# Dell LAtitude e6520

## gttg

Hello,

Just installed Gentoo on laptop.

Can someone help me to setup network for it?

Actually what do I have:

1) Network manager does not see any of interfaces: eth0, wlan0

2) installed wicd - it sees both.

Need help to make Network manager working with network.

Also, how to setup 3G USB modem? What software need to be installed? Huawei MF637 modem.

Any help is welcome.

This is my first Gentoo setup, all went well, never had an issue. Installed KDe then, then till now is fighting to setup network... useless.

Just to check all is OK, I used Manjaro's and Sabayon's LiveCD's, they both detected my network well, and allowed me to setup USB modem without any problem. Just means - all is Ok and I need to make correct config

Do not want to move to other distro, Gentoo it is superior, very fast, all is OK. Just need someone guide me to setup it's network.

Network driver is e100e, wifi is Intel N6300.

----------

## Keruskerfuerst

Hardwareinfo?

especially the network interfaces

emerge --info?

----------

## gttg

Hi, just today made it to work but has another problem.

Problem was - I did not added network manager to autostart. The icon of it's was in a panel, but network manager was not started.

Installed usb_modeswitch, loaded mobile broadband operator's database.

Now, the network manager (kde-misc/plasma-nm).

I see this with kde-misc/plasma-nm:

it sees mobile broadband, wifi. Does not allow me to configure ethernet connection, anyway - it is not allow to add mobile broadband connection, while it sees the 3G modem attached.

http://postimg.org/image/et5wpd0jj/

how to make this to show all interfaces, allow me to manage their connection (add, edit, delete connections) and change their settings (like I could do it on LiveCDs).

Then kde-misc/plasma-nm was unmerged and installed     kde-misc/networkmanagement. The networkmanagement sees all interfaces.

Here I can edit all connections by of intefaces except of mobile broadband connection. When I click to save added connection, I see this:

http://postimg.org/image/qcx99jvwp/

Any help?

----------

## gttg

$ emerge --info

!!! SYNC setting found in make.conf.

    This setting is Deprecated and no longer used.  Please ensure your 'sync-type' and 'sync-uri' are set correctly in /etc/portage/repos.conf/gentoo.conf

Portage 2.2.20.1 (python 3.4.3-final-0, default/linux/amd64/13.0/desktop/kde, gcc-4.8.5, glibc-2.20-r2, 4.0.5-gentoo x86_64)

=================================================================

System uname: Linux-4.0.5-gentoo-x86_64-Intel-R-_Core-TM-_i7-2720QM_CPU_@_2.20GHz-with-gentoo-2.2

KiB Mem:     8117480 total,   4782140 free

KiB Swap:          0 total,         0 free

Timestamp of repository gentoo: Sat, 03 Oct 2015 06:00:01 +0000

sh bash 4.3_p39

ld GNU ld (Gentoo 2.25.1 p1.1) 2.25.1

app-shells/bash:          4.3_p39::gentoo

dev-java/java-config:     2.2.0::gentoo

dev-lang/perl:            5.20.2::gentoo

dev-lang/python:          2.7.10::gentoo, 3.4.3::gentoo

dev-util/cmake:           3.2.2::gentoo

dev-util/pkgconfig:       0.28-r2::gentoo

sys-apps/baselayout:      2.2::gentoo

sys-apps/openrc:          0.17::gentoo

sys-apps/sandbox:         2.6-r1::gentoo

sys-devel/autoconf:       2.13::gentoo, 2.69::gentoo

sys-devel/automake:       1.11.6-r1::gentoo, 1.14.1::gentoo, 1.15::gentoo

sys-devel/binutils:       2.25.1-r1::gentoo

sys-devel/gcc:            4.8.5::gentoo

sys-devel/gcc-config:     1.7.3::gentoo

sys-devel/libtool:        2.4.6::gentoo

sys-devel/make:           4.1-r1::gentoo

sys-kernel/linux-headers: 3.18::gentoo (virtual/os-headers)

sys-libs/glibc:           2.20-r2::gentoo

Repositories:

gentoo

    location: /usr/portage

    sync-type: rsync

    sync-uri: rsync://rsync.gentoo.org/gentoo-portage

    priority: -1000

ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="amd64"

