I see you install a systemd machine ... that is interesting ...mingdao wrote:[...] and give me your thoughts.
When I want information quickly, I don't really want a conversational style. I want: 1. Do this; 2. Then this, etc.mingdao wrote:Try it out and give me your thoughts.
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sha256sum --check stage3-amd64-<release>-<init>.tar.xz.sha256 <arch>Not bad. You lost many choices but that's normal in such a short guide. Not a big fan of removing the package.* directories but that's just my personal opinion.mingdao wrote: Try it out and give me your thoughts.
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[Match]
Name=eth0
[Network]
DHCP=yes

Ionen wrote:As a packager I just don't want things to get messier with weird build systems and multiple toolchains requirements though
If you know enough to object, you can just write a file for each package whose USE flags you change, as per the present default. No worries. :wink:haegar87 wrote: Not bad. You lost many choices but that's normal in such a short guide. Not a big fan of removing the package.* directories but that's just my personal opinion.
I now have versions for 3 boot managers. One for systemd-boot per your request, one for EFI stub, and the original one for GRUB.haegar87 wrote: Just my 2 cents:
1. Why install grub instead of using systemd-boot if you already use systemd?
There is now a section covering the choice of DHCP.haegar87 wrote: 2. No need to install dhcpcd. Systemd brings it's own DHCP client (and only uses it). Just change your network file to:and systemd-networkd will handle the rest (without any DHCP package).Code: Select all
[Match] Name=eth0 [Network] DHCP=yes
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*/* VIDEO_CARDS: -* intelI've read your post, and to me, the introductory paragraphs in my guide(s) addresses everything you wrote. With all due respect, this really makes me think you didn't read my article top-down, or maybe this was confusing to you:pietinger wrote:mingdao,
since I also write articles that try to help new users with Gentoo (old hands know what to do), I am familiar with the problem of too much and too little. When a new Gentoo user reads our Handbook, they are initially overwhelmed. If you write a "Quick Installation Guide" and leave out many options, you kill the diversity that Gentoo offers. That's why I'm in favor of having both: those who struggle with our Handbook can then look up what can be done by default in a quick guide. To do this, however, the quick guide must only contain the simplest steps. As you know, I used the outdated quick guide in our wiki and not only updated it, but also slimmed it down.
If you add new options to your descriptions, they can be very useful, but they can also confuse new Gentoo users. Only those who are familiar with Gentoo will immediately recognize the deviations from the standard. For example, you describe how to create a Gentoo installation from another machine via SSH. Some old hands here will certainly do that, but can newbies cope with it? I am a fan of options. In an old version of our Gentoo Handbook, parted was used for partitioning. Later, it was replaced by fdisk. However, I left it in the Quick Installation Guide that I edited so that users can choose what they want to use; you use gdisk - a third option.
I have looked at this thoroughly:
https://techfix.me/files/Gentoo-Quick-I ... -stub.html
... and am just noting a few differences that caught my eye - my comments are in parentheses:
- remote installation from another machine ... (Yes, this is also described as an option in the handbook)
- ... using tmux (using tmux is quite nice, but even if I only had one terminal (instead of many KDE “Konsole”s), I still have ALT-F3 and ALT-F4 ;-) ... is it really necessary?)
- gdisk (a 3rd alternative to fdisk an parted)
- creating 4 partitions; also one for /home (a user with at least intermediate Linux knowledge should be able to understand what this means... but what about a beginner?)
- 2 GB for an ESP (is really ... too big :P )
- using genfstab for creating /etc/fstab instead manually editing it
- immediately using an "emerge --sync" instaed of the default emerge-webrsync (does this really work?)
