[SOLVED] Installing without ethernet

turboscrew · Last edited by turboscrew on Tue Jul 29, 2014 10:29 pm; edited 1 time in total

Hi, a wannabe Gentoo-user tried to install Gentoo, but failed miserably.

Is there any easier way than manually configuring everything?
I'm coming from Debian-family (Debiam, Ubuntu, Mint), and things seem quite different in Gentoo.

My machine is HP Pavilion a6622sc, and the only network connection is wifi (Realtek RTL8201Ni).
The processor is phenom 3X (8550, amdfam10) and the graphics is NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE.

Maybe a boot CD/DVD I could copy the 64-bit kernel from?

Or maybe someone knows the root password for the amd64-LiveDVD 20121221?

cwr · Veteran Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 1969

You need some sort of internet connection to download the sources, though I used to do
installs entirely via sneakernet (and some shell scripts I wrote to help out).

You can install Gentoo via any Linux that will boot on your system; people often use the
SystemRescue CD, for instance. Once you've got an internet connection, just follow the
handbook.

Will

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 8:49 pm Post subject:

turboscrew,

The root password for the amd64-LiveDVD 20121221 is scrambled every boot but you don't need it

Open a terminal window and enter

turboscrew · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:04 pm Post subject:

Running gparted (or was it parted?) didn't work. It still wanted the root password.
I wanted to use it, because it shows the partitions more intuitive way than fdisk.

The downside of the rescue disk (for genkernel) was that it is 32-bit whereas I wanted to install for amd64.
At least that's what I understood.

The minimal install CD didn't support my wifi (my only network connection).

ShanaXXII · Apprentice Joined: 29 Jun 2014 Posts: 283 Location: Canada

cwr · Veteran Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 1969

You need a 64-bit CD to install a 64-bit Gentoo (there might be a way around that, but it would be tricky).
However, any 64-bit Linux that you can boot from DVD or USB will do.

If you want to run gparted then use sudo on the command line to become root, then run gparted from
the command prompt.

Will

turboscrew · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:15 am Post subject:

@CWT: I think some other distro's kernel may not be compatible with Gentoo for genkernel.
I also think that manual kernel configuration by first-timer installer is quite hard and time-consuming.
Especially when my only network connection is wi-fi, and graphics is nvidia.
Tried that once and failed (plus now my left shoulder hurts - probably sat too long in lfront of the keyboard). :-)

How about older LiveDVDs? maybe there is some older one that doesn't have a root password, or the root password is known?
That could then be updated? (Or should I say upgraded?)

[edit]
Just realized, there is a Gentoo on amd64 section.
Should this thread be here or there?

gerard27 · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:47 am Post subject:

turboscrew,
You should have taken cwr's advice.
Resuecd is the non-plus-ultra live CD for installing Gentoo.
Read my sig,
Gerard.
_________________
To install Gentoo I use sysrescuecd.Based on Gentoo,has firefox to browse Gentoo docs and mc to browse (and edit) files.
The same disk can be used for 32 and 64 bit installs.
You can follow the Handbook verbatim.
http://www.sysresccd.org/Download

turboscrew · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 12:04 pm Post subject:

@gerard82: That's with what I failed...
Minimal didn't support my wifi and LiveCD didn't let me use parted (or was it gparted) without root password. I thought there might have been other similar situation too later,
and I hated the idea of possibly stumbling into that after several hours of kernel configuration.

I've been thinking, maybe it would be better for me to first set up the system somehow (=genkernel) and then update/upgrade.
Maybe I try the root password advice when I get home from work.

creaker · l33t Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 651

Since you are Debian/Mint user, obviously you should be familiar with Mint Live DVD. It has a good enough support for wifi cards. Probably it will be suitable for your hardware. Put iso to the stick (withh dd) if you have no ready to use live DVD and try it out.

khayyam · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 1:12 pm Post subject:

creaker, gerard82 ... déjà vu

@turboscrew ... if you are having issues configuring your kernel then you should state what it is exactly you're having problems with, copying a kernel and modules from some other source is possible, but generally we don't do this as the whole point of doing it "manually" is so that you get exactly whats wanted (and not what some developer decided everyone needs). That's the raison d'être behind using gentoo. That may be difficult if you're unfamiliar with how to go about things ... but thats why the community exists ... its just a matter of asking the right questions :)

best ... khay

Cyker · Veteran Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 1746

Yeah, the kernel configuration is much harder and time consuming compared to when I started (2.4 days?). You could easily spend a couple of days researching and going through the kernel options to understand which ones you need and what they do now!