ACCEPT_LICENSE="* -@EULA"

CBUILD="x86_64-pc-linux-gnu"

CFLAGS="-march=corei7-avx -mtune=generic -O2 -pipe"

CHOST="x86_64-pc-linux-gnu"

CONFIG_PROTECT="/etc /usr/share/config /usr/share/gnupg/qualified.txt"

CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK="/etc/ca-certificates.conf /etc/dconf /etc/env.d /etc/fonts/fonts.conf /etc/gconf /etc/gentoo-release /etc/sandbox.d /etc/terminfo"

CXXFLAGS="-march=corei7-avx -mtune=generic -O2 -pipe"

DISTDIR="/usr/portage/distfiles"

FCFLAGS="-O2 -pipe"

FEATURES="assume-digests binpkg-logs config-protect-if-modified distlocks ebuild-locks fixlafiles merge-sync news parallel-fetch preserve-libs protect-owned sandbox sfperms strict unknown-features-warn unmerge-logs unmerge-orphans userfetch userpriv usersandbox usersync"

FFLAGS="-O2 -pipe"

GENTOO_MIRRORS="http://de-mirror.org/gentoo/ http://gentoo.osuosl.org/ http://gentoo.cs.uni.edu/"

LANG="en_US.utf8"

LDFLAGS="-Wl,-O1 -Wl,--as-needed"

MAKEOPTS="-j10"

PKGDIR="/usr/portage/packages"

PORTAGE_CONFIGROOT="/"

PORTAGE_RSYNC_OPTS="--recursive --links --safe-links --perms --times --omit-dir-times --compress --force --whole-file --delete --stats --human-readable --timeout=180 --exclude=/distfiles --exclude=/local --exclude=/packages"

PORTAGE_TMPDIR="/var/tmp"

USE="X a52 aac acl acpi alsa amd64 berkdb bindist bluetooth branding bzip2 cairo cdda cdr cli consolekit cracklib crypt cups cxx dbus declarative dri dts dvd dvdr emboss encode exif fam firefox flac fortran gdbm gif glamor gpm iconv icu ieee1394 ipv6 jpeg kde kipi lcms ldap libnotify ln_sensors mad mmx mmxext mng modules mp3 mp4 mpeg multilib ncurses networkmanager nls nptl ogg opengl openmp pam pango pcre pdf phonon plasma png policykit ppds ppp pulseaudio python qt3 qt3support qt4 readline sdl seccomp semantic-desktop session spell sse sse2 ssl startup-notification svg tcpd tiff truetype udev udisks unicode upower usb vorbis wxwidgets x264 xcb xcomposite xinerama xml xscreensaver xv xvid zeroconf zlib" ABI_X86="64 32" ALSA_CARDS="snd-hda-intel hda-intel usb-audio" APACHE2_MODULES="authn_core authz_core socache_shmcb unixd actions alias auth_basic authn_alias authn_anon authn_dbm authn_default authn_file authz_dbm authz_default authz_groupfile authz_host authz_owner authz_user autoindex cache cgi cgid dav dav_fs dav_lock deflate dir disk_cache env expires ext_filter file_cache filter headers include info log_config logio mem_cache mime mime_magic negotiation rewrite setenvif speling status unique_id userdir usertrack vhost_alias" CALLIGRA_FEATURES="kexi words flow plan sheets stage tables krita karbon braindump author" CAMERAS="ptp2" COLLECTD_PLUGINS="df interface irq load memory rrdtool swap syslog" CPU_FLAGS_X86="mmx mmxext sse sse2" ELIBC="glibc" GPSD_PROTOCOLS="ashtech aivdm earthmate evermore fv18 garmin garmintxt gpsclock itrax mtk3301 nmea ntrip navcom oceanserver oldstyle oncore rtcm104v2 rtcm104v3 sirf superstar2 timing tsip tripmate tnt ublox ubx" INPUT_DEVICES="evdev keyboard mouse synaptics v41 udev elongraphics" KERNEL="linux" LCD_DEVICES="bayrad cfontz cfontz633 glk hd44780 lb216 lcdm001 mtxorb ncurses text" LIBREOFFICE_EXTENSIONS="presenter-console presenter-minimizer" LINGUAS="en" OFFICE_IMPLEMENTATION="libreoffice" PHP_TARGETS="php5-5" PYTHON_SINGLE_TARGET="python2_7" PYTHON_TARGETS="python2_7 python3_4" RUBY_TARGETS="ruby20 ruby21" USERLAND="GNU" VIDEO_CARDS="intel nouveau" XTABLES_ADDONS="quota2 psd pknock lscan length2 ipv4options ipset ipp2p iface geoip fuzzy condition tee tarpit sysrq steal rawnat logmark ipmark dhcpmac delude chaos account"