- using vim instead nano (easy for all beginners :lol: )
- using package.use as file and not as directory (which is expressly not recommended by our developers)
- creating an UKI kernel instead the default (yes, this is an option in our Handbook)
- the kernel command line parms: "net.ifnames=0 panic=30 loglevel=3 modprobe.blacklist=pcspkr" could confuse new users ... 8O
- USE="X -wayland -device-mapper" (please do never disable wayland for a desktop profile)
- */* VIDEO_CARDS: intel should be:Quite frankly - please take this as constructive criticism (I have learned through my work here in the forum how and where new users can make mistakes or have trouble with the description. I also know the problem of thinking like a newbie - because we're not newbies anymore. And then I'm always surprised how a newbie manages to skip this one step, so that the effects/problems only become apparent later on.):Code: Select all
*/* VIDEO_CARDS: -* intel
If you disable the "wayland" Use-flag when using a desktop profile, a new user will log in here... because they will have problems ... if not immediately, then at least in the future. :(
They all three have that same text, and they're posted on my website.mingdao wrote: The Gentoo Handbook provides detailed documentation that guides you through the installation process. For me, after having installed Gentoo numerous times, there is considerably more than needed at this point. The purpose of this "Gentoo Quick Install Guide" is to cut out all the extra detail and just provide what is required to install a working headless Gentoo system for amd64 using systemd as the init system. It does have some explanation so that you can copy and paste, changing what might be specific for you, such as disk partitioning and networking. After you finish this install and reboot, it should be fairly easy to install your desktop system of choice. Mine has been Fluxbox for over 20 years. Contact me if you want any pointers.
If you've never installed Gentoo before, this guide is not for you. My recommendation would be to use the Gentoo Handbook and select the Quick links that matches your target machines.
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gentooligan login: mingdao
Password:
Welcome to your new account!
The Arch Installation guide is background for why I wrote my Gentoo Quick Guide Install guides the way I did. To me the Arch Installation guide is perfect, and if one uses it as designed, going top-down, and clicking the parts such as Boot loader, follow the link it opens, complete that section, then go back to the main guide, Arch is much easier to install and makes more sense (to me) than the Gentoo Handbook.pietinger wrote:mingdao,
Are you familiar with the ArchLinux installation guide? It is very short. And as you know as an old hand, everything has its advantages and disadvantages. This guide would not be enough for me. But for many new users, it is ideal.
You see my status in the Gentoo forum after 14 years? n00b - take that into consideration.
If you've never installed Gentoo before, this guide is not for you.
This status can mean any of several things. I've seen users who have very old registration dates, very few posts, and who directly indicate that they tried to get into Gentoo back then, gave up, and spent many years not using or thinking about Gentoo. Such people are legitimately still "new" to Gentoo when they return, and their forum status is appropriate, despite their old registration date. I have seen people who are in the situation you seem to be implying about yourself: users who are proficient with Gentoo such that they rarely need to post, because they always solve their own problems. I have seen some users who have relatively old post dates, very high post counts, and they got that way because they always seek help, but rarely give it. I have also seen users who have very high post counts that they got by routinely giving help, and rarely seeking it. If, as you imply, you are a long-time highly proficient user, I encourage you to seek that last category: be more active helping users, and your post count will naturally rise, and with it, your status will change.mingdao wrote:You see my status in the Gentoo forum after 14 years? n00b - take that into consideration.
I started using Linux on a daily basis in November 2003. We lived in a foreign country where almost no one spoke English, especially not proficiently, and in 9 years living there the only Linux computers I ever saw were servers in universities, or ones where I installed Slackware.Hu wrote:This status can mean any of several things. I've seen users who have very old registration dates, very few posts, and who directly indicate that they tried to get into Gentoo back then, gave up, and spent many years not using or thinking about Gentoo. Such people are legitimately still "new" to Gentoo when they return, and their forum status is appropriate, despite their old registration date. I have seen people who are in the situation you seem to be implying about yourself: users who are proficient with Gentoo such that they rarely need to post, because they always solve their own problems. I have seen some users who have relatively old post dates, very high post counts, and they got that way because they always seek help, but rarely give it. I have also seen users who have very high post counts that they got by routinely giving help, and rarely seeking it. If, as you imply, you are a long-time highly proficient user, I encourage you to seek that last category: be more active helping users, and your post count will naturally rise, and with it, your status will change.mingdao wrote:You see my status in the Gentoo forum after 14 years? n00b - take that into consideration.
I installed Gentoo several times in different circumstances, tried it every time - it never works. You must use emerge-webrsync for the very first repository synchronisation.pietinger wrote:- immediately using an "emerge --sync" instead of the default emerge-webrsync (does this really work?)
That guide is far from perfect and especially the article about the boot loader. It's a hot mess and has been for at least last 5 years. Overall the Handbook certainly does much better job listing and explaining what you need to do to successfully install the system.mingdao wrote:The Arch Installation guide is background for why I wrote my Gentoo Quick Guide Install guides the way I did. To me the Arch Installation guide is perfect, and if one uses it as designed, going top-down, and clicking the parts such as Boot loader, follow the link it opens, complete that section, then go back to the main guide, Arch is much easier to install and makes more sense (to me) than the Gentoo Handbook.
