I feel like telling this story.
I've grown slightly weary of some of Xandros's quirks (limitiation on burning speed in the OC edition, it's absolute refusal to run software not downloaded from the Xandros network) so Friday afternoon I decided that since I had no plans that night, I would give Gentoo a shot. I printed and studied the install handbook, downloaded the install CD and set off on my adventure.
I followed the handbook precisely and everything seemed to go smoothly. I let genkernel compile the kernel because I didn't feel like, and have no business, compiling a kernel on my own. I decided to use GRUB as my bootloader (I probably should've done more reading because a) GRUB seems to be a huge pain in the arse, and b) it doesn't like ReiserFS which is the file system I chose to use).
So, I finish the install after about 5 hours, reboot the computer and WOOHOO, there's the GRUB splash screen. I tell it to boot Gentoo and get a funky error message. I look and realize that I made a typo in the GRUB conf file, so I go back and fix that.
Reboot again, GRUB splash, tell it to boot Gentoo and off it goes...except that the kernel/filetree/whatever didn't load. I didn't realize this at first and figure I just had to emerge a desktop, so I attempted to emerge KDE. It tried, but it couldn't access the site. My eth0 was not detected.
So, after fiddling around a little I decided that I'd royally screwed up and I didn't feel like trying the install again since it was midnight, so I popped the Xandros boot CD back in. That went fine, rebooted the computer and BOOM, there was the GRUB splash again trying to boot Gentoo. I blinked.
So, I tried again. I removed all the partitions on the drive using fdisk via the Gentoo LiveCD. Reinstalled Xandros - BOOM, Grub splash. Ok...
So, I figured I'd try the Gentoo install again. Get started, chroot into my system and try to install the Portage tree. eth0 not detected, no way to download the tree. So basically this attempt at the install is f'd, in my mind. I remove all the partitions again, and decided to do a boot with no OS installed, just to see what happens...
And the computer tries to load GRUB but gives a funky error message...
I freak out, but realize that GRUB is in the boot record and I need to get it out of there. Recalling my old DOS days, I load the Gentoo LiveCD back in, and try to run 'fdisk /mbr'. No love. That function is not there. The freak out gets worse.
I try Xandros one more time, and when I reboot the computer it basically does nothing. So now it's 3:30 am and I'm about to cry and/or throw up because I've broken my shiny toy and have no way to fix it when out of the corner of my eye I see a glimmer of light. I look over and hear angels singing - it's an old Windows 98 CD. I squeal "DOS!" joyfully, load the CD in and get to the DOS shell. I type 'fdisk /mbr' and remove all the disk partitions.
After that, I reinstalled Xandros (I had to use the CD to 'restore' after install, but that was calming compared to the rest of the drama) and kissed the Win98 CD.
Moral of the story - Rookies should probably just leave well enough alone (though I'm sure I will attempt Gentoo again after I do some more reading). Also, it's always a good idea to have a DOS disk laying around.
Amen.
Gentoo is probably THE most difficult distro to install, but it has a few MAJOR pluses:
- Standards... it strictly obeys standards for putting things in one place and keeping them there
- Speed... by compiling for your hardware you squeeze that extra oomph from your system
- Reliability... I haven't gotten it to crash yet.
- Software Mangement... Portage is freakin' AWESOME isn't it?
- Support... the community is terrific with Gentoo..... the folks in #gentoo are very helpful, and their docs are terrific
- No More Reinstalls... Portage makes the concept of reinstalling for major updates obsolete.
I have used ReiserFS without a hitch.
If you tell me what hardware you have, I will give you a kernel ".config" file. That will allow you to just do this:
# make oldconfig
# make && make modules_install
And you'll be set.
Also, for your eth0 to work, try modprobing the module for your NIC. Most people have a Realtek 10/100 or 1000 NIC....
# modprobe 8139too
# ifconfig eth0 up
tah dah
BTW; for power users, there seems to be a natural progression.....
- Newb... I feel scared
Xandros, Linspire, Mandriva, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Fedora
- Ooo... neat
Mandriva, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Fedora, SuSe
- Wow I can really do alot more alot faster
Fedora, SuSe, Gentoo, Slackware
- Let's see what this puppy can do
Gentoo, Slackware
- Warp Speed
Gentoo
You've chosen, however, to go straight from Newb to warp speed. More power to you.
