Init 6: initial

2011-02-19T05:38:33Z

initial

New page

This howto describes how to use nvidia and nouveau drivers on the same computer and kernel.

=Create a boot option for easy nvidia or nouveau display driver switching=

You must know how to install nvidia drivers and nouveau(references at the end of the page). First you need to configure your kernel and install nvidia drivers and nouveau. We assume that this stage is successfully passed.

=boot-update=

Next the actual most important change:

<pre># cat /etc/boot.conf
boot {
generate grub
default "Funtoo Linux [nvidia]"
# or
# default "Funtoo Linux [nouveau]"
timeout 3
}

color {
normal cyan/blue
highlight blue/cyan
}

display {
#gfxmode 1280x800
#font unifont.pf2
}

"Funtoo Linux [nvidia]" {
kernel vmlinuz[-v]
params += ro console=tty1 quiet <other standard boot options>
params += nouveau.blacklist=true vga=791 # nouveau.blacklist=true is important
# or
# params += nouveau.blacklist=true video=uvesafb:1440x900-8,mtrr:2
}

"Funtoo Linux [nouveau]" {
kernel vmlinuz[-v]
params += ro console=tty1 quiet <other standard boot options>
params += nvidia.blacklist=true # nvidia.blacklist=true is important
}
</pre>

After boot-update with the new settings, you should have something like

<pre>#grep menuentry /boot/grub/grub.cfg | wc -l
2
#grep menuentry /boot/grub/grub.cfg
menuentry "Funtoo Linux [nouveau] - vmlinuz-2.6.32.71_p14-rh" {
menuentry "Funtoo Linux [nvidia] - vmlinuz-2.6.32.71_p14-rh" {</pre>

=xcfgmaker deamon=

<pre>mkdir /etc/X11/video/;
cd /etc/X11/video/;
nano 10-monitor.conf.nouveau # make default config for nouveau. or copy existing config…
nano 10-monitor.conf.nvidia # also for nvidia</pre>

Then create a new daemon

<pre># cat /etc/init.d/xcfgmaker
#!/sbin/runscript

# by http://wiki.sabayon.org/index.php?title=HOWTO:_Create_a_boot_option_for_easy_dual_to_single_display_switching
# To be placed in /etc/init.d/
# Run Command: rc-update add xcfgmaker boot

depend()
{
need localmount
before xdm-setup
before xdm
before alsasound
}

start()
{

cmdline_display_mode_exist=$(cat /proc/cmdline | grep -e "nouveau.blacklist=" -e "nvidia.blacklist=")
display_mode_nvidia_exist=$(ls /etc/X11/video/ | grep "10-monitor.conf.nvidia")
display_mode_nouveau_exist=$(ls /etc/X11/video/ | grep "10-monitor.conf.nouveau")
cmdline_display_mode=$(cat /proc/cmdline | awk -Fnvidia.blacklist= '{print $2}' | awk '{print $1}')
if [ -n "$cmdline_display_mode_exist" ]; then
if [ -n "$display_mode_nvidia_exist" ] && [ -n "$display_mode_nouveau_exist" ]; then
#Choose the xorg file to be copied over
if [ "$cmdline_display_mode" == "true" ]; then
ebegin "Configuring X display with nouveau"
cp /etc/X11/video/10-monitor.conf.nouveau /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-monitor.conf
eselect opengl set xorg-x11 >/dev/null 2>&1;
else
ebegin "Configuring X display with nvidia"
cp /etc/X11/video/10-monitor.conf.nvidia /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-monitor.conf
eselect opengl set nvidia >/dev/null 2>&1;
fi
sleep 5
eend 0
else
ebegin "Xorg file missing. Exitting"
eend 0
fi
fi

}

</pre>

And do not forget

<pre>chmod +x /etc/init.d/xcfgmaker
rc-update add xcfgmaker boot</pre>

That's all kids ;)

=Additional links=

*[http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Nvidia Nvidia how-to on gentoo-wiki]
*[http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Nouveau Nouveau how-to on gentoo-wiki]
*[http://sudormrf.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/create-a-boot-option-for-easy-nvidia-or-nouveau-display-driver-switching The same text on my blog(in Russian)]

[[Category:HOWTO]]

Create a boot option for easy nvidia or nouveau display driver switching - Revision history

Init 6: initial