[clug-talk] any tips for a gentoo n00b?

[Shawn]

I haven't tried Gentoo in a vm, but that would be a fun challenge.... Just be 
aware of the degrade performance, and be patient.. :D

Snares...  hmmm

The biggest one I can think of right away is your network card.  When you get 
to the point of compiling your kernel, you have an option - use the 
genkernel, which tries to detect everything on boot or manually choosing 
which modules you want to include (more optimized this way, but easier to 
make mistakes if you're not familiar with compiling a kernel - the details 
are covered pretty well though in the install guide).  Doing the second 
method, you probably want to compile your network card drivers into the 
kernel, instead of loading them as a module.  I've been victim of, and seen 
lots of reference to, getting the system installed and booted, only to find 
the network card isn't working right.  The fix (in my case) was to make sure 
I compiled the right drivers into the kernel (i.e. using 3com drivers when 
you have a Dlink/RealTec card just doesn't work... :D).  So, you may need to 
know the driver details before you start your install.

Other than that, the install guide pretty much covers everything.  Patience is 
the key - if you're installing KDE say, then it'll likely be 3 to 5 days 
before your system is completely installed.  I'd recommend installing the 
core system first, work with it for a few days, then reinstall it again 
(unless you're happy with your first attempt), before tackling a gui desktop 
like X/KDE/GNOME.

Good luck with it!

Shawn



On Tuesday 30 November 2004 19:19, Chris Wallace wrote:
> Well, I'm about to dive into a stage 1 gentoo install and wanted some last
> minute tips/tricks from the experienced gentooites.
>
> Any snares to try to avoid?  The specs on this box are not exactly
> blisteringly fast (P3 1GHz w/ 512MB RAM) but I figured I'd play with it a
> bit on this spare box before moving to a more worthy one.
>
> On a side note, any issues with trying to install gentoo in a vm?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chris