To get your 9700 Pro to work you must do this in this exact order, since ati support is buggy:

lspci
This gives you a list of your pci devices (though for some reason this isn't working on this last install ... I have no idea why, though it should work for you). Ensure that your card is listed.

cd /usr/src/linux
make menuconfir
->[M] AGPGART
->[ ] DRI/DRM (DO NOT SELECT THESE!!!)

then compile your kernel

emerge ati-drivers
modprobe fglrx
opengl-update ati

You should get that to work now. If you error out, you have problems. Once that's done:

/sbin/lilo (if using lilo ... otherwise write your grub crap to disk)

Reboot

modprobe agpgart
modprobe ati-drivers
fglrxconfig
mv /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config
nano -w /etc/X11/XF86Config
edit the BUS ID to match the one in lspci.

configure your drivers as you see fit, but for god's sake: USE THE EXTERNAL AGPGART !!! The internal one doesn't work for sh!t. ALSO: do not VSync, as that slows down your frame rates.

Then, once more:

/sbin/lilo

Notice that you actually can find the graphics card when written to disk!

Reboot

modprobe agpgart
modprobe ati-drivers
(you haven't written them to modules.autoload yet?)

NOW:

run startx and you should boot into X server. When that ugly piece o' crap appears, hit alt-ctrl-bksp to escape and retain your sanity. Install your WM of choice and go for it.

Superart, my USB Keyboard and Mouse both work even at the boot time. I have my machines on a USB KVM Switch and it all works with Gentoo. What exactly isn't working with your USB?

when I boot into grub, the USB keyboard works fine, but as soon as I get into linux, it's as if the keyboard isn't even plugged in. I have to use one of those USB/PS2 adapter dongles.

Reading all this makes me want to try Linux again.

I used Mandrake 8.2 but I never quite figured out how to find/install the codecs I needed for mplayer or got the balls to compile a kernel that would accept my Audigy. Plus, I had to do so much work in Excel that I was running WinXP most of the time anyway. I got rid of the Linux partition when I got a new hard drive.

I don't think I'm l33t enough for Gentoo, but I'm all for using a distro with GNOME. Such a pretty UI.

I need a Linux for Retards book.

Alchemy

Try Running Linux from O'riely or Teach Yourself Linux from IDG Books. But make sure its not like "Teach Yourself Linux in 24 hours" or "Teach Yourself Linux in 1 week" or some crap like that. I bought "Teach Yourself C++ in 24 hours", and it wasn't the greatest.

I would actually recommend Gentoo if you've EVER used linux. You end up learning alot, and if you want gnome, it's as easy as tossing this into the command line:

emerge gnome

Then just run your DM of choice.

I still can't seem to get my fokin' audio to work right. I'm currently using the intel8x0 drivers through alsa, and while I can directly play WAV files through the command line and I can get console to make error noises if I abuse it, xmms keeps throwing errors at me.

I'm going to recompile the kernel and start alsa from scratch ... I really want to get some OGG luvin on.

I wouldn't recommend it if you are new to Linux at all. It isn't for people learning the ins and outs of the system. Prepackaged Linux variants like RedHat will give the new user instant gratification instead of frustrating heahaches. Just think about it, the average Windows user knows nothing about how their computer actually works. How many people can honestly say they know what a WORD is in terms of computer memory? And if they don't even know that, how are they going to know what a compiler optimization is? Sure you can just follow the simple instructions on Gentoo's website, but they don't always work and you end up having to add your own knowledge of computers and operating system design to get it to work.

Eh, it seems my audio is fine ... it is just XMMS that is screwy. All it took was a trip to read the latest Strongbad email to discover that I was okay ....

Notice that I said to try it if you've used linux before. Odds are, if you've used linux before you've learned some rudimentary basics that will help. The rest can be learned on the fly if you put your shoulder to the wheel.

We are a funny and competant bunch here ... I was recommending it to our fine comrades in arms ... not their grandmothers or spouses.

You guys and your fast computers. My gentoo install on two via epia 800s took a week to get through stage1 build, emerge system, emerge xfree, emerge gnome, emerge mozilla, emerge mplayer, and a freevo install.

But now I can play top quality Divx movies on my EPIA 800 based home theatre PC. I could not do that using the same hardware and using Windows (98lite and XP, tried both).

Man that emerge gnome is very very painful. I jus finished it up last night on my laptop, that I just rebuilt off of RH8. Very very painful.

That's why you do it at a time you know you won't access it. If you know you'll be working/sleeping/using another machine for the next few days, just run emerge xfree kde gnome mozilla-firebird (insert packages here) and let it go for shiz. I've emerged it on a Celeron 550 w/ 64MB ram. I can feel your pain.

Well GNOME 2.4 will have an ebuild soon, can't wait for more FUN :D