stage3-amd64-20131010.tar.bz2 not working

[fnadaud]

I'm trying to install Gentoo from stage3 archive stage3-amd64-20131010.tar.bz2 but env-update and emerge-webrsync are throwing this error:

!!! Invalid PORTDIR_OVERLAY (not a dir): '/usr/portage'

and indeed I see no /usr/portage directory after untaring the stage3 archive, which I think is a bug. Or am I missing something?

[/bug]

[Savoritias]

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-972288.html

[fnadaud]

[Clad in Sky]

That thing about missing /usr/portage is rather strange - not sure why the directory isn't included in the stage3.

If you managed to get a working, bootable CLI Gentoo congratulations on that - it takes others quite a while to manage that, so you seem to be on a good way.
The handbook is indeed intended for more or less just that - get a bootable Gentoo Linux. In order to get a graphical environment, I recommend taking a look at http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/index.xml?catid=desktop, where you will find a lot of useful information regarding different DEs, installing and beautifying them.

Package conflicts right in the beginning are, regrettably, not that rare. I have them every time I install Gentoo on a new machine. For me it is ALWAYS the "cups" useflag that I have to temporarily disable in order to get around that issue.

If portage complains about changing use variables it usually tells you which ones it wants changed. For a beginner, the output of emerge might be confusing at times, so you probably overlooked it.
I'm sure that if you post the output here, there'll be an answer to which useflags you need to change in no time, and probably an explanation how you can determine it yourself next time emerge complains.

If time is really an issue, Gentoo might not be for you - but I can tell you from more than 6 years of using Gentoo that once you've got the system up and running, it won't take that much time to keep it that way. Just make sure you run updates about once a month (or every other month) - updating too rarely can result in a very nasty portage puzzle that might take some time to resolve.
_________________
Kali Ma
Now it's autumn of the aeons
Dance with your sword
Now it's time for the harvest

[cwr]

The portage snapshot makes its own portage directory when it's unpacked in /usr, but I've always
thought an empty portage directory wouldn't hurt and might help.

I'm surprised xfce doesn't depend on X - try emerging xorg-x11 and see if that makes things easier.
(And don't add the doc flag to anything - emerging with USE=doc is definitely painful, though
since I think docs are essential I keep it set.)

Will

[Clad in Sky]

In earlier versions of the handbook you were told to download a snapshot and unpack it. However, now it says use emerge-webrsync. Of course it is more comfortable than downloading a snapshot and unpacking it (well, slightly), but there should be a note that you ought to make a new directory in /usr.
_________________
Kali Ma
Now it's autumn of the aeons
Dance with your sword
Now it's time for the harvest

[Jaglover]

To sum it up, after Xfce was installed it was ready to run remotely, but not locally. The box that runs it, either locally or remotely, must have X installed (xorg-server).
_________________
My Gentoo installation notes.
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