Unset:  CC, CPPFLAGS, CTARGET, CXX, EMERGE_DEFAULT_OPTS, INSTALL_MASK, LC_ALL, PORTAGE_BUNZIP2_COMMAND, PORTAGE_COMPRESS, PORTAGE_COMPRESS_FLAGS, PORTAGE_RSYNC_EXTRA_OPTS, USE_PYTHON

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

Look in /dev when your 3G modem is not connected.  Specifically at /dev/tty*

Connect the dongle and look in /dev again.

You should have some new /dev/tty* devices.  Possibly /dev/ttyUSB* but other names are used too.

If not, post the end of dmesg. It should show your modem being discovered.

You can put all of dmesg on a pastebin site if you like.  Make friends with wgetpaste

The new /dev/tty* belong to your modem. They will only be there if your kernel support is correct.

If you have the new tty devices, use 

```
ls -l  /dev/tty
```

to see the owner and group.

The ower will be root. The group is possibly uucp.

If your normal user is not in this group, you will not be permitted to use the dongle.

You can fix 

```
!!! SYNC setting found in make.conf.

This setting is Deprecated and no longer used. Please ensure your 'sync-type' and 'sync-uri' are set correctly in /etc/portage/repos.conf/gentoo.conf 
```

any time you like.  Its not a problem right now.

----------

## gttg

the devices already were there: ttyUSB0, ttyUSB1, ttyUSB2. Since I setupped usb_modeswitch and uploaded provider's database, those devices became visible and mounted in /dev.

The problem was - that my normal user was not listed in group - tty. All that devices were in "tty" group.

I added use to group and rebooted. Still can not edit any network connection.

I am more confused, why kde-misc/plasma-nm does not show any ethernet connection listed?

It does not allow me to add any connections. I htink must remove it and install kde-misc/networkmanagement. That one allows me to edit all connections except of 3g. Now will check and get back.

p.s.

by the way, why do not add some info how to setup 3G modems in Gentoo wiki? It is not difficult, but definetly will save a lot of time for a lot of people.

I can share my experience here. May be will help others.

But first want to know, why kde-misc/plasma-nm is not same as i had on LiveCD's? There I could edit any connection, any interface. Here - You see - it is bare panel with signal indicators at the top and no ethernet interface listed.

http://postimg.org/image/et5wpd0jj/

**continued

Just removed kde-misc/plasma-nm and installed kde-misc/networkmanagement.

Still can not add new 3G connection. When I press save - I see this again:

http://postimg.org/image/qcx99jvwp/

Any suggestions?

----------

## gttg

After added my user into tty group. Here is what I have with kde-misc/networkmanagement

http://postimg.org/image/57kw0tsel/

All is OK, only I can not add any 3G connections. When i press save, I get this:

http://postimg.org/image/qcx99jvwp/

I think I did something wrong during setup of 3G or this is a bug. 

But how to check?

----------

## gttg

back to plasma-nm.

http://postimg.org/image/swewnsh93/

no Ethernet indication. Can not manage connections from here (while on LiveCD setups - I even made 3G connection and had Internet).

Can add connections through that menu. Can not add 3G - no such a menu item there.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

Play with wvdial and minicom.

Minicom is a terminal emulater.  It will let you talk to your 3G modem directly.

From your scree shots the modem is on /dev/ttyUSB2.