Here, from the NCAAbbs LUG page, is my /etc/make.conf :
<a href='http://www.ncaabbs.com/html/lug-config-gts-make.txt' target='_blank'>http://www.ncaabbs.com/html/lug-config-gts-make.txt</a>
[code:1]# NCAAbbs Linux Users Group - Useful Config Files - georgia_tech_swagger's make.conf
# Last Modified: 6/1/05, 3:50 AM EST http://lug.ncaabbs.com
# This machine has a Pentium IV, and used a PIV Stage3, thus the following lines were set for us
CFLAGS="-O2 -march=pentium4 -fomit-frame-pointer"
CHOST="i686-pc-linux-gnu"
CXXFLAGS="${CFLAGS}"
# Use flags.... alot of video related stuff for MythTV and such
USE="aac aim alsa arts audiofile avi bitmap-fonts bzip2 bzlib clamav codecs crypt css cups dhcp directfb divx4linux dvd dvdr dvdread encode ethereal ffmpeg freetype gif gimp gimpprint gkrellm gstreamer gtk gtk2 icq ipv6 ithreads java jpeg kde libcaca libclamav lirc live lm_sensors mixer mjpeg mmx mozilla mp3 mpeg mplayer msn mysql mythtv ncurses nvidia offensive oggvorbis opengl pam pcap pdf perl qt quicktime rar readline screenshot silc socks5 sse sse2 ssl svgz tcpd threads transcode truetype truetype-fonts usb userlocales v4l v4l2 vcd wifi X x86 xmms xv xvid yahoo"
# Sound Blaster Audigy MP3+
ALSA_CARDS="emu10k1"
# How many make processes to spawn... 2 is recommended for every physical CPU
MAKEOPTS="-j2"
# Hey, you don't want compiles to bog you down do you? Then make them behave with nice values
PORTAGE_NICENESS="15"
# Following lines are for CCache, which caches compile results thus speeding up portage
FEATURES="ccache"
CCACHE_SIZE="2G"
# Setting for my Hauppauge PVR-250 remote
LIRC_OPTS="--with-driver=hauppauge"
# You shoulda known a GT fan would choose the GT mirror
GENTOO_MIRRORS="ftp://ftp.gtlib.cc.gatech.edu/pub/gentoo"[/code:1]
Useful Gentoo aps:
- eix :: VERY quick search of what software is available.
--- # emerge eix
------ # update-eix (after install)
------ # emerge --sync ; update-eix (do update-eix after every sync)
Now you can search through 10,000+ software packages in about 2 seconds.
gts # eix fortune-mod-gentoo
* games-misc/fortune-mod-gentoo-dev
Available versions: 20040608 20040907 20041019 20050106 20050503
Installed: none
Homepage: <a href='http://oppresses.us/~avenj/index.html' target='_blank'>http://oppresses.us/~avenj/index.html</a>
Description: Fortune database of #gentoo-dev quotes
* games-misc/fortune-mod-gentoo-forums
Available versions: 20040922 ~20041207
Installed: none
Homepage: <a href='http://forums.gentoo.org/' target='_blank'>http://forums.gentoo.org/</a>
Description: Fortune database of quotes from forums.gentoo.org
Found 2 matches
- ufed :: Shows you all the USE flags available; set a few important ones by default; provides a description of the USE flag so you might select it.
- # ufed
(select what you want)
My use flags, and a few you'll want, breaken down by category
USE="aac aim alsa arts avi bitmap-fonts bzip2 bzlib clamav codecs cups dhcp divx4linux dvd dvdread
etherreal freetype gif gimp gkrellm gstreamer gtk gtk2 icq java jpeg kde kdeenablefinal libclamav
live mmx mozilla mp3 mpeg mplayer msn ncurses nsplugin offensive oggvorbis pam pcmcia pdf qt quicktime rar
readline sse ssl svg truetype truetype-fonts unicode usb win32codecs wifi X xmms xvid xv"
Audio Codecs: aac codecs mp3 oggvorbis
Video Codecs: avi codecs divx4linux live mpeg qt quicktime win32codecs xvid
IM protocols: aim icq msn
Image Stuff: gif gimp (image manipulation program) jpeg pdf svg
Fonts: bitmap-fonts freetype truetype truetype-fonts unicode
Audio/Video Subsystem: alsa (audio) gstreamer (both)
Printing: cups
GUI: gtk gtk2 kde kdeenablefinal (greatly improves emerge speed; more easy to manage kde)
CPU-based Optimizers: mmx sse
System utilities, e.g. archiving files, zipping files, etc: bzip2 bzlib dhcp java ncurses nsplugin pam rar readline ssl usb
Antivirus: clamav libclamav
Duh: dvd dvdread
Aps: mozilla mplayer X xmms
Once again -- ufed makes this easy; I'm just pointing ones you should include.
