Re: [tlug] Looking for advice on the best way to rebuild a gentoo box

["Josh Glover" <jmglov@example.com>]

On 01/11/06, Al Hoang <hoanga@example.com> wrote:

> 2. Reinstall option cost is something like:  Bt + Dl + In + Npi
>   Bt  =  Time to backup all your relevant data to use as a template for a
> reinstall.
>   Dl  =  Time to download the new Gentoo distro (Maybe you already have
> the disc so this becomes zero)

The time is effectively zero if you live in the greater Tokyo area and
use the Todai mirror:

ftp://ftp.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/GENTOO

Mauro downloaded a nigh-700M Gentoo install CD in under a minute at a
TLUG meeting last year. :)

>   Npi =  # of packages needing install.  You'll need to factor in download
> times as well as compile.  However this can be slightly mitigated by saving
> your old tarballs and trying to recycle as much as you can.

Agreed. The first thing to do is run:

equery list >pkg.list
sed -i -e 1d pkg.list
sed -e 's/^/=/' pkg.list | xargs sudo quickpkg

This will build binary packages for *everything*. Make sure
/usr/portage/packages has enough free space, or set PKGDIR in
/etc/make.conf. You may want to do an "sudo emerge --sync && sudo
emerge world" first, so your binary packages are the latest and
greatest. Then, blow away your system and reinstall everything, with
emerge -k.

As for your "-gnome" question, relax. I have successfully run Gentoo
with "-gnome -kde" for quite some time. :)

-Josh