nVidia drivers

Reference http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/nvidia-guide.xml

• Make sure the kernel is configured correctly for the proprietary nVidia driver
• genkernel --menuconfig all
• Confirm: Loadable module support -> [*] Enable loadable module support
• Confirm: Processor type and features -> [*] MTRR (Memory Type Range Register) support
• Update: Device Drivers -> Character devices -> <*> /dev/agpgart (AGP Support)
• Confirm: Device Drivers -> Graphics Support -> < > nVidia Framebuffer Support
• Confirm: Device Drivers -> Graphics Support -> < > nVidia Riva support
• Confirm: Device Drivers -> Graphics Support -> <*> VESA VGA graphics support
• Update: Device Drivers -> Graphics Support -> VESA driver type (vesafb-tng)
• Reboot
• Make sure the /usr/src/linux symlink is pointing to the correct sources: ls -l /usr/src/linux
• Install the drivers (nvidia-kernel & nvidia-glx). Since nvidia-glx depends on nvidia-kernel, installing nvidia-glx is sufficient: emerge nvidia-glx

NOTE: Every time you compile a new kernel or recompile the current one, you have to run "emerge nvidia-kernel" to reinstall the nvidia modules. nVidia-glx is unaffected by a kernel change and doesn't even need to be rebuilt when you recompile/upgrade X.

• Load the kernel module into memory
• modprobe nvidia
• FATAL: Error inserting nvidia (/lib/modules/2.6.16-gentoo-r13/video/nvidia.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
• dmesg
• nvidia: Unknown symbol remap_page_range
• nvidia: Unknown symbol pci_find_class
• Supposedly the "stable" nvidia drivers in portage are really old. It's better to use the "testing" drivers. See http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Unmask_Nvidia_Drivers
• Unmask the driver packages
• edit /etc/portage/package.keywords
• media-video/nvidia-kernel
• media-video/nvidia-glx
• Emerge the new version and confirm: emerge -av nvidia-glx
• Unload the old kernel module: rmmod nvidia
• Load the new kernel module: modprobe nvidia
• Success! Reboot to be sure... :)

• Configure X
• edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
• Change the Driver line in the Device section from "nv" to "nvidia"
• Change the Module section and make sure that glx gets loaded and dri does not
• Make sure that in the Screen section, the DefaultDepth directive is set to 24
• Run eselect so that X uses the nvidia glx libraries: eselect opengl set nvidia
• Add user to the video group so he has access to the nvidia device files: gpasswd -a video
• Test the card
• startx
• glxinfo | grep direct
• should say that direct rendering is activated
• test FPS: glxgears
• Enable nvidia support for apps
• edit /etc/make.conf and add "nvidia" to the USE flags
  
• rebuild the apps that benefit from the USE flag change: emerge -uD --newuse world
• Error: device conflicts. Ignore for now. Maybe I'll come back & rebuild apps later
• Install nvidia settings tool:
  
• emerge media-video/nvidia-settings
• 1 config file needs updating, so find it: find /etc -iname '._cfg*'
• /etc/modules.d/._cfg0000_nvidia
• diff /etc/modules.d/nvidia /etc/modules.d/._cfg0000_nvidia
• minor differences, so just replace the original config with the new: mv /etc/modules.d/._cfg0000_nvidia /etc/modules.d/nvidia
• Run nvidia-settings to configure graphics

• Resolution is way too small.
  
• edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
• delete "1280x1024" mode from Screen/Display/Depth=24 section. New default becomes "1024x768".
  
• reboot. Only fixes resolution in X.
  
• edit /boot/grub/grub.conf, change video statement to use 1024x768
  
• reboot
  
• much better!