Gentoo Linux Installation Guide: Desktop Configuration

12. Post-Reboot Configuration

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eselect profile list          # List all available profiles
eselect profile set <number>    # Set the selected profile (for example, desktop/plasma/systemd)
emerge -avuDN @world          # Update the system

Configure graphical and multimedia functionality.

12.0 Network Check [Required]

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After logging in, confirm that the network connection works.

• Wired network: It usually connects automatically.
• Wireless network: Use nmtui (NetworkManager) or iwctl (iwd) to connect to Wi-Fi.

12.1 Global Configuration (make.conf) [Required]

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/etc/portage/make.conf is Gentoo's global configuration file. At this stage, configure only the graphics card, input devices, and localization options; the desktop profile provides the wayland, X, pipewire, pulseaudio, and alsa flags needed for desktop environments by default, so they do not need to be set in make.conf.

vim /etc/portage/make.conf

Add or modify the following:

# Graphics driver (select for your hardware)
VIDEO_CARDS="nvidia"        # NVIDIA
# VIDEO_CARDS="amdgpu radeonsi" # AMD
# VIDEO_CARDS="intel" # Intel
# Input devices
INPUT_DEVICES="libinput"
# Localization
L10N="en zh zh-CN zh-TW"
LINGUAS="en zh_CN zh_TW"

12.2 Apply Configuration and Update the System [Required]

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Apply the new USE flags:

emerge --ask --newuse --deep @world

12.3 Graphics Drivers [Required]

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• NVIDIA proprietary driver: emerge --ask x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers
• AMD: Set VIDEO_CARDS="amdgpu radeonsi"
• Intel: Set VIDEO_CARDS="intel". Modern Intel graphics cards only need intel; Mesa uses it to build the corresponding drivers. Only very old generations need i915.

Configure VAAPI hardware video acceleration

1. Enable VAAPI globally: Add vaapi to the USE variable in /etc/portage/make.conf.

   # Rebuild affected packages
   emerge --ask --changed-use --deep @world

2. Install the driver and tools:

   emerge --ask media-video/libva-utils # Install vainfo for verification

   NVIDIA users must accept its testing keyword before installing the driver:

   mkdir -p /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
   echo 'media-libs/nvidia-vaapi-driver ~amd64' > /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords/nvidia-vaapi-driver
   emerge --ask media-libs/nvidia-vaapi-driver

grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Intel/AMD users: Support is usually available after installing the graphics driver.

3. Verify: Run vainfo. If it returns no errors and lists supported profiles, the configuration is active.

NVIDIA Chromium hardware acceleration (recommended; no VAAPI required)

The following configuration applies to Chromium, Chrome, Edge, and Electron applications such as VSCode.

Method 1: Use a flags configuration file (recommended)

This method does not require modifying .desktop files, so the browser can still be recognized correctly as the default browser.

1. Environment variables

Create ~/.config/environment.d/chromium-nvidia.conf:

# NVIDIA environment variables
__GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia
__VK_LAYER_NV_optimus=NVIDIA_only
GBM_BACKEND=nvidia-drm

2. Chromium/Chrome flags configuration

Create the appropriate flags file:

• Chrome Stable: ~/.config/chrome-flags.conf
• Chrome Unstable: ~/.config/chrome-dev-flags.conf
• Chromium: ~/.config/chromium-flags.conf
• Edge Beta: ~/.config/microsoft-edge-beta-flags.conf
• Edge Dev: ~/.config/microsoft-edge-dev-flags.conf

Contents:

# Vulkan video acceleration configuration
# NVIDIA hardware acceleration optimization
--enable-features=Vulkan,DefaultANGLEVulkan,VulkanFromANGLE
--enable-unsafe-webgpu
--ozone-platform=x11

Note: If you encounter the following error:

'--ozone-platform=wayland' is not compatible with Vulkan.
Consider switching to '--ozone-platform=x11' or disabling Vulkan

use --ozone-platform=x11. Wayland does not currently support Vulkan hardware acceleration.

3. Apply the configuration

Sign out and back in for the configuration to take effect.

Verify: Visit chrome://gpu/ or edge://gpu/ and confirm that Vulkan is Enabled.