It's not the guide's fault.Most people I've seen use the Gentoo Handbook over the years get to the section "Configuring the bootloader" and reboot, but don't continue to the Finalizing section. Where the last line in "Configuring the bootloader" states "Once rebooted in the fresh Gentoo environment, it is wise to finish with Finalizing the Gentoo installation."
It doesn't have many errors and instructions are incomplete by design. Although imho it has some questionable recent edits like the advice to disable root password. This is really great suggestion for any beginner! Why kdesu doesn't work on a recently installed system? Ah yes, it's because I made it more 'secure'... Now you need to chroot into your system to reset the root password. Which is certainly a trivial thing to do for anybody trying to install Gentoo for the first time.The Gentoo Handbook has many errors and incomplete instructions as you go along.
And if you have done it before, this guide doesn't add anything useful to already existing ones.Let me reiterate what is in all 3 of my Gentoo Quick Guide Install guides:
If you've never installed Gentoo before, this guide is not for you.
On your systemd-boot page you have the use flag for efistub enabled for installkernel.mingdao wrote:I now have versions for 3 boot managers. One for systemd-boot per your request, one for EFI stub, and the original one for GRUB.
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sys-kernel/installkernel -dracut systemd efistub -grub -refind systemd-boot ugrd uki ukifyYes, this was also my last information. I only asked because it's possible that this has changed. Thank you for confirming.finoderi wrote:I installed Gentoo several times in different circumstances, tried it every time - it never works. You must use emerge-webrsync for the very first repository synchronisation.pietinger wrote:- immediately using an "emerge --sync" instead of the default emerge-webrsync (does this really work?)
You're believing someone who wrote something untrue without trying it yourself. Unbelievable.pietinger wrote:Yes, this was also my last information. I only asked because it's possible that this has changed. Thank you for confirming. :)finoderi wrote:I installed Gentoo several times in different circumstances, tried it every time - it never works. You must use emerge-webrsync for the very first repository synchronisation.pietinger wrote:- immediately using an "emerge --sync" instead of the default emerge-webrsync (does this really work?)
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gentooligan ~ # cat .bash_history
export PS1="(chroot) ${PS1}"
time emerge --sync
eselect news read
getuto
emerge --getbinpkg -atv app-editors/vim
eselect editor set vim
. /etc/profile && export PS1="(chroot) ${PS1}"
eselect editor show
date ; ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/America/Chicago /etc/localtime ; date
vim /etc/locale.gen
locale-gen
eselect locale list
eselect locale set 5
env-update && source /etc/profile && export PS1="(chroot) ${PS1}"
I think you could have written this in a friendlier way.mingdao wrote:You're believing someone who wrote something untrue without trying it yourself. Unbelievable.pietinger wrote:Yes, this was also my last information. I only asked because it's possible that this has changed. Thank you for confirming.finoderi wrote: I installed Gentoo several times in different circumstances, tried it every time - it never works. You must use emerge-webrsync for the very first repository synchronisation.

Many years ago, emerge-webrsync did not exist, and it was always possible to perform an “emerge --sync” immediately. I no longer recall when and why emerge-webrsync was developed. My last new installation was 2.5 years ago, and I found that an immediate emerge-sync did not work. It was also a frequent topic here in our forum. To be honest, I was never particularly interested in it. But since I don't know the current status, I asked the question (in parentheses).mingdao wrote:You're believing someone who wrote something untrue without trying it yourself. Unbelievable.

I did tests a year or two ago and found that for the first sync, webrsync was faster, and tends to not speed up much on subsequent syncs, but --sync was about half to a third as fast the first time and ~2x as fast on later syncs.NeddySeagoon wrote:pietinger,
I haven't tried emerge --sync with an empty repo for many years.
My memory of it is that it is was very slow ... hours.
websync is much faster, hence preferred to prime your copy of the ::gentoo repo.
You are correct, thanks for that correction. I have updated the systemd-boot guide, and bootctl-status output from the test install is below.skellr wrote: I don't think you need efistub for UKI use.