See...this is why I should've posted up
before I made an attempt at Gentoo.
Quote: - Software Mangement... Portage is freakin' AWESOME isn't it?
I meant to include a statement about this in my post, but lord have mercy Portage is sah-weet. I shed a tear when it starting checking dependencies.
As to the lack of network card detection - I retraced my steps yesterday and realized that I'd failed to set-up my network in /etc/hosts. I just missed it.
It's entirely possible that the filetree didn't load because I made a boo-boo in the /etc/fstab file.
I know I skipped a few levels in the progression tree, but I'm not one to take baby steps. Not neccesarily the smartest way to be, but I figure I'll learn just as much screwing stuff up as I will getting it right.
Do you bother with framebuffers? That was the only part of the install that had me scratching my head.
The only other part that ticked me off a tad was looking for kernel modules. The entire list would fly by and I had no friggin idea what the pause command was. I tried /p (DOS), but that ain't it. I've been told it's |more?
Having a config file would be hot, so I'll post up later tonight with my hardware info.
Basing my hardware info on the config file you posted...
AMD Sempron 2800+
And that's about it. Sound is stock, but here's the info Xandros spits out about hardware and installed drivers:
Sound Driver: 3.8.1a-980706 (ALSA v1.0.6 emulation code)
Installed Drivers: Type 10: Alsa Emulation
No video card. (This definitely ain't no gaming rig...yet.)
Other random info - 40G HD, CDburner, 512MB RAM, ethernet card, more USB ports than you can shake a stick at.
As an aside, I perused the instructions for manually configuring a kernel and have decided that I'm a sissy. Not nearly as complicated as I expected.
If you need something else, lemme know.
Lethemeul Wrote:See...this is why I should've posted up before I made an attempt at Gentoo.
Quote: - Software Mangement... Portage is freakin' AWESOME isn't it?
I meant to include a statement about this in my post, but lord have mercy Portage is sah-weet. I shed a tear when it starting checking dependencies.
As to the lack of network card detection - I retraced my steps yesterday and realized that I'd failed to set-up my network in /etc/hosts. I just missed it.
It's entirely possible that the filetree didn't load because I made a boo-boo in the /etc/fstab file.
I know I skipped a few levels in the progression tree, but I'm not one to take baby steps. Not neccesarily the smartest way to be, but I figure I'll learn just as much screwing stuff up as I will getting it right.
Do you bother with framebuffers? That was the only part of the install that had me scratching my head.
The only other part that ticked me off a tad was looking for kernel modules. The entire list would fly by and I had no friggin idea what the pause command was. I tried /p (DOS), but that ain't it. I've been told it's |more?
Having a config file would be hot, so I'll post up later tonight with my hardware info.
the main use of a framebuffer is eyecandy.
It allows for a bootup splash screen; and other such graphics when in console only mode or bootup/shutdown.
I have one set so I have a bootup/shutdown splash.
Lethemeul Wrote:Basing my hardware info on the config file you posted...
AMD Sempron 2800+
And that's about it. Sound is stock, but here's the info Xandros spits out about hardware and installed drivers:
Sound Driver: 3.8.1a-980706 (ALSA v1.0.6 emulation code)
Installed Drivers: Type 10: Alsa Emulation
No video card. (This definitely ain't no gaming rig...yet.)
Other random info - 40G HD, CDburner, 512MB RAM, ethernet card, more USB ports than you can shake a stick at.
As an aside, I perused the instructions for manually configuring a kernel and have decided that I'm a sissy. Not nearly as complicated as I expected.