12.4 Audio and Bluetooth [Optional]

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# Install the PipeWire audio system and WirePlumber session manager
emerge --ask media-video/pipewire media-video/wireplumber
# Install the Bluetooth stack, tools, and manager (Blueman is the GUI manager)
emerge --ask net-wireless/bluez net-wireless/bluez-tools net-wireless/blueman

Start the services (OpenRC)

# As the regular desktop user, enable PipeWire and WirePlumber
rc-update add -U pipewire default
rc-update add -U pipewire-pulse default
rc-update --user add wireplumber default
# Enable and start the Bluetooth system service
rc-update add bluetooth default
/etc/init.d/bluetooth start

Start the services (systemd)

# Enable the Bluetooth service (system level)
sudo systemctl enable --now bluetooth
# Enable WirePlumber's systemd USE flag
echo "media-video/wireplumber systemd" >> /etc/portage/package.use/pipewire
# Rebuild PipeWire and WirePlumber for the changed USE flag
emerge --ask --changed-use media-video/pipewire media-video/wireplumber
# Enable the PipeWire PulseAudio compatibility socket
systemctl --user enable --now pipewire-pulse.socket
# Enable the WirePlumber session manager
systemctl --user enable --now wireplumber.service

12.5 Desktop Environments and Display Managers [Optional]

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KDE Plasma (Wayland)

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# Install the Plasma desktop
emerge --ask kde-plasma/plasma-meta
# (Optional) Install the complete KDE application suite
emerge --ask kde-apps/kde-apps-meta
# Install the SDDM display manager
emerge --ask x11-misc/sddm

# Install the generic display-manager init script
emerge --ask gui-libs/display-manager-init
# Configure SDDM
sed -i 's/^DISPLAYMANAGER=.*/DISPLAYMANAGER="sddm"/' /etc/conf.d/display-manager
sed -i 's/^CHECKVT=.*/CHECKVT=7/' /etc/conf.d/display-manager
# Enable SDDM
rc-update add display-manager default
rc-service display-manager start

# Enable SDDM
systemctl enable sddm
systemctl start sddm

GNOME

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emerge --ask gnome-base/gnome # Install GNOME core components
emerge --ask gnome-base/gdm # Install the GDM display manager
# OpenRC: install the generic display-manager init script
emerge --ask gui-libs/display-manager-init
# OpenRC: configure GDM
sed -i 's/^DISPLAYMANAGER=.*/DISPLAYMANAGER="gdm"/' /etc/conf.d/display-manager
# OpenRC: enable and start GDM
rc-update add display-manager default
rc-service display-manager start
systemctl enable gdm # Enable the GDM display manager (systemd)

Hyprland (Wayland dynamic tiling window manager)

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Hyprland is in the hyproverlay overlay, not the main Portage tree. Enable the overlay, accept its keywords, and then install it:

emerge --ask app-eselect/eselect-repository
eselect repository enable hyproverlay
emaint sync -r hyproverlay
# Hyprland and its dependencies use the ~amd64 keyword; accept the overlay's keyword
mkdir -p /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
echo '*/*::hyproverlay' > /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords/hyproverlay
emerge --ask gui-wm/hyprland

Other Desktop Environments

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Consider Xfce or LXQt for a lightweight desktop environment:

• Xfce: emerge --ask xfce-base/xfce4-meta (Chinese Wiki; English Wiki)
• LXQt: emerge --ask lxqt-base/lxqt-meta (Wiki)

12.6 Localization and Fonts [Optional]

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Install Chinese fonts to display Chinese correctly.

# Install Noto CJK (Source Han) fonts
emerge --ask media-fonts/noto-cjk
# Install Emoji fonts
emerge --ask media-fonts/noto-emoji
# (Optional) WenQuanYi Micro Hei
emerge --ask media-fonts/wqy-microhei

Install the following packages for broader script coverage and coding fonts:

# Noto fonts (covers many languages including Arabic, Hebrew, Cyrillic, Indian scripts, Thai)
emerge --ask media-fonts/noto
# Coding fonts
emerge --ask media-fonts/jetbrains-mono
# DejaVu (widely used for Hebrew, Arabic, Cyrillic)
emerge --ask media-fonts/dejavu

Refresh the font cache:

fc-cache -fv

12.7 Input Method Configuration (Fcitx5 and Rime) [Optional]

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Rime is an input-method engine that supports Luna Pinyin (Simplified/Traditional), Bopomofo, Terra Pinyin, and other input schemas. It also supports Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other languages through installable schemas. When using Wayland, configure the following environment variables.

