Live CD only boots to run level 3 - how do I start X?

eric.stone · n00b Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 4

Hi,
Is this normal? I'm a current Ubuntu user who wants to try Gentoo. I've burned the appropriate iso for my AMD athlon 64, but the resulting Gentoo Live CD boots to run level three and leaves me at the root prompt. In Ubuntu I'd run "startx" to get my GUI. It doesn't seem to work here.
Thanks,
Eric
_________________
Eric Stone
AMD Athlon64 3200+
Registered linux user no. 3989565
Washington, DC

Doctor Corndog · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:20 am Post subject:

I'm not quite sure I understand? Have you setup and installed Gentoo yet? Installation of Gentoo is through the prompt, unless you know of some cool trick. I didn't have a GUI until after I had everything installed, booted my kernel to a prompt and emerged it.

eric.stone · n00b Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 4

Thanks for the quick response. Most "live" CDs will let you drop the disk in the CD, reboot and the result will be a fully operable system, while leaving your exisitng system undisturbed. To return to your original OS you simply remove the disk and reboot. Knoppix Live and DSL Live do this. Is there a Gentoo Live CD that fits this description?
Thanks again,
Eric
_________________
Eric Stone
AMD Athlon64 3200+
Registered linux user no. 3989565
Washington, DC

eric.stone · n00b Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 4

Dr. Corndog,
Sorry, I forgot to answer your question: No, I haven't installed Gentoo. I was hoping for a "live CD" trial run.
Thanks again,
Eric
_________________
Eric Stone
AMD Athlon64 3200+
Registered linux user no. 3989565
Washington, DC

Doctor Corndog · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:35 am Post subject:

Gotcha. I'm pretty new to Gentoo, but as far as I know there isn't a trial run, as in you can boot off of it for a fully operational Gentoo. I could be wrong, but I've never heard of that, and if there is, I wish I would have known about it before!

eric.stone · n00b Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 4

Dr.
I just got my answer - some one asked earlier today in this forum. I missed it I guess. The answer is there is no live CD in the sense I described. I suggest that the Gentoo powerbrokers consider publishing one. Lots of people are interested in trying out Gentoo but don't want to commit until they try it out first.
Thanks again,
Eric
_________________
Eric Stone
AMD Athlon64 3200+
Registered linux user no. 3989565
Washington, DC

NotQuiteSane · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 4:36 am Post subject:

There is a (unofficial) "live" dvd that has X. search for it.

as to the live CD's, they do boot into a fully functional enviroment

NQS
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sugar · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 4:55 am Post subject:

The Live CD is for installing Gentoo. You need to get the handbook and install it. (The install is a pain, but the as you use Gentoo, you'll never go back).

Gentoo isn't a binary distro, and everything is generally compiled on your computer. I think you'll be missing the point with a Knoppix like live Cd

sug4r

jamesdick628 · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 6:46 am Post subject:

I don't really understand the point of gentoo having a live cd with X on it. You're not really going to see anything different from ubuntu. If you want to try out gentoo, take the time to install. Who knows, it might help you appreciate it more, plus it will partially help you understand how portage works and how the startup scripts work. I always felt that the binary distributions never taught me much about linux, but I've learned a lot since using gentoo.

If you would like to have X running while you install gentoo, you can always use a knoppix or ubuntu livecd and install from there.

NotQuiteSane · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 7:05 am Post subject: