# Gentoo on GA-970A-DS3P

## CarterCox

Hello. I am trying to install Gentoo on a Gigabyte GA-970a-DS3P (rev 2.0) + AMD FX 8350 and my USB devices (mouse, keyboard, even the installation media) are not recognized. In the past I solved this issue in other distributions (Debian-based and Arch-based, Fedora-based work fine out of the box) by enabling the IOMMU controller in my board's BIOS, but now that doesn't seem to work.

I can get past the kernel selection (by pressing Enter) and then everything goes offline. Any ideas guys?

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## bammbamm808

Install media? You should be using the latest System Rescue CD, which is Gentoo-based. Hopefully that will have a kernel config that works with your hardware, then you can start with that config for your own kernel during the install process.

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## CarterCox

 *bammbamm808 wrote:*   

> Install media? You should be using the latest System Rescue CD, which is Gentoo-based. Hopefully that will have a kernel config that works with your hardware, then you can start with that config for your own kernel during the install process.

 

I downloaded the image ("Minimal Installation CD" and copied it to a flash drive using Rufus, which is how I've always done it. What is the Rescue CD? This : https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/LiveUSB ?

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## bammbamm808

https://sourceforge.net/projects/systemrescuecd/files/sysresccd-x86/5.2.2/systemrescuecd-x86-5.2.2.iso/download.

Maybe try this. At least as many Gentoo users use this, as the Minimal Install. It works for UEFI booting where the Minimal Install doesnt. Hopefully it does a better job with drivers for your hardware than what you've been using.

There are usb versions there too.

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## Torro

I've had trouble with C1E support in the past. If bammbamm808's suggestion doesn't improve things try disabling it in your bios.

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## CarterCox

Ok I'll try that. In the meantime, I could use another distributions' liveCDs to do this, right?

By the way, is there any way to pass kernel parameters on the liveCD? Usually "iommu=soft" solved the problem for another distros.

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## Torro

Sure, both are possible. How to pass kernel parameters to your live kernel depends on your livecd bootloader, I believe.

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## CarterCox

I think it's LILO. Typing 

```
gentoo iommu=soft
```

sadly doesn't do the trick, and that's how you are supposed to passs kernel parameters to LILO.

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## mlybarger

I have the same motherboard.   I do not have a special iommu parameter.  usb works fine. i use printer, wifi dvd rom via usb and no kernel parameters are needed.

dmesg | grep -i ds3p

[    0.000000] DMI: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. To be filled by O.E.M./970A-DS3P, BIOS F1 04/08/2013

here is my config:

https://paste.pound-python.org/show/0ZHGEcO3MVJcXgRYSHkU/

I'm using grub2 with kernel 4.9.76-gentoo-r1

snip from grub.cfg:

linux   /kernel-genkernel-x86_64-4.9.76-gentoo-r1 root=/dev/sdb4 ro single init=/lib/systemd/systemd fsck.mode=skip

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## mlybarger

btw, i did my recent install (about 6 weeks ago) using sysrescue cd.  gentoo cd  gave problems so i ditched it.

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## CarterCox

 *mlybarger wrote:*   

> btw, i did my recent install (about 6 weeks ago) using sysrescue cd.  gentoo cd  gave problems so i ditched it.

 

Is it rev. 2.0? Are you using default BIOS settings?

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## mlybarger

I'm not sure about rev/bios settings. I did at one point have to use iommu soft. But that was years ago with initial setup.

I hope to replace with a ryzen 8 core 16 thread machine sometime this year.

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## CarterCox

 *mlybarger wrote:*   

> I'm not sure about rev/bios settings. I did at one point have to use iommu soft. But that was years ago with initial setup.
> 
> I hope to replace with a ryzen 8 core 16 thread machine sometime this year.

 

Yeah you have rev. 1.0. I also noticed you have the oldest BIOS available. This sounds silly but maybe a BIOS downgrade would help? Although I think that's not possible, it won't stop me from trying. Wish me luck.

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## bammbamm808

 *CarterCox wrote:*   

>  *mlybarger wrote:*   I'm not sure about rev/bios settings. I did at one point have to use iommu soft. But that was years ago with initial setup.
> 
> I hope to replace with a ryzen 8 core 16 thread machine sometime this year. 
> 
> Yeah you have rev. 1.0. I also noticed you have the oldest BIOS available. This sounds silly but maybe a BIOS downgrade would help? Although I think that's not possible, it won't stop me from trying. Wish me luck.

 

Have you tried the System Rescue CD/USB yet? I think that will likely get you started. Sounds like you don't have the necessary kernel drivers loading. I wouldn't waste time with BIOS settings until you have tried that.

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## CarterCox

@bammbamm808: Yes. I installed using sysrescuecd. Strangely enough, I didn't need to use iommu=soft to use it properly. But the after reboot, no USB, just like the liveCD. I'm sure I enabled the options I needed. I double checked, and this is not the first time I do it. Tried new BIOS settings, kernel parameters, etc.

However, I don't think that's the problem. Even using "genkernel all" would have the same result since the generated kernel would be the same as the liveCD.

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## bammbamm808

 *CarterCox wrote:*   

> @bammbamm808: Yes. I installed using sysrescuecd. Strangely enough, I didn't need to use iommu=soft to use it properly. But the after reboot, no USB, just like the liveCD. I'm sure I enabled the options I needed. I double checked, and this is not the first time I do it. Tried new BIOS settings, kernel parameters, etc.
> 
> However, I don't think that's the problem. Even using "genkernel all" would have the same result since the generated kernel would be the same as the liveCD.

 

So, the sysrescue cd boots every time and your devices work? And attempting to boot off of a kernel you have compliled manually or with genkernel, from the hard disk doesnt? What gpu are you using? Have you tried the kernel config someone posted above, with changes for diff gpu and any other hardware as needed? Have you tried bokting with "nomodeset"?

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## CarterCox

Hmm... I don't think that's the problem at all. I can get to the login prompt just fine, it's just my USB devices are not getting any power (they simply turn off).

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