There's guy here called Pappy who created 'kernel seeds', which are pre-configured base-line kernels; I don't know if he still is, but if so they'd be a good place to start!

gerard27 · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 6:51 pm Post subject:

Did you at least consult the Gentoo Handbook?
I get the impression you haven't!
Genkernel is in there so what's the trouble?
If you use rescuecd and fire up firefox you can read the handbook and do the install.
Gerard.
_________________
To install Gentoo I use sysrescuecd.Based on Gentoo,has firefox to browse Gentoo docs and mc to browse (and edit) files.
The same disk can be used for 32 and 64 bit installs.
You can follow the Handbook verbatim.
http://www.sysresccd.org/Download

cwr · Veteran Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 1969

gerard82 - thanks for the note on SystemRescueCD - I wasn't sure that it actually handled 32 _and_ 64 bits.
Now there's no real reason to look elsewhere.

Will

turboscrew · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:20 pm Post subject:

First of all: amd64 LiveDVD :

creaker · l33t Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 651

turboscrew · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:44 pm Post subject:

@creaker: Sounds like a very good idea.

Thanks!

I obviously have to take a more "zen" attitude also.

[edit]
Mageia 4.1 seems to have the same kernel that I've been seeing: 3.12.21

gerard27 · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:58 pm Post subject:

@cwr,my pleasure.

@turboscrew,the code you showed is from the live cd,not rescuecd.
If you use rescuecd you won't have any problems with root passwd etc.
You just follow the handbook and when it comes to compiling your kernel use genkernel.
After all before you can compile a kernel you need the infrastructure from the stage that has to be installed first.
You have gotten used to point and click installs that give you a working system in no time.
Gentoo is NOT like that.
Gerard.
_________________
To install Gentoo I use sysrescuecd.Based on Gentoo,has firefox to browse Gentoo docs and mc to browse (and edit) files.
The same disk can be used for 32 and 64 bit installs.
You can follow the Handbook verbatim.
http://www.sysresccd.org/Download

turboscrew · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:02 pm Post subject:

@gerard82: Not with the root password, but with the wifi.

cwr · Veteran Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 1969

I don't understand why the Gentoo 2012 can't find the X server display. Did you actually boot
to a desktop?

If you boot a 64-bit kernel from SystemRescueCD you could use the /proc/config.gz output
(if it exists on that kernel) as a starting point for the genkernel build.

Will

gerard27 · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:10 pm Post subject:

Are you dyslectic?
Rescuecd can be started as x86 OR x86_64 (also known as amd64)!
It's in my sig,read it!
And read what's on the website of sysrescue.
Make your wifi work first on the rescuecd.
Gerard.
_________________
To install Gentoo I use sysrescuecd.Based on Gentoo,has firefox to browse Gentoo docs and mc to browse (and edit) files.
The same disk can be used for 32 and 64 bit installs.
You can follow the Handbook verbatim.
http://www.sysresccd.org/Download

turboscrew · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 4:44 am Post subject:

What I read on the page is:

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 4:49 pm Post subject:

turboscrew,

System Rescue CD has a selection of kernels. The default is 32 bit. You need to choose a 64 bit kernel when you boot System Rescue CD.
Its on the very first menu screen.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

turboscrew · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:45 pm Post subject:

I extracted the stuff from Mageia 4.1, but I'm not sure it's a good idea to use its kernel config, or /etc/modules.
It didn't feel very stable: I had 2 mouses attached (temporarily). In first boot neither worked.
In the second boot both worked, but I managed to get stuck -> 3rd reboot, one mouse worked, and the second too after
unplugging and the re-plugging it.

There were also messages about wrong USB host driver lOHCI UHCI EHCI) loading orders in the dmesg.

Just hinting other people who may have thought about that.

Maybe I'll use some other distro's - like Mint's - stuff for reference...

[edit]
Oh, and this might be useful for gentoo-wannabes like me: http://oreilly.com/linux/excerpts/9780596100797/kernel-configuration-option-reference.html
Here is the whole thing: http://www.kroah.com/lkn/

It's probably in the wiki somewhere, but didn't find it there.

cwr · Veteran Joined: 17 Dec 2005 Posts: 1969

You can use any kernel config from /proc/config.gz (the SystemRescue CD config would be a good starting point).
I wouldn't advise using modules from another kernel; just compile gentoo-sources yourself.

Will