If you need something else, lemme know.
I need to know:
- Integrated video type... Intel? ATI? Should be more than just a manufact. too... like.. Integrated ATI Rage 8MB XL
- Sound chip type... nForce audio? Integrated AC97? SoundBlaster Audigy?
If you cannot find the above out, giving me your motherboard maker and model will suffice.
georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:Lethemeul Wrote:Basing my hardware info on the config file you posted...
AMD Sempron 2800+
And that's about it. Sound is stock, but here's the info Xandros spits out about hardware and installed drivers:
Sound Driver: 3.8.1a-980706 (ALSA v1.0.6 emulation code)
Installed Drivers: Type 10: Alsa Emulation
No video card. (This definitely ain't no gaming rig...yet.)
Other random info - 40G HD, CDburner, 512MB RAM, ethernet card, more USB ports than you can shake a stick at.
As an aside, I perused the instructions for manually configuring a kernel and have decided that I'm a sissy. Not nearly as complicated as I expected.
If you need something else, lemme know.
I need to know:
- Integrated video type... Intel? ATI? Should be more than just a manufact. too... like.. Integrated ATI Rage 8MB XL
- Sound chip type... nForce audio? Integrated AC97? SoundBlaster Audigy?
If you cannot find the above out, giving me your motherboard maker and model will suffice.
- Sound chip: VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller, VIA Technologies (kernel driver=snd-via82xx)
- Integrated Video: VGA Compatible; VT8378 [S3 Unichrome] Intergrated Video, VIA Technologies (usingdriver=via)
-Ethernet: VIA Technologies (kerneldrivers=via-rhine)
By the by, I gave the Gentoo install another attempt last night. Got much closer to getting it right this time, but I fonked up the /grub.conf (...again...) and had to recompile the kernel because my flub buggered the framebuffer support somehow (I used genkernel the first time I tried to install Gentoo so I know the computer will work with framebuffer support installed in the kernel). First recompile didn't fix anything and I was getting frustrated. I took a look at /grub.conf for the bazillionth time and realized I had a space where a space didn't go, so GRUB couldn't find the splash image (duh). I ended up just redoing /grub.conf to remove the splash image (and the video statement) altogether.
After that, GRUB started, kernel loaded and I was very pleased with myself until:
1) One of the filesystems didn't load correctly. I didn't realize it until this afternoon, but I screwed up fstab. I mistakenly labeled my boot partition as an ext2 instead of an ext3.
2) My eth0 still wasn't detected. I know what I did wrong here, too. During the install I used lsmod and wrote down all the modules that were used by the LiveCD on boot and put those listed in the module init file. However, when the framebuffer support was giving me so much grief I cleared it out. The via-rhine module was in there. Silly me.
So, I'm back on the trusty ole Xandros system now. I had the urge to give the Gentoo install one more shot this afternoon, but I'm tired of messing with it. One can only set-up a system so many times before it gets old. However, I'll gladly take a make.conf file from you for future use. Just because I'm tired of messing with it now doesn't mean I won't be in the mood to give it a shot next week.
I'll say this about the Gentoo install - I know 100% more about what's going on inside my computer and how to deal with it than I did before. It's amazing. I imagine that's part of the intent of the distro.
PS - After I gave up on the Gentoo install last night, I tried to install Debian Sarge. Gah. That was awful. I know Xandros is based on Debian, and I dig the dpkg system, but Sarge was...ick.
Part Trois:
Well, I tried one more time yesterday and finally got Gentoo up and running.
Haven't really had a chance to smoke check it yet. Once I got it up and running (had to do a little bit of fiddling to a) recompile the kernel to remove framebuffer support, and b) fix the net set-up so that dchp would work correctly), I emerged Xorg-x11. Jeeze what a pain in the behind to get configured properly, but I got it right.
After X was ready, I emerged KDE. It was done when I got up this morning, so I made the changes to make sure KDE would start on boot. I only got a chance to mess with it for a second this morning, but damn, this version of KDE is beautimous. It makes the Xandros version look like something a 9 year old would draw.
Just figured I'd give an update. :D
emerge xmms xmms-skins mplayer mplayerplug-in gkrellm gkrellm-skins xscreensaver gaim azureus-bin openoffice-bin mozilla-firefox-bin gentoolkit ntp ; rc-update add ntpd default
- packages ending in -bin are precompiled.