When you plug in your 3G modem and use minicom set to /dev/ttyUSB2, you can send commands to the modem and see its responses.

Commands all start with AT (for attention).  The modem will respond with Ok or an error.

AT on its own does nothing but you should gen Ok back.

ATZ is reset. Again you get OK back.

ATDT<number> is tone dial <number>

For 3G modems  <number> is often special, so you may not be able to make the moden call your phone.

ATH0 is hangup the call. Called 'On Hook'

ATH1 is pick of the phone, called 'Off Hook'

If all is well, you will get lots of Oks and no error messages. 

If you do get errors or no responses test ttyUSB0 and ttyUSB1.

There are three ttyUSBs. One is for the modem, one is for data about the link, I don't know what the third one does.

Normally, only the modem itself is supported in Linux.

Once you can use minicom to talk to the modem, you can use wvdial to make it connect.

I'm suggesting the use of these console tools as responses are easy to find and errors easier to diagnose.

A GUI is another layer of complexity to debug and Gentoo works best when you build on what you know works.

Feel free to write a Wiki article, once its there others will contribute to improving it.

----------

## gttg

NeddySeagoon,

Thank You.

Just one bug 100% discovered.

When I was checking LiveCD's, all were not KDE. Just checked with Sabayon KDE LiveCD and got same error:

http://postimg.org/image/qcx99jvwp/

I checked this on 3 different laptops with 3 different 3G modems. KDE fails.

Mate, Gnome, Cinnamon, Xfce - all are working amazing from LiveCD.

Will write an article on Sunday. Hope that will be helpful for many other users and more experienced users will correct my mistakes. Just it is weird, but seems KDE has a bug. Will play with 

Just want to ask, can You help me to move to Gnome or Mate?

I am going to replace KDE by Gnome. Just see no reason now to use KDE. It looks very nice, but does not work correct, while I need 3G Internet most of time, then Wifi, ethernet only to make backups.

As I know, I still can use KDE apps in Gnome environment, no?

Can You provide me some usefull info how to move from KDE to Gnome for 100% newbee(I am completely newbee to Gentoo, and like this distro most of others because it is flexible).

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

I don't use GNOME any more due to some, what in my opinion, are poor design decisions by the GNOME team.

MATE was't around when I switched to Xfce4 so I have no experience with MATE either.

Its unlikely that KDE just "doesn't work" but I've only ever used KDE on Knoppix.

If there are hard issues with KDE and 3G modems, I would expect to see lots of posts on the forums and Google would be thick with hits for fixes.

The forums do not have lots of posts featuring 3G modems and KDE but I've not checked google.  

GUI error messages are not useful.  The one you posted does not make sense to me.

Serial Parity can take one of three values, Odd, Even and None.

Serial link data formats are often written like 8n1.  Thats 8 data bits, no parity and one stop bit.

There are lots of other possibilities but that is by far the most common.

Be aware that the GUI is just a layer of polish over the command line tools.  You will not fix your issue until you investigate at a lower level.

Once you can talk to the modem with minicom and connect with wvdial, I expect that KDE will just work too, as you will have fixed the issue(s) that the GUI is hiding from you.

----------

## gttg

OK,

minicom is OK, all is working and it is attached at ttyUSB2 port.

Trying wvdial to connect.

As for issue itself - programs for us, not we for programs.  Once it is not working on KDE, then why loose time and try to solve it, when I can switch to other environment. In general, I need this to work and makes not much sense which environment I will use. Main point for me is not poor or rich menu etc. Main point for me - does the programs I need working there as they used to do or not. The rest things are - minor for me. 

I will try to solve issue within KDE if not, will switch to other environment/ Xfce is lightweight and not bad itself. Mate is amazing, seems it is based on Gnome2.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

Gentoo is a tool set for building you own distro.  Build your own distro and make it work the way you want your own distro to work.

I gave up GNOME not long before GNOME 2 became end of life. I believe MATE is a fork of GNOME 2.

Switching desktop environments is not something to be undertaken lightly.  You will have a lot of learning to do.

Better to fix the desktop environment you like.  Its unlikely to be actually broken and far more likely to be a configuration error by yourself.

