Gentoo Linux Installation?

assuming you're using x86, this page is a REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY GOOD (in other words NECESSARY) place to start.

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-x86-install.xml

It has ALL of your answers in the form of a step by step guide. If you have problems with steps, the gentoo forums are way better for support than this place. Lastly, be sure that gentoo is the way you want to go. It's not exactly for the faint of heart (but will teach you oodles about linux).
 
ok thanks

but i am asking like how to get started i put in the cd1 and it comes up where i type in commmands, and i do not know where to start, then i read the webpage and i do not know where to start i am just looking for some helpful hints on how to get the best performance out of gentoo linux.
 
well, you stick the cd in and press enter. it boots up. now, read the guide somebody above sent you. i am fully aware that you're probably not in the mood to read, but you'll learn all you need from it and it'll detail everything for you. chances are, step 6 is the first place you need to start, but the stuff in 1-5 is probably pretty darned important to having a successful install.

console internet browser is supplied by either lynx or links (depends on your version of the livecd. probably links)
 
If you're not going to bother reading the install guide, pick a distro that holds your hand through the installation process. It'll save you pain and stop you from hating Lunix.
 
Start at step 1 on the install guide and work your way through. If you can't figure out the first step then gentoo isn't for you. Read the guide all the way through before you begin. If you have any specific questions then we would be glad to help, but we really can't explain the installation any better than the installation guide(that's how we all learned to install it).
 
I did read the guide, and i do not understand what to type in to get started. i try something and it shuts me down


then which stage should i go with, and how many of you are using gentoo and like it?
 
i know this answer sux, but here it is:

read the instructions really really really really carefully. read the entire page of instructions before you actually type something in.

i have spent at least 3 or 4 days installing Gentoo and i'm still not finished with it.

as far as which stage, you might want to try a stage 3 install.

moving on...
"What I like about Gentoo"

Response:
emerge is REALLY AWESOME. you type emerge and then the package name and gentoo installs it for you. i like this version of installing apps and such much more better than rpm or compile/make.

"What I don't like about Gentoo"

Response:
install is a bitch, but i cannot imagine how easy gentoo must be to use when it's fully installed.

Last but not least,

http://forums.gentoo.org

the people there are quite helpful.
 
Definitely do a stage 3 install to get you confortable with linux. You will still learn quite a bit from that. After you feel comfortable, then move to a stage 1 install. Just a warning on a stage1, be very patient :D. It took my 2400+ with a NF7-S a full weekend to get it up and running.
 
Originally posted by Zecora
I did read the guide, and i do not understand what to type in to get started. i try something and it shuts me down


then which stage should i go with, and how many of you are using gentoo and like it?
Click to expand...
What exactly are you trying to do? The only command that should shut down your computer is the shutdown command. Stage 3 would probably be your best bet, but that doesn't even come into play until step 8. We can't really tell you what to type since we have no idea what kind of hardware you are running.
Are you on a network or on dialup? If you are on a network(or cable modem or dsl), type /sbin/ifconfig and if it shows eth0 has an ip address then you are good to go on to step 5(I took that directly from the install guide).
 
One of the key benefits of gentoo is definitely how optimized it is once you're done. I installed gentoo starting from stage1 one a PIII-S (@ 1400 MHz), and once I got it up and running, it was feeling like a brand new research machine. Coupled with the Intel C compiler that's free for nonprofits on linux, some of my research code was blazingly fast.

That being said, going through the pain of a stage1 install is probably not worth the while for you if you don't need to squeeze every last ounce of memory and CPU efficiency out of your machine. I'd definitely agree with starting with stage3 at this point.

The step-by-step instructions at gentoo's site are as good as any linux documentation I've ever seen, but unless you plan to set up your machine almost identically, they still require a little bit of prior experience with linux.

Could you list your major hardware for us? How big is the hdd? Are you planning on a dual boot with Windows? That would help. Again, as was asked above, what is the purpose of this linux box?

I have found that for newer users, the partitioning and mounting can be particularly difficult. I'd recommend sitting down and trying to write out your plans for your partitioning. Giving careful consideration to your partitioning can save you a lot of headache down the line, as opposed to ad hoc "planning". :)

Knowing what your hardware is will be essential in some of your setup, too.

Also, if you're just looking to install linux to get linux experience, and not necessarily gentoo linux, I'd recommend trying out RedHat / Fedora or Mandrake for now. Get some good experience on using and administering linux, and then head back for some gentoo goodness. :)

Best of luck! -- Paul
 
scim read the manual to get the overview.

Read in detail. Read again, then a third-time (and I mean every word)

then read each section before and while you are installing Gentoo when you are at that stage.

only way I afraid

oh and do a stage 3
 
the blue/purple bars will be most of the commands. for example, the first you'll type is fdisk /dev/hda (but you have to read above to understand what that does)
 
While the guide (last I checked) isn't exactly 100% newbie friendly--it assumes some computer knowledge--I'd still have to say it's one of the most complete, exhaustive, best guides on installing any version of Linux. I should hope so, since I helped edit parts of it. ;)

We definitely need more information to be able to help you; otherwise, all we can do is speculate on your problem. I've never had much trouble installing Gentoo, and a friend of mine was able to do so as well with a bit of assistance.

It's been said before, but I'll say it again: Read the guide top to bottom before you even sit down at your keyboard. You won't understand all of it, maybe not even after you complete the installation, but at least this way you'll know how to proceed.

You'll thank us later.
 
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