Install has failed but I wont give up

[ClintEastwood]

I just start my new life with Linux. I dumpt Windows Xp forever. I want to install Gentoo 2007.0 (nothing else)

I want to learn everything what is going on in my OS. I have heard that Gentoo is difficult. Yeah maybe... i dont mind...I want learn hard way..

Firstly I like to install Gentoo like newbie.. I mean.. just using GTK+ installer. Now i would like some help:


Partition: I have 80 Gb hard disk in my laptop. I put it in 4 parts...

device type options mount point size
/dev/hda1 ext3 defaults ? 70000 Mb
/dev/hda2 swap defaults ? 1026 Mb
/dev/hda3 ntfs defaults ? 16997 Mb
/dev/hda4 fat32 defaults ? 7364 Mb

I suppose I think all wrong and correct if I am... ext3 because I think it is better than ext2 (more functions), there must swap area for ram, ntfs (I ask myself why I need this type of space) and fat32 because my memory stick use fat32 format.

Now let´s laugh together I´m so lost... How I should make my mount points and partiotions?

I have been now 5 days without my full function Operating System. I´m shaking... In these 5 days I have been reading like 9 hours per day stuff what is Gentoo.. manuals, Linux format magazines, surfing around internet. I wont give up... I´ve failed install Gentoo 12 times (last was in the morning)

[terracotta_shore]

Couple of comments/questions/suggestions.

If you partition up your HD with four primary partitions, you'll have no flexibility for the future. The way I would do it would be to make hda1 a primary, and then hda2 an extended using the whole of the rest of the HD. Then I'd create as many logical partitions in hda2 as I needed (they'll be numbered from hda5 - that's the convention) leaving a bit left over for future unanticipated use. Linux can boot from logical partitions, unlike Windows which must boot from a primary. One up to Linux. Trouble is, the Gtk installer on the 2007.0 CD can only create primary partitions (iirc), so you'd have to use fdisk from the terminal or a different live CD to create your partitions. I would suggest getting yourself Gparted live and/or the Ubuntu desktop CD and/or the Mepis CD. You may not want to play with or intall Ubuntu or Mepis but I find those CDs are useful for partitioning, repair and general maintenance. Or you could use Knoppix.

If you're ditching Windows, why do you want NTFS? I wouldn't bother. Also, why have a FAT32 partition if you're not dual-booting with Windows? Again, don't bother. Just because memory sticks are formatted with fat32, doesn't mean you need a HD fat32 partition.

Ext3 is Ext2 journalled - so you're better off using ext3. Except if you want to format a flash drive with a Linux fs, then it's best to use ext2 - fewer writes; longer life.

I think you need to decide exactly what partitions you need for what and then work out what fs and how big.

Best of luck.

[terracotta_shore]

I've had a couple more thoughts for you.

From the Gentoo handbook. Nice and simple - three partitions, boot, swap and root. But there's more! Is a /boot partition needed? Personally, I find a separate /boot partition fussy and don't bother. So without one your minimum partition setup would be just two: root and swap.

So to that 2- or 3- partition setup, simply add what you want as the case may be. Some people like to have a separate /home (I don't), or you might just want a separate partition to store data. That's the advantage of using logical partitions - more flexibility if you decide you need more/different partitions.

[John R. Graham]

I'll echo what terracotta_shore said but also recommend that you abandon the GTK installer and go straight for the manual Handbook-based install. As has been mentioned lots of times on these forums, the Gentoo Linux Installer is a work in progress and is not yet very robust (although it's made tremendous progress over the last couple of releases).

Furthermore, if something in the manual install doesn't work, stop right there, and ask for help on the forums. Each step is troubleshootable and the people here are generally friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.

- John

[der.gecko]

i agree...

but you could also ask in the #gentoo channel on irc.freenode.net
there should be an irc client like xchat or so on your 2007.0 livecd.

usually you get help very quick, just be nice^^

[ClintEastwood]

Thank you for all. Finally lucky number 13 did the magic.


My Gentoo is now installed but now I think all learning just will start. My next big problem is how can I mount my USB stick, because when I put it in USB... error message come and say to me " cant mount"

And second biggest worry is my Internet connection. No connection what so ever... nothing has emerge in this sector...


Thank You

[John R. Graham]

USB flash drives require SCSI support in the kernel (go figure). You'll have to add support for that to the kernel and rebuild it. Regarding the network, it's a similar situation. Use "lspci" to determine what your hardware is and then modify the kernel configuration to support that hardware. The Handbook has a whole section on getting networking working, and another one on compiling the kernel, for that matter. Time to start reading!

- John

[ClintEastwood]