## The birth of a Gentoo Linux KDE Desktop I have previously journaled ([Part-I](../an-encrypted-boot-gentoo-installation-story)) my attempt to create an encrypted Gentoo Linux desktop. Please follow that first. It was a little more involved than I expected. I had to revisit some of the steps one or two times. Some of the steps in that post might better fit in this post. But hindsight is a wonderful thing. Now we come to building out what the general public think of as a computer (the Desktop). ## Install some useful utilities ```bash localost / $ eselect profile list # to get a list of desktop profiles localost / $ eselect profile set # I will also setup i3 tiling window manager localost / $ echo "Europe/London" > /etc/timezone localost / $ emerge --sync localost / $ emerge --quiet-build --ask --config sys-libs/timezone-data localost / $ emerge --quiet-build --ask app-misc/screen sys-process/htop ``` #### Setup WiFi (Optional) In ([Part-I](../an-encrypted-boot-gentoo-installation-story)), I already had ethernet and used that for installation. However, if WiFi is something that is required, then the following instructions should set up WiFi. Bear in mind that WiFi drivers could be missing from your kernel configuration. Searching the [Gentoo forums](https://forums.gentoo.org) for a similar issue would be helpful. I will be installing `network-manager` later on and will have to disable both *dhcpcd* and *wpa-supplicant*. If we forget, then we will have two instances of DHCP and WiFi daemons duelling each other. ```bash localost / $ emerge --quiet-build --ask net-misc/dhcpcd localost / $ emerge --ask --verbose net-wireless/wpa_supplicant localost / $ cp /usr/share/dhcpcd/hooks/10-wpa_supplicant /lib/dhcpcd/dhcpcd-hooks/ localost / $ bzcat /usr/share/doc/wpa_supplicant-/wpa-supplicant.conf.bz2 > /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf ``` Almost all variations of a wpa-supplicant configuration can be obtained from "*/usr/share/doc/wpa_supplicant-/wpa_supplicant.conf.bz2*". Uncomment the following in `/etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf`. ```bash ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=wheel eapol_version=1 ap_scan=1 fast_reauth=1 ``` Also generate the network connection parameters and insert into `wpa_supplicant.conf` using `wpa_passphrase` and remove every other configuration in that file. In case you have a more complicated set-up, then you will have to configure this according to your setup. ```bash localost / $ wpa_passphrase ${ssid} ${passphrase} >> /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf ``` Change the value of `wpa_supplicant_args` in `/etc/conf.d/wpa_supplicant.conf` to: ```bash wpa_supplicant_args="-B -M -c/etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf" ``` Now add the `dhcpcd` and `wpa_supplicant` services to default runlevel and start the services. ```bash localost / $ rc-update add dhcpcd default localost / $ rc-update add wpa_supplicant default localost / $ rc-service dhcpcd start localost / $ rc-service wpa_supplicant start ``` #### [Setting up NTP](https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Ntp#Ntpd) Networking and "time" dependent programs require accurate date and time information. This is achieved by installing **NTPD**. ```bash localost / $ emerge --ask net-misc/ntp localost / $ rc-update add ntpd default localost / $ rc-service ntpd start ``` ## [Install the KDE desktop](https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/KDE) While Wayland seems to be the future, I am still quite comfortable with the `X` server. It also helps that the `i3wm` window manager also is dependent on `X-sever`. The **KDE** meta-package is comprehensive and installs all the KDE applications and dependencies. ```bash localhost / $ emerge --ask kde-plasma/plasma-meta ``` Ensure that the KDE display manager `sddm` is installed; then ensure that the "**DISPLAYMANAGER**" variable is set to *sddm*. ```bash DISPLAYMANAGER="sddm" ``` Add the requisite services to openrc to start at boot, ```bash localost / $ rc-update add dbus default localost / $ rc-update add display-manager default localost / $ rc-update add elogind boot ``` In my case, at this point, I found that just starting up the boot displaymanager from *openrc* did not get `sddm` to start. Rebooting the machine sorted the crashing display manager out. #### Debugging: [Install *X-server*](https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/X_server) If there are any problems with bringing up KDE, using X-server to debug the issue is very useful. In case it was not already installed when *KDE-meta* was installed, start with installing X-server and driver packages. ```bash localost / $ emerge --ask --verbose x11-base/xorg-drivers x11-base/xorg-server ``` To test out that the X-server is working correctly install a few **X** applications ```bash localost / $ emerge -a x11-terms/xterm x11-apps/xclock x11-wm/twm localost / $ startx # to test if display server is working ``` #### Sidenote: Uninstall dhcp and wpa-supplicant Keeping `dhcpcd` and `wpa-supplicant` running in the background led me to some incredibly annoying and hard to debug problems with networking. The KDE deskptop already installs `NetworkManager` and this will in turn call an instance of *dhcp* and *wpa_supplicant*. You do NOT need your own version fighting with it. So... ```bash localost / $ rc-service stop dhcpcd localost / $ rc-update del dhcpcd localost / $ rc-service stop wpa_supplicant localost / $ rc-update del wpa_supplicant ``` ## Congratulations! If you have persevered with the process this far, congratulations! You should have a desktop machine that you have compiled from source. Obviously, I have cleverly hidden all the frustrating debug work that went into steps going wrong. Along with this, there are issues with drivers or kernel features required by some software component not being turned **ON**. However, that is what the incredible gentoo [forums](https://forums.gentoo.org/) and [wiki](https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Main_Page) are for. Happy compiling and debugging.