[gentoo-user] [SOLVED] New install, a few problems (or not?)

[waltdnes@waltdnes.org]

On Fri, Sep 09, 2016 at 12:50:09AM -0400, waltdnes@waltdnes.org wrote

> 2) "uname -a" gives the following output...
> 
> [i3][root][~] uname -a
> Linux i3 4.4.6-gentoo #4 SMP Wed Sep 7 17:12:27 Local time zone must be set--see zic m x86_64 Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU N3700 @ 1.60GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux
> 
> 
> ...but I've already run...
> 
> [i3][root][~] emerge --config sys-libs/timezone-data
> 
> Configuring pkg...
> 
>  * Updating /etc/localtime with /usr/share/zoneinfo/Canada/Eastern

  Solved; I had to do the above *AND THEN REBUILD MY KERNEL* which
results in...

Linux i3 4.4.6-gentoo #5 SMP Sat Sep 10 00:48:23 UTC 2016 x86_64 Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU N3700 @ 1.60GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

> 3) The new machine is not co-operating with my hardware KVM switch.  If
> I select the machine while it's booting up, it works fine.  But if I
> switch away and come back, the VGA video does not work.  I've confirmed
> that the keyboard part of KVM still works...
> * boot up with new machine selected
> * log in as root in text console mode
> * switch away
> * switch back, and there's no video
> * but if I blindly type "poweroff", it shuts down, so keyboard works

  This is going to sound like "One weird little tip", but it works...
* boot up with new machine selected
* start up X
* run "xrandr" *WITHOUT ANY PARAMETERS*.  I put it in my ~/.xinitrc so
  that it runs automatically with each invocation of X.  Here it is...

#!/bin/bash
xset fp+ /usr/share/fonts/misc && xset fp rehash
/usr/bin/xterm -e xrandr -s 1920x1080 && xrandr --dpi 96 && sleep 10 && xrandr &
[[ -f ~/.Xresources ]] && xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources
/usr/bin/xterm -bg black -fg cyan -geometry 50x9+0+0 -fn lucidasanstypewriter-12 &
/usr/bin/xterm -bg black -fg cyan -geometry +0+0 -fn lucidasanstypewriter-12 &
exec /usr/bin/icewm > ~/.icewm.log 2>&1
xset dpms 240 256 260
xsetleds +num -caps -scroll


  After this I can switch back, and I get back to the X session on the
new machine.  Notes...
* "xrandr" only has to be run once.  After this, I can switch back and
  forth multiple times at will
* the ability to switch properly via my hardware KVM survives through
  dpms kicking in screensaver mode
* it does *NOT* survive reboots or stopping and re-starting X

  I assume that plain "xrandr" without any parameters does some
port-probing that sets up the video card.  It's the only explanation I
can think of.

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>
I don't run "desktop environments"; I run useful applications