Finally after countless kernel compiling I have a working kernel. Starting with the least number of options selected I added the modules as I needed. Now I have all my network cards (three of them) working, got all the necessary file systems and my net filtering working.
Also got quite a few things working. Got X server running with XFCE4. Pretty cool got it running at 1400 x 1050. Pretty cool. However it is running only at 8 bit depth. I need to run it at 1024 x 768 at 24 bits. Got the latest gaim and firefox working. So at least have a basic usable system.
In addition, I don't have to run off the CD every day when I go to work. I usually ran it of the CD and configure it as router and with ssh server running. Then I continued the installation remotely with ssh and chroot.
Hopefully, I will have done most of the installation by this weekend.
My installation of Gentoo is still going on. Have quite a bit to go before I am done. I am really enjoying it though. It has taught me so many new things already.
Well I had always been told it is a good idea to make your /boot a separate partition. Now, I understand it. I knew the reason before but hadn't understood what it meant. It avoid the chicken & egg problem. If the boot partition is on the / the root partition. When the root partition is corrupt. You are stuck. You can't boot because your root and in turn your /boot are corrupt. The only way to fix it is to boot.
Of course, then you would search for your rescue disk, floppy or CD. However, if you keep the /boot separate, it doesn't get corrupted when the root / is corrupted. In fact, you don't even mount /boot for normal use. Now that really made sense.
Lot many other stuffs like understanding GRUB and the way it names the hard disks. Oh getting pretty good at compiling kernels. First time I compiled I had forgotten to put the network card drivers. I have three 3COM network cards, one ISA and two PCI. The first kernel I built I only had ISA drivers so I had to do again. Second kernel I didn't include iptables and hence can't use the system as a gateway, one of the main purpose of the system.
Also crashing the emerge during an update of portage was quite an experience. Nothing worked saying they had problem finding libstdc++.so.5 Luckily found a simple solution on the gentoo forum. Basically edited /etc/ld.so.config and got a binary version of Python from stage1 tar. Copied stuffs from old site-packages and had a running Python. After that I could run emerge and was able to update the glibc.
The installation is still going on. Just got X running yesterday. Will do more as the week goes on :)
Here I am writing my weblog using the console browser links as I install Gentoo. BeOS used to allow playing Tetris during the install they said, this is even better. I have a working Linux system and I am connected to the net. Well I don't really mind a console :)
Well I don't know how long it is going to take to install Gentoo on my Pentium II 266MHz system with 296MB RAM and 4GB HDD but I am sure I will be spending my whole weekend on it. I actually had planned to do a stage 2 or even stage 3 install to avoid all the hassel but ended up doing stage 1 install. No choice, the CD I used to do the install only had stage 1 stuffs. Well, may be it is for the best.
So will I have an optimised system? I am basically using this system as a common computer and a gateway. Got three network cards just for that. The first to connect to the net through the NTL set-top box, other to the hub for all the other computers in the house about four of them and final to connect my laptop. Well, getting a connection from the hub wouldn't be possible as the hub is on the first floor along with every body else and my room on the ground floor.
Well Gentoo seems to be happily compiling all the stuff. I really hope I get an optimised system after all this hassel.
Will post more of my experience with it. I am already loving it that I have a basic working system that let me browse the net while I install. I should have put centreicq (console IM) at shrestha.net.np and I could have sshed and chatted with friends!