- ntpd is Network Time Protocol Daemon; keeps your clock dead on, and syncs with a server every boot, and periodically resyncs to correct skew
Have an nVidia gfx card?
emerge nvidia-glx nvidia-kernel nvidia-settings
georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:emerge xmms xmms-skins mplayer mplayerplug-in gkrellm gkrellm-skins xscreensaver gaim azureus-bin openoffice-bin mozilla-firefox-bin gentoolkit ntp ; rc-update add ntpd default
- packages ending in -bin are precompiled.
- ntpd is Network Time Protocol Daemon; keeps your clock dead on, and syncs with a server every boot, and periodically resyncs to correct skew
Have an nVidia gfx card?
emerge nvidia-glx nvidia-kernel nvidia-settings
Gotcha. Those are on the list.
I'm hoping genkernel included iptables and ALSA support, otherwise I'm gonna have to go back and fiddle with the kernel to make sure I have firewall support and sound. I already know that I've got the sound card module in wrong (I put snd-via82xx instead of via82xx), gonna have to fix that.
No, the only video I have is the on-board VIA card listed above. Again, here's hoping all that installed correctly or I'm gonna have to do more fiddlin'. Xorg seemed to detect everything fine (except the mouse), so I'm hopeful.
Again, dunno what I have right now and if I have to do anything else because I haven't had a chance to smoke check it yet.
Lethemeul Wrote:Gotcha. Those are on the list.
I'm hoping genkernel included iptables and ALSA support, otherwise I'm gonna have to go back and fiddle with the kernel to make sure I have firewall support and sound. I already know that I've got the sound card module in wrong (I put snd-via82xx instead of via82xx), gonna have to fix that.
No, the only video I have is the on-board VIA card listed above. Again, here's hoping all that installed correctly or I'm gonna have to do more fiddlin'. Xorg seemed to detect everything fine (except the mouse), so I'm hopeful.
Again, dunno what I have right now and if I have to do anything else because I haven't had a chance to smoke check it yet.
Xorg doesn't bother too look at the standard location for Linux mice: /dev/input/mice
And that is a nice way of doing it, b/c each mouse is given /dev/input/mouse#
/dev/input/mice manages them all neatly... so plug in 8 mice and no problem.
After emerging gentoolkit; you'll have extra power tools at your disposal.
In particular, if something breaks or if you did # emerge --depclean and nuked something you really needed... simply run..
# revdep-rebuild
It will find every installed package and back check dependencies; install if necessary.
This is wondermous...
I had a tick of trouble getting iptables up and running, but I figured it out (with the help of the copious Gentoo docs floatin' around out there). Outside of that, this distro is a freakin' dream.
- I have some ownership in my system since I'm the one who put it all together. That's a cool feelin'.
- The Gentoo community is freaking outstanding! Every little problem I've come across, I've found a solution to on the Gentoo Forums. There's not a single thing that I even had to make a guess about. Example: the scroll wheel on my mouse wasn't working. I did a search on the forums, and BAM, there was the answer. Did what the poster said and the wheel works beautifully.
- You've said it and I've said it but I'm gonna say it one more time...Portage is freakin' s-w-e-e-t. I did the emerge you suggested, but I still half expected to have to emerge codecs and various insundry other things. Nope. Portage knew I would want 'em and went out and got 'em. That's...incredible.
- GTS, eix is niiiiccceeee.
- Remember my other thread about having issues with archived videos on All-Access? Not anymore. They run smooth as melted butter now.
All in all, this was totally worth the trouble. Thanks for the help GTS. :D
Yep. The more you use it and get to know it, the more powerful you realize it really is. I have deployed Gentoo as a laptop, as a desktop, as a media center with MythTV, as a server, as a workstation node, and as a workstation main server. Handles about any task you can think of wonderfully.
Oh yea, then there's the fact that you'll never have to do another OS install again (save buying new hardware).
What's that? Updating your OS? Reinstall not!
# emerge --sync ; update-eix ; emerge -pu world
(verify all is well)
# emerge -u world
Go to bed.. wake up the next day and you're set.