----------

## gttg

it was madness to find correct AT commands for my modem and setup it for wvdial.

wvdial is working. But, in general, this is not a solution, things should not work like this. All must work without such a things.

----------

## gttg

NeddySeagoon

I also would believe that this is misconfiguration from my side, if not similar behavour of KDE with 3 different modems on 3 different laptops.

I checked with all other LiveCDs - all worked except of KDE. KDE detects modem ,but when You try to make a config - it gace that error message. So, I believe this is KDE bug or so.

Once something is wrong, then Gnome setups should not work that either, Xfce, Mate and Cinnamon also should not work with 3G modems. But they do work, KDE - doesn't. I was testing on: Sabayon (KDE, Xfce, Gnome), Manjaro (Mate, Cinnamon, Gnome, KDE, Xfce) - all latest releases up to date on LiveCD.

I will make another install of Gentoo with Gnome - btrfs allows me to make a snapshots before any changes to make. So, I have basic setup of Gentoo as is, before installing anything. So, will try Gnome or (I also like XFCE and once You provide me some info, I would try to install Xfse with Your help from scratch and report here the results of working with network) Xfce.

So, will You help me? Just provide basic points I can make mistakes etc. And I will avoid that points.

Thank You

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

minicom and wvdial were only ever intended as diagnostic tools for you.  wvdial is perfectly servicable if you are comfortable at the command line.

Now you know such things like do you need a PIN to unlock the modem SIM. Unless you are on PAYG, you should use a PIN.

You know it works.

The KDE GUI has to do all the same things as wvdial.  Some of the information it will get from its database.  Some you will need to enter.

Knowing what you know now can you make the KDE GUI work?

Googling your error message gives this Centos thread as the first hit.  The solution may work for you too.

----------

## gttg

I've read that before.

My problem is next: this is my first Linux setup (after long period of delay). But before I was not using Gentoo. So, this time I decided to go with best Linux distro (for my case best). All is ok, except of this network issues.

I barely can look what else I have installed - just do not know yet. Need some time to learn how to work with portage system. I liked it.

But, at the moment - I can not do that. May be I did not make correct config of ppp0, but once I did not make correct config, then - wvdial should not work either. 

I got one good advice from one Gentoo experienced user, and that advice made a lot of benefits.

Once he allows me to post, I will write and article on Wiki here about installing on btrfs and how to make nearly impossible to break system.

Now, I am get stuck with that network issue. All can be solved - it is a matter of time and will. The problem is, that I have one issue in KDE, but in Gnome etc I also will have issues, so - to change environment is nto a complete solution in general. But for my case - it will give me time to learn Gentoo in a stable system. And after some time, I can use whole power of Gentoo to build my own desktop as I want it to be.

If You know how to help me to remove and install again, as that guy did - it would be not bad to make a try and solve it. At least, once wvdial is working, then, means - I made correct config of network protocols/services and issue is somewhere out of there.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

If you really want to reinstall, preserve the following.

/home - thats where all your user files and user setups are.

/etc/portage - thats your portage setup

/var/lib/portage/world - that the list of packages you have explicitly installed.

Saving /usr/portage will save download bandwidth. Thats the portage tree and all of the distfiles you have downloaded.

Now wipe your inslall and start over. Reinstate the above.

```
emerge -e world
```

will rebuild the system as it was.

It won't fix anything though.  Gentoo is source based. You can chaneg it any way you want to.  Reinstalling does not fix Gentoo.

You may be better starting a new thread about KDE and network manager and explaining that it all works with wvdial, so you know eveything works.

That way a KDE user may be able to help.  Thats not me though.

----------

## gttg

I will write it tomorrow, sure , someone else can have similar issue.

I will keep trying to solve this issue, because wvdial - is not a solution at all. It shows that thing is working and I need to find and fix (if this is my fault) or see when bug will be fixed.

----------

## gttg

Today was installing Cinnamon on Gentoo. All is OK, all is working "from box" (if it can be told this way regarding Gentoo). So far, Cinnamon will be used now.

I am preparing a report about minicom+wvdial+USBmodem my experience. Just did not forget my promise.