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mingdao@gentooligan ~ $ bootctl status
System:
Firmware: UEFI 2.31 (American Megatrends 4.654)
Firmware Arch: x64
Secure Boot: disabled
TPM2 Support: no
Measured UKI: no
Boot into FW: supported
Current Boot Loader:
Product: systemd-boot 257.10
Features: ✓ Boot counting
✓ Menu timeout control
✓ One-shot menu timeout control
✓ Default entry control
✓ One-shot entry control
✓ Support for XBOOTLDR partition
✓ Support for passing random seed to OS
✓ Load drop-in drivers
✓ Support Type #1 sort-key field
✓ Support @saved pseudo-entry
✓ Support Type #1 devicetree field
✓ Enroll SecureBoot keys
✓ Retain SHIM protocols
✓ Menu can be disabled
✓ Multi-Profile UKIs are supported
✓ Boot loader set partition information
Partition: /dev/disk/by-partuuid/a31be31d-f488-43a8-baf8-e97be55d82b3
Loader: └─/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI
Current Entry: gentoo-6.12.58-gentoo-dist.efi
Current Stub:
Product: systemd-stub 257.10
Features: ✓ Stub sets loader partition information
✓ Picks up credentials from boot partition
✓ Picks up system extension images from boot partition
✓ Picks up configuration extension images from boot partition
✓ Measures kernel+command line+sysexts
✓ Support for passing random seed to OS
✓ Pick up .cmdline from addons
✓ Pick up .cmdline from SMBIOS Type 11
✓ Pick up .dtb from addons
✓ Stub understands profile selector
✓ Stub sets stub partition information
✓ Stub loader set partition information
Partition: /dev/disk/by-partuuid/a31be31d-f488-43a8-baf8-e97be55d82b3
Stub: └─/EFI/Linux/gentoo-6.12.58-gentoo-dist.efi
Random Seed:
System Token: set
Exists: yes
Available Boot Loaders on ESP:
ESP: /efi (/dev/disk/by-partuuid/a31be31d-f488-43a8-baf8-e97be55d82b3)
File: ├─/EFI/systemd/systemd-bootx64.efi (systemd-boot 257.10)
└─/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI (systemd-boot 257.10)
Boot Loaders Listed in EFI Variables:
Title: UEFI OS
ID: 0x0007
Status: active, boot-order
Partition: /dev/disk/by-partuuid/a31be31d-f488-43a8-baf8-e97be55d82b3
File: └─/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI
Boot Loader Entries:
$BOOT: /efi (/dev/disk/by-partuuid/a31be31d-f488-43a8-baf8-e97be55d82b3)
token: gentoo
Default Boot Loader Entry:
type: Boot Loader Specification Type #2 (.efi)
title: Gentoo Linux
id: gentoo-6.12.58-gentoo-dist.efi
source: /efi//EFI/Linux/gentoo-6.12.58-gentoo-dist.efi (on the EFI System Partition)
sort-key: gentoo
version: 2.18
linux: /efi//EFI/Linux/gentoo-6.12.58-gentoo-dist.efi
options: net.ifnames=0 panic=30 loglevel=3 modprobe.blacklist=pcspkr
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[1] RUNNING BOTH emerge-webrsync and emerge --sync:
(chroot) livecd / # time emerge-webrsync
<snip>
Number of files: 155,300 (reg: 127,743, dir: 27,557)
Number of created files: 155,299 (reg: 127,743, dir: 27,556)
Number of deleted files: 0
Number of regular files transferred: 127,743
Total file size: 234.54M bytes
Total transferred file size: 234.54M bytes
Literal data: 234.54M bytes
Matched data: 0 bytes
File list size: 3.43M
File list generation time: 0.001 seconds
File list transfer time: 0.000 seconds
Total bytes sent: 119.49M
Total bytes received: 2.55M
sent 119.49M bytes received 2.55M bytes 9.76M bytes/sec
total size is 234.54M speedup is 1.92
Performing Global Updates
(Could take a couple of minutes if you have a lot of binary packages.)
* IMPORTANT: 15 news items need reading for repository 'gentoo'.
