Install Woes.

Proudest Monkey · n00b Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 3

Ok I am a linux newbie and just started with linux yesterday when I installed slackware. I couldn't get my sound to work and gentoo was such a small download that I could get instant gratification. I have downloaded the LiveCD for versions 1.2 and 1.4rc2. It appeals to me cause I saw that it was bleeding edge somewhere and so I beg you, those who came before me to help.

I am using a AMD K6-2 (Model

that supports MMX and 3DNow!

When I boot from the 1.4rc2 which I downloaded first it says something like Aiee, Kernel panic something about interrupt handlers. I turned off PnP OS in the bios, but still no joy.

So I knew that 1.4rc2 was a beta test and I know how buggy beta software can be. I probably should have stoped there but I am stubborn and moderatly geeky so I went back and downloaded 1.2 x86.

I opened the less install.txt and alt+f2 to a new command line. I painstakingly followed the install.txt to the letter. I got all the way to scripts bootstrap.sh. One of the files i downloaded for ncurses has the wrong name or is missing, a bunch of .py files and I did see another user who had same exact error. So I tried to emerge -u portage and I tried to emerge rsync again but everytime I try to bootstrap I am missing some files or they have the wrong name.

I won't be disuaded by you telling me newbies can't follow the directions! I can follow instructions as good as anyone I know. I choose gentoo because you have such excellent support and help guides. Not to mention a whole big forum just for gentoo, at linuxnewbie.org there are as many diffrent answers as there are distro's.

So can you tell me how to find my missing files required by the bootstrap script?

My hypothesis is that because the portage tree is frozen for rc3 it is frozen without the .py files I need for ncurses or whatever?

Thanks for your help in advance and thanks for helping me join the gentoo linux club

drakonite · l33t Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Posts: 768 Location: Lincoln, NE

The files it complains are missing are files that it needs to download off the web. Gentoo is really suited for broadband connections.... If you don't have much for a net connection gentoo will be difficult.

Gentoo is great, but if you have no idea what you are doing I'd suggest trying out a copy of Mandrake. It's VERY nice for just starting linux. After you get some experience with linux then try something like gentoo or slack...

If you want to try gentoo though be ready for a lot of downloading

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Proudest Monkey · n00b Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 3

I have comcast cable and downloading is just fine. I can download a 650mb iso file in about 2 hours. But 2 hours is still 2 hours and I wanted to try to install a new distro that second.

Like I said, I may be a newbie but I can follow that install.txt just fine. It's like putting together furniture... You follow the directions and that jigsaw of screws and boards becomes a desk.

Also, I downloaded mandrake after the bootstrap debaucle and thats what I am running right now. I got openoffice installed from tarball and I have gone through the kernel make config just to see stuff. My thing is this, with mandrake everything worked off the install I wish the gnome had the fortune telling fish that slackware had but it all works.

But if it were all as simple as that why do use gentoo instead of mandrake... For the challenge, For the customization? I basically learned all my bash from copying the gentoo install bash commands and I found a bash cheat sheet also.

Is there a stage 3 tarball for K-6 processors, maybe I could get that so I wouldnt have to bootstrap? I want to make this work, not give up and use mandrake cause it was easier.

ryan83vt · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 2:51 pm Post subject:

I actually think that gentoo is good for someone with a slow connection. While with mandrake or red hat when you download a iso image you have to download this monstrous thing and then from there you probably wont even use everything on the cd, with gentoo you only download the things you need. Most things that you emerge are not that huge, with a few exceptions.

But I do agree - Gentoo isn't for linux n00b's - download/buy Red Hat or Mandrake first.

madtomkidd · Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2003 3:29 pm Post subject: fixing the problem

To start:

What kind of soundcard do you have?
if it's something like a soundblaster live, from your slackware install you just need to do:
modprobe emu10k1

That should fix things.
Slackware has TWO forums (used to be on the distro website but they had to move for some reason) so, there is one at http://userlocal.com and one at http://linuxpackages.net

I'm just starting with gentoo also. there is an amd optimized stage 3 tarball... i've been able to install it, but, after following ALL the directions, i still can't get X to work. I think the only way I've come this far is because i've learned so much using slackware.

If you're just getting started and you want to know how linux works, and how it is supposed to be laid out, use slackware. If you start with mandrake or redhat, you'll learn about linux, but only THEIR linux. They change all sorts of things that aren't very standards oriented... i think they do it so people will get stuck on their product, dabble with something else, not know what is going on and go back to the original.

So, I'd say play with slackware a while, do searches on the two forums and stick with it... that's what I did. Then, after you have things figured out, give gentoo a try...

Hope that helps!