New install and server runs gentoo [answered]

[pdr]

My server runs gentoo (amd64), and I am going to be doing a new desktop gentoo install, but also am working on a backup "auto-install" script that basically auto-performs the steps from the Handbook, then emerges everything in order from my emerge.log (taking into account unmerges), and finally restores backed up non-package data (/home, /etc, and so on).

I already have my server set up to be the rsync server for portage syncing my desktops, but what I wonder is this:

During install, instead of getting a portage snapshot can I just do an emerge --sync? Running over my gigabit local network I would expect this to be at least as quick as downloading a snapshot over DSL and THEN syncing...

If not - are there instructions anywhere to make my own snapshot and use it? Or do I HAVE to install a snapshot first?

I assume that I don't have a choice with the stage file since the server is amd64 and the desktop is x86...

[m_spidey]

One thing you could look at maybe is nfs mount the portage tree, then they'll all share the same tree.

Maybe you could rsync across the tree...

I've never tried doing an emerge sync with no portage tree in place.

I have tried tar-balling an existing portage tree....yuk way too many files T.T

I've actually done exactly what you mentioned there but in python, I just stored a copy of the portage-snapshot and then update the portage wif a local mirror

[pdr]

I tried during an install to just emerge --sync instead of putting in a snapshot first - and it does not work.