# Automatic Hardware recognition

## dadak

Hello, 

I really like the whole concept of Gentoo but I am having a hard time to get all my hardware on and with my ibm Thinkpad (A21p) to work. Flash card, CD writer, USB HD etc. Even the X server was a challange. I got it to work by copying the config file generated by Mandrake set up... The other things are still pending... 

At this point I am not asking for help with the specifics I am just wondering if it is not possible to have better hardware recognition in Gentoo. Like in Knoppix and many other distros which get almost everything automatically. As their software is under GPL (I suppose) it should be possible to just use the programs they use for Gentoo with little adaption. 

I am too new to Linux but in principle I'd think this could work. 

Just an idea to help may Gentoo more popular! 

Sincerely, 

Dada Krpasundarananda

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## modal

afaik, gentoo does have the option for automatic hardware configuration and detection.

redhat's kudzu (which is done by knopper) http://www.knopper.net/ is available as an ebuild as well as debian's discover http://hackers.progeny.com/discover/ (although, not debian's perse, it is being used in their new install processes)

check those out, and see if that helps.

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## dadak

Thanks!

I'll try it out once back at DSL connection.

Travelling in India for the next few weeks.

Dada

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## rasat

Namaskar Dada,

I put the same question on Arch Linux forum. Maybe this will help:

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=541

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## rasat

 *dadak wrote:*   

> At this point I am not asking for help with the specifics I am just wondering if it is not possible to have better hardware recognition in Gentoo. Like in Knoppix and many other distros which get almost everything automatically. As their software is under GPL (I suppose) it should be possible to just use the programs they use for Gentoo with little adaption.

 

Here is HWD.exp - an experimental hardware detect package for Arch Linux and other devfs distros, based on Knoppix 3.1 live CD.

http://amlug.org/new-projects/hwd/hwd-exp.html

For more inforamtion:

Page 1:

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=580

Page 2:

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=580&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

http://amlug.org/

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