Gentoo install error

[MadJuggla9]

Ive tried 4 times to install gentoo with the latest install being the most promising (letting it partition itself, using onboard and non-ATI video, a new 160gb HD, etc). Each time I installed it, it would get to different places in the install before saying installation failed when using the GUI installer.

When I try to view the log of what went wrong whether it be before, while, or after apps install it will not show the error log. When I click view log it immediately disappears. How can I go about possibly booting to check the last error that occured? Id rather do this before I go through a text based install only to run into the same issue.

This machine has ran fedora 7 and ubuntu 7 with no problems whatsoever, even on ATI cards. Sorry If I have a lack of information, LMK if I can provide more information (and possibly how )

 

[duby229]

I've never successfully used the installer... There are a few bugs in the stage tarball that cuases it to crap out on emerge -e system.perl wasnt built with gdbm use flag. This always causes the installer to crap out. The second problem is that there is a bug in the baselayout that causes a circular dependancy with java whjen your using the java use flag. In addition it is common to have compile time bugs on packages marked stable.

Thje bottom line is that Gentoo's QC sucks ass, as such the installer will never work properly. These are minor issues when manually installing, but are major problems for any form of automation. including the installer.

Until Gentoo pulls its head out of its ass and recognizes that they have a --massive-- (easily the worst QC of any major distro) QC problem, the installer will never work reliably. Very few people have managed to get it working, and even fewer were happy with the results. My advice is to follow the gentoo handbook and perform a manual install. You'll learn more, and have a much better system when it is done.

 

[Spetsnaz Op]

I'm in the middle of a manual install and have easily learned 5x more then I have in the past few years when I ran suse, fedora, debian for about 3 days each then uninstalled bc of ati 3d driver issues. Even if it fails (it shouldn't, kernel is compiled and i'm configuring fstab now) i have learned so much that it was worth my time. Oh and I had no idea what fstab was 20 minutes ago so don't be intimidated by lingo.

 

[Boomslang]

In my opinion, if you aren't capable of using the CLI install or just plain don't want to, Gentoo is not the right distro for you.

 

[LstBrunnenG]

I like the idea of Gentoo, but I've never had the time to do a proper install. Ubuntu is just point and shoot.

I agree with the above poster though. If you're not comfortable using the CLI to install Gentoo, you're better off with another distribution. I'd advise you to take the time and do the CLI install though, you'll learn a lot.

Until Gentoo pulls its head out of its ass and recognizes that they have a --massive-- (easily the worst QC of any major distro) QC problem, the installer will never work reliably. Very few people have managed to get it working, and even fewer were happy with the results. My advice is to follow the gentoo handbook and perform a manual install. You'll learn more, and have a much better system when it is done.

LOL. Coming from you, that means a lot.

 

[Bones]

I agree with with Duby, the auto installers suck.

I attribute the QA issue to a lack of manpower, which, I think, is especially acute in the aftermath of the mass developer exodus earlier this year. I gather that the release team was particularly hard hit.

 

[duby229]

I like the idea of Gentoo, but I've never had the time to do a proper install. Ubuntu is just point and shoot.

I agree with the above poster though. If you're not comfortable using the CLI to install Gentoo, you're better off with another distribution. I'd advise you to take the time and do the CLI install though, you'll learn a lot.LOL. Coming from you, that means a lot.

I've never said anything different. If something is screwed I'll be the first to say so.

Although I dont agree with you about the CLI, if you not willing to learn the CLI then you shouldnt bother with --ANY-- Linux distro... Just stick with Windows. If you want to learn Linux, you --must-- learn the command line. It doesnt matter what distro you are using. If you dont do it, then you'll never be able to use your computer.

Here is my reasoning. And it is simple really. Some folks may not agree with me and that is fine, but I firmly believe that a command prompt is far more powerful than a GUI could ever be.First of all in order for a GUI to represent data in an efficient manner you need an object oriented display model. Novell has successfully done this with ConsoleOne. Hoewever this application is graphically a cluster fuck. Too much data on one screen. In order to simplify it you would have to remove functionality. This is --not-- ideal.

A command line utility is far more ideal. It can represent all the same data points as a GUI can through the use of switches, and becouse they dont need to be graphically represented it can be very neat and tidy. The fact is that a GUI will never be as simple as the same thing done on the command line. In those rare cases when the GUI does offer the same level of functionality it is generally a cluster fuck.

A good functional command line is an absolute must have. MS simply doesnt have anything that compares. Ubuntu is ripping it's users off by preventing the learning curve. Gentoo is ideal. LFS is overkill.

Of all these Ubuntu has the best QC. Followed by LFS, the Windows, and lastly Gentoo. But I think Gentoo is the most functional and worth the QC hasles you have to put up with.

 

[LstBrunnenG]

Although I dont agree with you about the CLI, if you not willing to learn the CLI then you shouldnt bother with --ANY-- Linux distro... Just stick with Windows. If you want to learn Linux, you --must-- learn the command line. It doesnt matter what distro you are using. If you dont do it, then you'll never be able to use your computer.

Ubuntu is getting to the point where you almost don't need the CLI, even if it is easier to do certain things. When something requires CLI work, like installing the latest Beryl or Compiz or what have you, there's usually someone on the Ubuntu forums with a handy script you can simply click on.

Your argument may be true for enthusiasts, but if you ask Joe Average to learn the CLI before you hand him Linux, he'll turn right around and shell out for Windows. And he's right: powerful as the CLI is, there's no reason he should be foreced to use it if all he's going to be doing is using Firefox and writing letters in OpenOffice.

 

[duby229]

Ubuntu is getting to the point where you almost don't need the CLI, even if it is easier to do certain things. When something requires CLI work, like installing the latest Beryl or Compiz or what have you, there's usually someone on the Ubuntu forums with a handy script you can simply click on.

Your argument may be true for enthusiasts, but if you ask Joe Average to learn the CLI before you hand him Linux, he'll turn right around and shell out for Windows. And he's right: powerful as the CLI is, there's no reason he should be foreced to use it if all he's going to be doing is using Firefox and writing letters in OpenOffice.

That is a good point. If that is all he is doing then he wouldnt need to learn the command line, however this site is called [H]ardOCP for a very good reason. Demographics of those reading my post. Thos folks that are only using there computer to check email and browse the web prolly arent going to reading this forum. Those folks that do read this forum --will-- want to learn the command line. If they dont want to then they'll be better off sticking with Windows. Linux is not usefull without the command line, and I think Ubuntu is doing a disservice to the community by making the learning curve harder.