Fresh install freezes when udev starts [Solved: nomodeset]

[BitJam]

I'm making a fresh install of Gentoo on a spare partition on my current Gentoo system.

I made a copy of my existing world file, edited it and then emerged all of the packages in it on the new system from within a chroot. It is a stable amd64 system. I tried to minimize entries in the /etc/portage/package.* files on the new system. IMO this is a good opportunity for me to clean out a lot of cruft.

I used the same kernel from my current system and just copied over /src/* and the modules directory.

When udev starts, the screen flashes and I lose the fbcondecor background. I think this is from KMS kicking in.

When udev starts up I get about six blank lines after the "waiting for" line and the whole system is frozen. I have to use the big red switch to turn it off and then reboot.

I had created a /etc/udev/rules.d/80-net-name-slot.rules symlink to /dev/null so I could continue to use the eth0 name and the net.eth0 service.

Ironically, (or not) one of the main reasons I started over from scratch was to try using udev now that the hal-flash package is available. My current system uses mdev. I could switch to that or to eudev in the new system but I thought I would try to fix the udev problem first. I thought I would first post about this problem in case it is useful to the devs since this is a fresh install. Also, maybe I'm doing something stupid that is easy for someone else to spot.

[BitJam]

I solved this problem by adding the "nomodeset" boot parameter. I don't know why KMS would cause the system to freeze and I don't know why I need "nomodeset" on the new system and not the old one but this does solve the problem. I'm using the same kernel and modules directory. I copied the Grub entry and just substituted a new partition in the root=xxx boot parameter.

[Logicien]

Using the nomodeset kernel parameter is just a workaround not a solution for framebuffer drivers who support KMS. A possible reason why you have to do that can be that the kernel, modules and initramfs(?) of your first Gentoo cannot deal with more different packages files in your new installation.

I suggest that you compile your kernel in your new installation and use it with it. That will tell you if the problem is the kernel of your first installation or not when you use it with your new installation.
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Paul

[BitJam]

Thank you for the prompt reply.