Option A: Fcitx5 + Rime (recommended for KDE and general environments)

Suitable for KDE Plasma, Hyprland, and similar environments.

1. Install

   emerge --ask app-i18n/fcitx app-i18n/fcitx-rime app-i18n/fcitx-configtool app-i18n/fcitx-gtk app-i18n/fcitx-qt

2. Configure environment variables (Wayland)

Edit /etc/environment:

vim /etc/environment

Add the following:

# Force XWayland applications to use Fcitx5
XMODIFIERS=@im=fcitx
# (Optional) For non-KDE environments or specific applications
GTK_IM_MODULE=fcitx
QT_IM_MODULE=fcitx

3. Start

   • KDE and GNOME usually start it automatically.
   • Hyprland: add hl.on("hyprland.start", function() hl.exec_cmd("fcitx5 -d") end) to ~/.config/hypr/hyprland.lua.
   • Sway: add exec fcitx5 -d to its configuration file.

Option B: IBus + Rime (recommended for GNOME)

GNOME has the best integration with IBus. When using GNOME, prefer IBus.

1. Install

   emerge --ask app-i18n/ibus-rime

2. Enable

   In GNOME Settings, open Keyboard, add an input source, and select "Chinese (Rime)". The selector may require choosing Other and searching for Rime.

12.8 Secure Boot [Optional]

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When Secure Boot is required, Gentoo recommends sbctl to simplify the configuration.

1. Install sbctl and efitools:

   emerge --ask app-crypt/sbctl app-crypt/efitools

2. Back up existing Secure Boot keys before entering Setup Mode: Setup Mode clears existing PK, KEK, db, and dbx keys. Run:

   mkdir -p /root/secure-boot-key-backup
   efi-readvar -v PK -o /root/secure-boot-key-backup/PK.esl
   efi-readvar -v KEK -o /root/secure-boot-key-backup/KEK.esl
   efi-readvar -v db -o /root/secure-boot-key-backup/db.esl
   efi-readvar -v dbx -o /root/secure-boot-key-backup/dbx.esl

   Copy /root/secure-boot-key-backup to offline storage and confirm that it contains all four .esl files. Do not enter Setup Mode until the backup is verified. Removing manufacturer or Microsoft keys can prevent video output on some hardware.
3. Enter the BIOS setup: Restart into the BIOS. Set Secure Boot mode to "Setup Mode" (which clears existing keys), then enable Secure Boot.
4. Confirm that Setup Mode is enabled:

   sbctl status

   The output must contain Setup Mode: Enabled. If it shows Disabled, return to step 3.
5. Create keys:

   sbctl create-keys

6. Configure Secure Boot and kernel-module signing: Edit /etc/portage/make.conf:

   vim /etc/portage/make.conf

   Add:

   USE="${USE} secureboot modules-sign"
   MODULES_SIGN_KEY="/var/lib/sbctl/keys/db/db.key"
   MODULES_SIGN_CERT="/var/lib/sbctl/keys/db/db.pem"
   SECUREBOOT_SIGN_KEY="/var/lib/sbctl/keys/db/db.key"
   SECUREBOOT_SIGN_CERT="/var/lib/sbctl/keys/db/db.pem"

   Confirm that the kernel enables CONFIG_MODULE_SIG=y, then run:

   emerge --ask --newuse --deep @world

7. Enroll keys:

   sbctl enroll-keys -m # -m includes Microsoft keys (recommended; without them, Windows may not boot or some firmware may not load)

8. Sign the kernel and bootloader: Use sbctl sign-all to sign all registered files:

   sbctl sign-all

9. Verify the signature status of every file:

   sbctl verify

10. Confirm Secure Boot after restarting:

    sbctl status

    The output must contain Secure Boot: Enabled and Setup Mode: Disabled.

