A trouble-free 64 bit Linux distro

[satimis]

Hi folks,

I have been testing both FC5_64 and Ubuntu-6.0.6-amd64, including Ubuntu-6.0.6-i386, on an AMD Athlon 64 PC and encountered lot of problem.

Can you please recommend a reliable 64 bit Linux distro to run on this PC without much problem.

TIA

B.R.
satimis

[je_fro]

I run gentoo on x86_64 with no trouble at all.

[satimis]

Hi je_fro,

Tks for your advice.

Before I have been googling around on Gentoo 64, in particular the installer CD. My finding was it needs another Linux distro to install it. Is it true? If I'm wrong please advise which ISO image I have to download. TIA

B.R.
satimis

[je_fro]

I usually do a stage3 from a minimal cd. You're going to need to read the excellent documentation...everything is explained.
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/2006.0/handbook-amd64.xml?full=1
...and I stay away from the GRP packages too...they are usually outdated.

[satimis]

Hi je_fro,

Tks for your URL

I haven't run Gentoo at least 5 years. I almost forgot their commands.

I have following packages download;
install-amd64-minimal-2006.0.iso
install-amd64-minimal-2006.0.iso.CONTENTS
install-amd64-minimal-2006.0.iso.DIGESTS
stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2
stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2.asc
stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2.DIGESTS

But I can't find their md5sum files. Whether run;
# md5sum -c install-amd64-minimal-2006.0.iso.DIGESTS
instead (on the same directory) ?

Is "stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2" also on the minimal installCD?

Regarding prepartition of HD, can I partition the HD with LVM? Are the commands same as running on other Linux distro?

TIA

B.R.
satimis

[dkeav]

gentoo at least has good 32bit binary packages for common programs that have closed source binary blobs like win32codecs and flash

ie firefox and mplayer

[asiB4]

Hi je_fro,

Tks for your URL

I haven't run Gentoo at least 5 years. I almost forgot their commands.

I have following packages download;
install-amd64-minimal-2006.0.iso
install-amd64-minimal-2006.0.iso.CONTENTS
install-amd64-minimal-2006.0.iso.DIGESTS
stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2
stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2.asc
stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2.DIGESTS

But I can't find their md5sum files. Whether run;
# md5sum -c install-amd64-minimal-2006.0.iso.DIGESTS
instead (on the same directory) ?

Is "stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2" also on the minimal installCD?

Regarding prepartition of HD, can I partition the HD with LVM? Are the commands same as running on other Linux distro?

TIA

B.R.
satimis
the minimal install cd does not come with a stage3 tarball or a portage snapshot...got to d/l them. You should be able to #links http://distfiles.gentoo.org and download what you need. As far as your md5sums...just run either md5sum -c /path/to/md5sums_DIGESTS, or md5sum -c <blah.blah-blah.DIGESTS in the directory where you downloaded them...if you mounted your partitions and cd to /mnt/gentoo before you downloaded them thats where it should have downloaded them to...if you did not cd to /mnt/gentoo, I believe it downloads to a tmp file in ram. You should be able to do LVM, but it is not discussed much in the installation docs. Linky below.

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/lvm2.xml

<edit> forgot to throw out a link for the gentoo lvm2 docs... :rolleyes: </edit>

[satimis]

Hi folks,

Tks for your advice and URL.

I built this AMD64 box is for testing JBoss, MySQL/PostgreSQL --> EnterprizeDB (Oracle compatible)

Hardware configuration:-
AMD Athlon 64 3000+
ASUS mobo, A8N-VM-UAYGZ
Graphic card - Gigabyte GV-NX66256DP2, RAM-128MB DDR2
RAM 1G, dual-channel

I selected both FC5_64 and Ubuntu-6.0.6-amd64 as OS, each on its own HD, FC5_64 on SATAII and Ubuntu-6.06.-amd64 on ATA-133 but having many troubles resulted, not relating to hardware compatibility but the OS itself. Installation went through w/o problem. Trouble started after running the OS a day or 2, Firefox crashing, crashing and exiting X-window, gdm not started, gdm started but X-window not started. etc. Finally I installed Ubuntu-6.0.6-i386 on ATA-133 HD instead but still having problem. The box has been built for almost a month. I'm still busily solving problem on OS.

On the contrary I have an old box running Athlon 1.4G, 32 bit with only 500MB RAM. JBoss is already up running there on 32bit FC5. It would be a waste of money if putting the new box on shelve and getting back to the old box, or if run 32bit Linux on 64bit box. I need speed. Therefore I'm now trying my last retort to find a reliable 64bit Linux OS for this box

That is the whole story.

B.R.
satimis

[satimis]

Hi asiB4,

When to use;
1) install-amd64-minimal-2006.0
2) install-amd64-universal-2006.0

In my understanding
- use "install-amd64-minimal-2006.0" to boot up the PC
- partition HD etc.
- copy "stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2" to /mnt/gentoo
(In my case, I will copy it on a USB pendrive first. After mounting the USB pendrive, copy it on /gentoo and uncompres it. Starting there to build Genoo)

If I'm wrong please correct me. Tks.

Then what about "install-amd64-universal-2006.0"

B.R.
satimis

[shadebug]

the universal iso is so that you can do the full install without connecting to the internet

[asiB4]

Hi asiB4,

When to use;
1) install-amd64-minimal-2006.0
2) install-amd64-universal-2006.0

In my understanding
- use "install-amd64-minimal-2006.0" to boot up the PC
- partition HD etc.
- copy "stage3-amd64-2006.0.tar.bz2" to /mnt/gentoo
(In my case, I will copy it on a USB pendrive first. After mounting the USB pendrive, copy it on /gentoo and uncompres it. Starting there to build Genoo)

If I'm wrong please correct me. Tks.

Then what about "install-amd64-universal-2006.0"

B.R.
satimis

the minimal install iso just has what you need to get up and running. no stage3 or portage tarballs. then using links, which should be supplied on the install disc, to download the portage snapshot and stage3 tarballs. never tried to download to a pendrive and then to a hdd, so not sure how that will work out for you. What is the purpose in doing that? Just seems to me to be more work than necessary, when you can download them from within /mnt/gentoo, which will be your root directory, and then delete them once unpacked to the proper directories. IMO, just cuts out the middle-man. as far as the universal iso, I do not install using it, but from what I remember from the 2005 universal install iso, it did come with a stage3 and portage snapshot tarball, but they were outdated as compared to what is available off the mirrors. If you have a slow internet connection and don't want to spend the time to download the 100mb or so stage3 or the 30mb or so portage snapshot, then the universal would be decent to use. But otherwise consult the documentation and use the minimal install iso. below is a link to the gentoo docs, if you didn't already know where to find them. Another good good source of information is the Gentoo wiki, linky below. HTH! :D

Gentoo Documentation (http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/index.xml)
Gentoo Wiki (http://gentoo-wiki.com/Main_Page)

[satimis]

Hi asiB4 and shadebug,

Tks for your advice and URL

I think I have a clear picture now. I'll follow;
Gentoo Linux AMD64 Handbook
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-amd64.xml
and run "Gentoo Minimal Installation CD" to install Gentoo.

I have 1.5MB ADSL broadband connection with speed at about 200kb/sec.

Tks

B.R.
satimis

[shadebug]

that's pretty much how i installed mine, if you follow the handbook you should have no problems

[satimis]

that's pretty much how i installed mine, if you follow the handbook you should have no problemsNoted with tks.

satimis