Upgrading GCC/GLIBC/Binutils for NPTL, while changing CHOST

[Crasty]

Okay, quick summary. I have a co-located server running Gentoo, been doing great for 2 years now. It is a web server (apache and lighttpd), and also runs MySQL, Postgres, and various other services.

I want to get NPTL, since quite a few daemons I run are threaded, and I figured I might as well try it.

Specifics: (the CPU is an AMD Barton, but I tend to be more conservative with my cflags)
CFLAGS="-O2 -mcpu=i686 -fomit-frame-pointer -pipe"
CHOST="i386-pc-linux-gnu"
USE="apache2 dba gd gif maildir postgres sasl -arts -avi -cups \
-gtk -kde -gnome -libg \
-mikmod -motif -mpeg -opengl -qt -X -xmms"


gcc version 3.3.6 (Gentoo 3.3.6, ssp-3.3.6-1.0, pie-8.7.8 )
glibc version 2.3.6-r3 (is using linuxthreads)
binutils version 2.16.1-r3
Kernel: vanilla 2.6.18.1

# ls -la /etc/make.profile
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 55 Sep 26 15:19 /etc/make.profile -> ../usr/portage/profiles/default-linux/x86/2006.1/server



The target
I would like to get to GCC 4.1 with NPTL. I have read through the following guides:

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gcc-upgrading.xml
http://gentoo-wiki.com/NPTL
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/change-chost.xml)

it seems like in order to get this working right I need to:
0) set USE="-nptl -ntplonly" in make.conf to override the defaults set in my profile
1) upgrade GCC while masking glibc 2.4 first
2) then recompile everything in system using emerge -e world
3)change my CHOST, unmask glibc 2.4, re-merge gcc glibc binutils again
4) fix /etc/env.d to get rid of old CHOST problems;
5) finally enable USE="nptl nptlonly" and re-emerge gcc glibc binutils -again-
6) re-build system world a final time.

Does that sound right? Am I missing something? Is there any way to speed up the process? it's a scary proposition as it stands now.

If any other information need be posted, just let me know.

[zxy]

Maybe better to backup neccecary files and to make clean install.

You need to backup /etc for sure the world file (to have the same programs installed again) and all the data. And maybe something more.

Changing chost makes gremlins attack , as the install guide said (maybe it still does)

[abarrett79]

*bump*

lately, my system has broken, on a few things, such as evolution, and cedega, two of my favorites!
I'm planning on upgrading to nptl, and would like to see some real feedback on this, other than reinstalling my 200GB of "stuff"
200/4.7 is more than 40 dvds, not something I wish to do. Also don't feel like bricking my system, so please advise on whether the forementioned plan is complete or not.

Thanks

zxy> did you try this yet? if so, did you come out successful?