----------

## gttg

So, after i find out that KDE does not want to work with 3G modem, I switched to Cinnamon and all is working great.

Here is how I checked that all is configured OK and modem is working but only KDE (or NetworkManager in KDE) can't handle with 3Gmodem.

So,

1) for first we need to switch USB modem to work only as a modem and not as a modem+storage etc. For this case, we install usb_modeswitch.

code

```
lsusb
```

and see that modem is attached to a USB and see it's ID. Mine was next:

```
Bus 002 Device 006: ID 19d2:2000 ZTE WCDMA

```

Then, check /dev and see that there is nothing yet named as ttyUSBx

```
ls /dev
```

after that, main problem is to find correct data for Your modem. I find this thread

http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/bb/viewtopic.php?t=383

and here is a link from there to download a list of modem's data

http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/#intro

There You can find Your modem's config and copy that data info into. I took 19d2:2000 file and placed all data into usb_switch.conf

```
nano /etc/usb_switch.conf
```

after that, we need to run

```
usb_modeswitch -Wc /etc/usb_modeswitch.conf 
```

This will change usb-modem into modem only mode, so then we will see in /dev directory some devices named as ttyUSB0, ttyUSB1 etc - those are what we need. 

Now by 

```
lsusb
```

will show different data

```
Bus 002 Device 009: ID 19d2:0042 ZTE WCDMA

```

Means - mode has changed. Now it is modem only device: 19d:2000 become 19d2:0042.

Then install wvdial and place config data there - this is quite different for each modem. I will find later today that my data for my modem and post.

So, in my case, modem was connecting with wvdial, but never was possible to add modile connection through NetworkManager of KDE.

** Cinnamon

With Cinnamon setup i also used to change modem's mode into modem only and all is working fine - by usinf network manager connection was created and activated. All is working as used to be.

Just wonder, why this was not added on Wiki here before. Espescially the database of modem's data is very important.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

 *gttg wrote:*   

> Just wonder, why this was not added on Wiki here before. Espescially the database of modem's data is very important.

 

The Wiki is compiled and maintained by volunteers.  Please share your experiances there.

In case you are not comfortable with technical writing in English, you can post the page in you native language.

After you have started, others will help.

----------

## gttg

Here is my code for wvdial:

step #1) run command, which will scan ttyUSBx ports, find modem and make preliminary config.

```
 wvdialconf 
```

After that we open that config file and add there additional data and edit also some data it added there before.

Whar was added by "wvdialconf"

```

[Dialer Defaults]

Init1 = ATZ

Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0

Modem Type = USB Modem

ISDN = 0

Modem = /dev/ttyUSB2

Baud = 9600

```

Here we edit and add our data

```
 nano -w /etc/wvdial.conf
```

and add

```

# begin

[Dialer Defaults]

Init1 = ATZ

Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0

Modem Type = USB Modem

ISDN = 0

Modem = /dev/ttyUSB2

Baud = 57600

[Dialer orange3g]

Phone = *99#

New PPD = yes

Username = foo 

Password = foo

Stupid Mode = 1

Init2 = AT+CGDCONT=1,"ip","internet.orange"

[Dialer mypin]

Init4 = AT+CPIN=1234

# end

```

For sure, You ask from Your provider the data You must place. Mine is Orange, so I asked all necessary data, and they provide next:

call number = *99#

ATP = internet.orange

Username = foo

means = no username nedeed. Once You have username and password, then place them there.

to connect, simply print next command

```
wvdial orange3g
```

we just use the data we placed here - [Dialer orange3g]

The PIN part is not necessary in code there, so we just place this if we need to enter PIN code 

```

[Dialer mypin]

Init4 = AT+CPIN=1234 

```

Last edited by gttg on Tue Oct 06, 2015 12:31 pm; edited 1 time in total

----------

## gttg

Final step is to connect somehow  NetworkManager with this process, but I do not know how to do it.

2 NeddySeagoon

those my posts are already Wiki ready. Someone more experienced can just copy-paste there, add and fix my mistakes.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

Take the credit for your contribution to the community.

