things, as I'm running hardened (Hardened+nvidia drivers is something I'm ok with on this machine, but I can see the reason in hindsight for masking them), and a few other things needed resetting, but that worked wonders.

Thank You!

ccosse · Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:34 pm Post subject:

Hi Gerard,

gerard27 · Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:25 pm Post subject:

@ccosse,
Please open an nvidia ebuild:
Check what it says at SRC_URI.
That's what portage downloads to install.
As a bonus portage makes sure all dependencies get installed too.

@Illiander,
You're quite welcome.
Plse add solved to this post when you've got everything running.
Gerard.
_________________
To install Gentoo I use sysrescuecd.Based on Gentoo,has firefox to browse Gentoo docs and mc to browse (and edit) files.
The same disk can be used for 32 and 64 bit installs.
You can follow the Handbook verbatim.
http://www.sysresccd.org/Download

ccosse · Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:38 pm Post subject:

@gerard82,

gerard27 · Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:50 pm Post subject:

Ebuilds are a great source of knowledge.
I always check what it says in case of a problem.
Not that I always find a solution in them but it often helps.
The same is true for the /var/log/portage logfiles and the elog files.

Gerard.
_________________
To install Gentoo I use sysrescuecd.Based on Gentoo,has firefox to browse Gentoo docs and mc to browse (and edit) files.
The same disk can be used for 32 and 64 bit installs.
You can follow the Handbook verbatim.
http://www.sysresccd.org/Download