RE: [gentoo-user] Re: New Gentoo Laptop

[Timothy A. Holmes]

>
> Timothy A. Holmes <tholmes <at> mcaschool.net> writes:
>
> > > Here's a random list of ideas that may ease the pain of
conversion.
> > >
> > > 1. backup the existing system
> > >
> > > 2. Run lspci -vv,   lshw, and discover to document the hardware
> > > under ubuntu before beginnning the conversion. USBview can be
valuable
> > > is you have usb devices.
> > >
> > > 3. Save the.config file for building a kernel or the existing
kernel
> > > under ubuntu
> > >
> > > 4. Save the hdparm settings on the existing drive, as well as the
> > > /etc/fstab
> > > and xorg or xfree configuration files. In fact a second backup of
> > /etc/
> > > and any other valuable config files is a good idea.
> > >
> > > 5. Boot the laptop with the most recent liveCD (gentoo) and see
what
> > works
> > > and
> > > what does not work.
> > >
> > > 6. Research all hardware device driver issues before making the
> > > commitment.
> > >
> > > 7. Save a 'dmesg' log file.
> > > hth,
> > >
> > > James

[Timothy A. Holmes] 
> > [Timothy A. Holmes]
> >
> > James -- thanks so much for your help and ideas -- they all sound
like
> > excellent suggestions -- I will comment on each one below
> >
> > 1.  Thankfully -- I am actually going to be installing on a totally
new
> > hdd, so the backup issue is not really there, the drives will become
> > interchangeable, and once the linux one is fully working, the
original
> > one will be reformatted as a windows drive for the rare case that
the
> > box would need it
>
> Well the first thing is to keep your replies, inline, so we can follow
> the discussion.
> >
> > 2. Those sound good -- ive never messed with them, I'm assuming that
all
> > of them have appropriate man pages?
> >
> They are very easy to use
>
> I'm not familiar with ubuntu, but first find the package, install it
> in each case and then:
>
> lspci -vv > lspci.results
>
> lshw > lshw.results
>
> discover > discover.results
>
> dmesg > dmesg.results.date
>
> putting them on a floppy for example:
> mcopy lspci a:
> mcopy lshw.results a:
> mcopy discover.results
> mcopy dmesg.results.date a:
>
> > 3. On this one - the kernel is the default one packaged with Ubuntu,
I
> > have done updates out of synaptic, but have not configured it at
all.  I
> > don't know how to get a config file for it -- can you point me to a
> > reference, or give me some instructions
>
> Not familiar with ubuntu.  uname -r should give the kernel version
> then download sources (ask a ubuntu person for details)
>
> cd /usr/src
> ln -sf /usr/src/[ubuntu-kernel-source /usr/src/linux
> cd /usr/src/linux
> make meuconfig  (hopefully, it'll pick up your default
> options from the existing kernel)
>
> (save  menuconfig without making changes)
>
> make
>
> then  copy the /usr/src/linux/.config file to the floppy
> (it should look like roughly like this:
>
> <snip>
> #
> # Automatically generated make config: don't edit
> # Linux kernel version: 2.6.12-gentoo-r9
> # Sat Sep  3 07:37:47 2005
> #
> CONFIG_X86=y
> CONFIG_MMU=y
> CONFIG_UID16=y
> CONFIG_GENERIC_ISA_DMA=y
> CONFIG_GENERIC_IOMAP=y
>
> #
> # Code maturity level options
> #
> CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL=y
> CONFIG_CLEAN_COMPILE=y
> CONFIG_LOCK_KERNEL=y
> CONFIG_INIT_ENV_ARG_LIMIT=32
> <snip>
>
> after you build a kernel for the gentoo system, you can see
> what options(trickery) the ubuntu masters used to create their
> disk. Note. You may have to add steps to this, it's just an outline.
>
> >
> > 4. sounds good -- again thankfully -- it's a drive swap rather than
an
> > overwrite
> >
> > 5. Definatly will do
> >
> > 6. Also sounds good
> >
> > 7. How do I do this???
>
> on ubuntu
>
> dmesg > dmesg.ubuntu.date
> mcopy dmesg.ubuntu.date a:
>
> >
> > Thanks again to you and all who have commented, Please keep those
> > comments coming -- im loving this
>
> good luck, and with gentoo it's all about learning and enjoying
> the journey......  all things are possible, in time.
>
> I John 4:8,9
> James
[Timothy A. Holmes] 

James -thanks a bunch -- this project is defiantly a go, it is a
question of timing -- if we get a snow day tomorrow (im praying we do) I
will begin working tomorrow -- I just discovered that the new hdd that I
have for it (originally ordered for a different laptop) is basically
identical to the one that is in the box,  it's a bit faster (5400 rpm vs
4300) but otherwise identical, so that is one hurdle cleared.  

If we don't get the snow day, I will start on it after Christmas break
starts

Thanks again

TIM



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