I want to take the jump!

Doctor Corndog · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:38 pm Post subject: I want to take the jump!

I'm really tired of Microsoft's overpriced OS that crashes, transmits my information all over the net & gets infected with spyware.

I want to try something else, and have been pointed here. I haven't done anything with UNIX for about 6 years, but I'm not afraid to learn, and hopefully what I did know, will start to come back to me.

So, I think I'm just looking for that kick in the butt to push me closer to trying this out....

... here's what I have, and what I plan to do.

AMD Opteron 170
DFI Lanparty UT SLI-DR
1024 x 2 G.Skill
BFG 7800GTX OC
WD 250GB SATA II
Plextor Sata DVD Burner
PC Power & Cooling 510W

To be completely honest with you, I'd rather not have windows XP on my system at all. I read a lot about people running dual boot systems, and I'll do it if I ABSOLUTELY must, but I'd rather go for broke, and force myself to adjust to the OS for my needs.

I do game (obviously), and I'm a UT2004 nut, in fact, that's just about all I play.

I do have another computer that I can use, if I totally freak out, and cannot get on the net, to this board to ask for help.

So... am I going to be okay... will Gentoo work with this hardware?

I guess that's my first of many questions soon to come.

rev138 · l33t Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Posts: 848 Location: Vermont, USA

I'm not sure if UT2004 will run under wine/cedega, but otherwise your system should be more than adequate.

If you want to get your feet wet, you might try VidaLinux. It's an easy, graphical install of gentoo using Gnome as it's desktop environment. Otherwise, if you just want to jump straight in, get the latest gentoo livecd and go for it.

The Gentoo Handbook is well written and easy to follow, and if you do run into trouble, these forums are EXTREMELY helpful.

PaulBredbury · Watchman Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 7310

dobysirius · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:46 pm Post subject:

I don't know about UT2K4, but UT 1 should run even without wine. I notice Portage has an ebuild for games-fps/unreal-tournament. [EDIT: well, ok, apparently UT2K4, too]

Otherwise, as rev said, if you'd rather have the text-only install, you can just download the livecd and go for it. The documentation is also included on the cd (though better if you use the online one, since it'll be more up-to-date). Follow it exactly, and you shouldn't have much trouble, however if you do, you can always ask for help here, or on IRC (the livecd also has a text browser and irc client, but you have another machine anyway).

I'm not any expert on the hardware, but it should be fine, if you run into any problems with it, chances are it's some common issue with that specific model, so do a search on google or these forums.

Best of luck with the install!

danyer · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:31 pm Post subject:

ut2004 has a native linux client (32 and 64 bit)
just emerge ut2004 and have your cds (or dvd) close to you. be ready to enter the product key.

enjoy

Doctor Corndog · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:50 pm Post subject:

Heck yeah, I'm doing it. I'll print off the manual tonight, so I'll have something to reference quickly and read up a little more on some terms and command while I'm @ work tonight. Thanks for the push guys, I'm sure I'll be back with more questions soon.

augury · l33t Joined: 22 May 2004 Posts: 722 Location: philadelphia

get a slax cd and a knoppix cd as well.

sundialsvc4 · Guru Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 436

It would be a good idea to buy a separate hard-disk, install it, and then put Gentoo on that. This enables you to leave your existing installation completely alone.

augury · l33t Joined: 22 May 2004 Posts: 722 Location: philadelphia

Buy a bunch, run raid, build a server farm. . .

Doctor Corndog · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 1:19 am Post subject:

Hehe, I don't have a current configuration, my computer has just been built, so I don't have to worry about losing information. I always have my standby computer if I can't figure something out. I'll begin my Gentoo Jump in a few hours, when I get off work.

I will grab the CDs you listed Augury... as soon as I figure out what they are

***ALSO***

If anyone can recommend any good printable reading material (I just printed off the 99 page AMD64 handbook), please let me know BEFORE I get off work

. I'm currently printerless at home

Tamsco · Guru Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 313 Location: dmse.mit.edu

The Handbook is the best.

You don't need to have Windows on your box, in fact it would make your life far easier not to have it, but since most people need windows for something (be it an exotic app or a game) a lot of people do it. I've been Windowsfree for over a year and a half.
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testlab · n00b Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 15

What graphics card you got ?

No expert here but I believe ATI and LINUX are not good friends for 3D stuff. Been told Nvidia runs quite well.

Just a thought (might be wrong :p)

Doctor Corndog · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject:

Sorry I wasn't more specific; I'm using the BFG Nvidia 7800 GTX OC.

I wasn't able to install last night, due to some issues that came up (Girlfriend got really sick), but I'm planning on starting tonight. I downloaded the 2005.1 Minimal install CD for AMD64, so I just boot off that and start rockin' & rollin' right?

rev138 · l33t Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Posts: 848 Location: Vermont, USA

augury · l33t Joined: 22 May 2004 Posts: 722 Location: philadelphia

These are distro-on-a-cd live-cds. They work alot like the gentoo live-cd only you can have a gui up as well for www (nothing wrong w/ links) and email, multiple terminals w/ scrolling history, drag-and-drop text editors plus they have pretty good config automation so you can see what you need to do to make the system run. Slax is prob. the easier of the two since it gives you root access at the command prompt and mounts all the disks automatically although you will want to umount them and remount them (the main partion somewhere and then the other partions mount in that directory tree). You can then run a gui. It doesn't have everything but its got enough get the system running. Knoppix is a little more intricate which can be confussing since your want to get to the core system when building. The only thing you need to do is # su in a terminal for root access (which you need to get to the disks). You get more apps w/ knoppix. Having two is fun. Slax is a 2.6 kernel and knoppix should be too. Both have been around a while and development and upgrades are on going.

slax If you leave the cd-r session open you can add files.
knoppix en Everyones favorite.
knoppix 3.1gb DVD disto Remember that the point of all this is be building gentoo.
knoppix-cheatcodes.txt Print these quick instructions for booting.

Frodg · l33t Joined: 11 Feb 2004 Posts: 761

btw
during your install from the Live-CD you can switch to a new terminal (alt-F2, alt-F3, etc) and read the documentation on line, using the "links" browser...
you can then check documents or search for answers to questions throughout the install.
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