12.9 Portage Git Sync and Overlays [Optional]

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1. Install Git

emerge --ask dev-vcs/git

2. Configure Git sync

mkdir -p /etc/portage/repos.conf
cp /usr/share/portage/config/repos.conf /etc/portage/repos.conf/gentoo.conf

Change only the sync type and URI in the copied template:

sed -i -e 's/^sync-type = .*/sync-type = git/' -e 's|^sync-uri = .*|sync-uri = https://github.com/gentoo-mirror/gentoo.git|' /etc/portage/repos.conf/gentoo.conf

Available Git mirrors:

• Beijing Foreign Studies University: https://mirrors.bfsu.edu.cn/git/gentoo-portage.git
• Tsinghua University: https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/git/gentoo-portage.git
• GitHub (outside China): https://github.com/gentoo-mirror/gentoo.git

3. Add the Gentoo-zh overlay

Create gentoo-zh.conf in /etc/portage/repos.conf/ with the following content:

[gentoo-zh]
location = /var/db/repos/gentoo-zh
sync-type = git
sync-uri = https://github.com/microcai/gentoo-zh.git
auto-sync = yes

Available gentoo-zh Git mirrors (optional):

• Original source (GitHub): https://github.com/microcai/gentoo-zh.git
• Chongqing University: https://mirrors.cqu.edu.cn/git/gentoo-zh.git
• Nanjing University: https://mirror.nju.edu.cn/git/gentoo-zh.git

gentoo-zh distfiles mirrors (optional):

To accelerate package downloads from the gentoo-zh overlay, use one of these distfiles mirrors:

• Original source: https://distfiles.gentoocn.org/
• Chongqing University: https://mirror.cqu.edu.cn/gentoo-zh
• Nanjing University: https://mirror.nju.edu.cn/gentoo-zh

Instructions: https://t.me/gentoocn/56

# List installed repositories
eselect repository list -i
# Remove the old configuration
eselect repository remove gentoo-zh
# Re-enable it (the correct upstream source will be selected automatically)
eselect repository enable gentoo-zh

4. Sync

emerge --sync

5. Installation example

Use flclash-bin as an example:

emerge -pv flclash-bin

Dependency resolution output changes as the overlay is synced. Confirm that the packages, versions, dependencies, and download sizes listed by emerge -pv flclash-bin are expected.

After confirming that the output is correct, install it:

emerge --ask flclash-bin

12.10 Flatpak Support and Software Centers [Optional]

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If you need Flatpak or want to manage Flatpak applications through a software center:

1. Install Flatpak

   emerge --ask sys-apps/flatpak

2. Enable software-center support

   To make GNOME Software or KDE Discover support Flatpak, enable the appropriate USE flag.

   GNOME users: GNOME Software is currently available only with the ~amd64 testing keyword. Accept this keyword only if you accept testing versions for this package. Add the following to /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords/gnome-software (create the file if it does not exist):

   gnome-extra/gnome-software ~amd64

   Add the following to /etc/portage/package.use/gnome (or create the file):

   gnome-extra/gnome-software flatpak

   KDE users: Add the following to /etc/portage/package.use/kde (or create the file):

   kde-plasma/discover flatpak

3. Update the software center

   # GNOME
   emerge --ask --newuse gnome-extra/gnome-software
   # KDE
   emerge --ask --newuse kde-plasma/discover

# Add the Flathub remote
flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
# Search for applications
flatpak search qq
flatpak search wechat
# Install QQ and WeChat
flatpak --user install flathub com.qq.QQ
flatpak --user install flathub com.tencent.WeChat

12.11 System Maintenance (SSD TRIM and Power Management) [Optional]

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1. SSD TRIM (extend SSD lifespan)

Running TRIM regularly maintains SSD performance.

• systemd users:

  systemctl enable --now fstrim.timer

• OpenRC users:

  Run fstrim -av manually once a week, or configure a cron job.

2. Power management (recommended for laptops)

Choose one of the following; do not install both.

Option A: TLP (recommended; power saving)

It automatically optimizes battery life and suits most users.

emerge --ask sys-power/tlp
# OpenRC
rc-update add tlp default
/etc/init.d/tlp start
# Systemd
systemctl enable --now tlp

Option B: power-profiles-daemon (desktop integration)

GNOME and KDE users can switch between Performance, Balanced, and Power Saver modes from the system menu.

emerge --ask sys-power/power-profiles-daemon
# OpenRC
rc-update add power-profiles-daemon default
/etc/init.d/power-profiles-daemon start
# Systemd
systemctl enable --now power-profiles-daemon

3. Zram (memory compression)

OpenRC users:

emerge --ask sys-block/zram-init
rc-update add zram-init default

Configuration is in /etc/conf.d/zram-init.

systemd users: Use zram-generator:

emerge --ask sys-apps/zram-generator
# Create a configuration that uses 50% of memory as swap
cat <<'EOF' > /etc/systemd/zram-generator.conf
[zram0]
zram-size = ram / 2
EOF
systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl start dev-zram0.swap