* Use eselect news read to view new items.
real 0m30.000s
user 0m20.398s
sys 0m14.921s
(chroot) livecd / # time emerge --sync
<snip>
Number of files: 155,318 (reg: 127,761, dir: 27,557)
Number of created files: 54 (reg: 54)
Number of deleted files: 36 (reg: 36)
Number of regular files transferred: 129
Total file size: 234.62M bytes
Total transferred file size: 3.22M bytes
Literal data: 3.22M bytes
Matched data: 0 bytes
File list size: 1.83M
File list generation time: 0.001 seconds
File list transfer time: 0.000 seconds
Total bytes sent: 32.22K
Total bytes received: 6.80M
sent 32.22K bytes received 6.80M bytes 76.35K bytes/sec
total size is 234.62M speedup is 34.33
* Manifest timestamp: 2025-12-06 11:48:00 UTC
* Valid OpenPGP signature found:
* - primary key: DCD05B71EAB94199527F44ACDB6B8C1F96D8BF6D
* - subkey: E1D6ABB63BFCFB4BA02FDF1CEC590EEAC9189250
* - timestamp: 2025-12-06 11:48:00 UTC
* Verifying /var/db/repos/gentoo/.tmp-unverified-download-quarantine ... [ ok ]
=== Sync completed for gentoo
* IMPORTANT: 15 news items need reading for repository 'gentoo'.
* Use eselect news read to view new items.
Action: sync for repo: gentoo, returned code = 0
real 1m53.987s
user 0m16.501s
sys 0m8.050s
(chroot) livecd / # du -sh /
du: cannot access '/proc/4156/task/4156/fd/4': No such file or directory
du: cannot access '/proc/4156/task/4156/fdinfo/4': No such file or directory
du: cannot access '/proc/4156/fd/3': No such file or directory
du: cannot access '/proc/4156/fdinfo/3': No such file or directory
5.3G /
[2] ONLY RUNNING emerge --sync from the beginning:
(chroot) livecd / # time emerge --sync
<snip>
Number of files: 155,318 (reg: 127,761, dir: 27,557)
Number of created files: 155,317 (reg: 127,761, dir: 27,556)
Number of deleted files: 0
Number of regular files transferred: 127,761
Total file size: 234.62M bytes
Total transferred file size: 234.62M bytes
Literal data: 234.62M bytes
Matched data: 0 bytes
File list size: 4.20M
File list generation time: 0.003 seconds
File list transfer time: 0.000 seconds
Total bytes sent: 2.56M
Total bytes received: 119.90M
sent 2.56M bytes received 119.90M bytes 550.42K bytes/sec
total size is 234.62M speedup is 1.92
* Manifest timestamp: 2025-12-06 11:48:00 UTC
* Valid OpenPGP signature found:
* - primary key: DCD05B71EAB94199527F44ACDB6B8C1F96D8BF6D
* - subkey: E1D6ABB63BFCFB4BA02FDF1CEC590EEAC9189250
* - timestamp: 2025-12-06 11:48:00 UTC
* Verifying /var/db/repos/gentoo/.tmp-unverified-download-quarantine ... [ ok ]
=== Sync completed for gentoo
Performing Global Updates
(Could take a couple of minutes if you have a lot of binary packages.)
.='update pass' *='binary update' #='/var/db update' @='/var/db move'
s='/var/db SLOT move' %='binary move' S='binary SLOT move'
p='update /etc/portage/package.*'
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/1Q-2020..........
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/1Q-2021.......
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/1Q-2023.......................
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/1Q-2024...............................................................................................
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/1Q-2025...........................
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/2Q-2020.........
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/2Q-2021.......
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/2Q-2022............
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/2Q-2023...............................
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/2Q-2024.............
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/2Q-2025......
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/3Q-2020..............
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/3Q-2021...........
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/3Q-2022.....................
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/3Q-2023...................
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/3Q-2024.............
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/3Q-2025.......
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/4Q-2020.......
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/4Q-2021.......................................................................
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/4Q-2022.........
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/4Q-2023........................................
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/4Q-2024...................................................................................
/var/db/repos/gentoo/profiles/updates/4Q-2025.
* IMPORTANT: 15 news items need reading for repository 'gentoo'.
* Use eselect news read to view new items.
Action: sync for repo: gentoo, returned code = 0
real 4m12.198s
user 0m34.154s
sys 0m39.374s
(chroot) livecd / # du -sh /
du: cannot access '/proc/5102/task/5102/fd/4': No such file or directory
du: cannot access '/proc/5102/task/5102/fdinfo/4': No such file or directory
du: cannot access '/proc/5102/fd/3': No such file or directory
du: cannot access '/proc/5102/fdinfo/3': No such file or directory
5.3G /