You make the wiki page. Others will fix your mistakes, if there are any.

You wvdial loots to be spot on.

----------

## gttg

done.

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/USB_mobile_broadband_modem

Just do not know how to open new topic in Wiki.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

Thank you.   It looks OK to me.

----------

## gttg

I want to make a very big article in Wiki, related:

Complete guide on installation Gentoo on SSD.

It will go from making file system btrfs to SSD, configure btrfs to work better for SSD, be failsafe.

Then will bring an exmaple to make a snapshot.

Then will go till end of installation of Cinnamon, including process of placing USE flags in files for each program etc.

How to compile in RAM (tmpfs).

Setup of Zram. and move all swap to Zram. Because btrfs does not like SWAP-like activity, so better to keep all swap in Zram.

Complete guide for newbees. But as a result they will have very stable and powerful setup.

I have 4 aims for that

1) just do not forget all steps and any time get refreshed version of it

2) I have some difficulties with some points. Hope more experienced users will add and fix. For example, I do not know how to setup Grub2 to work as I want it to work? May be someone will add his/her knowledge and improve it.

3) there will be some function, and if we can automate it, would be cool. Someone, may be, will write a program with GUI for that. Something like "Time Machine" - and we never have problems with upgrades fails, always will have no problems with it.

4) I want to make a LiveCD version of my current Gentoo setup and place the ISO file in boot. Add data to Grub2 to have this as a reserve setup in case is is down. So, I can boot from that ISO and fix system.

Gentoo can become very interesting setup with btrfs - just as a case.

This idea is universal and can be used for every OS. But best of all it fits for Gentoo.

But, in general, that article will be newbee firendly, so everyone can make own Gentoo setup.

This idea is not mine. When I asked for help on one forum, one experienced Gentoo user gave me this advice. But, definitely,  this idea worth to be shared with all.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

It looks like you are trying to eat an elephant.  That's best done one plateful at a time :)

What you are proposing is best presented as a series of linked wiki pages.

That way you don't have to write it all in one go.

Its OK to create a page with links to pages that read "to be addd later".

That way you present the structure and others can contribute the pages you mark as "to be addd later."

The alternative is to develop the pages under your username and move the finished article when you have it complete.

That bprings us back to the elephant.  Its a lot of work.

Another tip. Draw on existing wiki pages where you can. e.g. the handbook.

This example could be reduced considreably by pointing to other wiki pages.

However it started life as a GuideXML document in my dev space.

----------

## gttg

Definetly not.

When I will post it, You will see - it is not part-by-part usable. It can be usable as a whole - system.

When You cut off some parts, system will loose integrity and newbies can not make successful install.

As You see, i had problems with KDE and saw no reason to fight with them. Simply, made an install of Cinanmon instead of changing form KDE to Cinnamon etc. To be honest, personally I find Cinnamon better rather KDE. More ergonomic for me.

The whole installation took some time because of compiling. But in general - nothing difficult to make a guide for that.

Also, I've read that to compile Firefox and Libreoffice - we need tonns of RAM. For sure, it is not true.

I am compiling only in RAM and SWAP is in Zram only.

So, I compiled Firefox for 25 minutes and it barely consumed more than 2.7-3Gb of RAM and newer used swap.

Libreoffice was compiling for 127 minutes, and it used 6Gb RAM (in fstab the tmpfs for /var/tmp was made 6Gb as the Libreoffice asked before emerge). It used once Zram, when fully went into RAM and consumed 6.1GB of RAM, then I saw how it throws 950Mb data into Swap (as swap is using lz4 compression, then may be it was not less than 2Gb data. The whole size of swap is 4*512Mb = 2Gb. One zram-disk per physical core of CPU. Totally I have 8Gb of RAM. Will go to 16Gb soon). That is all.

So, all can compile that programms inside of a RAM without big issues.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

gttg,

I understand its not part by part usable.

My point was that once the skeleton is in place, you can fill out the parts as time allows.

Others may contribute too.

It can start out as a guide for those who only need a list of steps to follow, then its will become more beginner friendly as you add detail.

The wiki is used by users of all abilities and not just Gentoo users either.

----------

