# [FAQ]  What version is Gentoo, and what do I need?

## guero61

Most upgrade systems in existence today have partitioned upgrades; that means that you cannot simply update to the latest version of software on a running machine.  This is due largely to profit -- companies depending on upgrade fees do not want to give that revenue up by making it simple for users to update on the fly.

So what version is my Gentoo, or what version do I need?

Since Gentoo is user-supported, there is no profit scheme; everything is supported for free by willing users.  As a result, Gentoo has a fluid update system -- if you keep up to date with the portage tree, you have the most recent software available to Gentoo developers (and generally the rest of the world).

So what are all these revision numbers for, then?

A boot and installation CD must be as stable as possible.  As a result, the developers put together a set of software and work on it until it is as compatible with itself and stable as possible.  This is what is known as a release.  The versions used by Gentoo for releases are only for versioning the install CD, nothing else.

Caveat:  Due to major version and compatibility changes in core packages like gcc and glibc, it is still highly recommended you start with the most current install CD possible.

Bottom line:

Version numbers mean nothing once you've got your system installed.  They only mean where you started from.  Someone could install from the first publicly available ISO and still get the most up-to-date Gentoo, albeit with some major difficulties due to compiler incompatibilities and such.Last edited by guero61 on Tue May 06, 2003 9:22 pm; edited 2 times in total

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## pjp

Thanks for getting this one rolling.

Couple of points.  First, there are issues when it comes to gcc and glibc versions (anything else?).  Second, the base versions of RH, Mandrake (most base linucies?) are free via download, no?

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## guero61

Yes, but it is money in the end that drives the partitioned upgrade scheme.  There are the users that refuse to pay for any distro/upgrade of Linux and will keep downloading the ISO's.  However, there are those that require support so it Just Works (TM), and to continue to be supported, they must upgrade (paying for it, of course).  Not necessarily to the latest version, but close to it.

[edit]

Addressed the gcc/glibc compatibility issues, I think.

[/edit]

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## guero61

Any other comments/revisions/questions?

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## funsize

You might include a little more info on the 1.2 -> 1.4 "upgrade path" (i.e. upgrade to gcc glibc).  I think more details would be good here, including perhaps some links to other resources on the topic. (I had those links around here somewhere...aha!)

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/new-upgrade-to-gentoo-1.4.xml

(might be some other stuff in forums/lists, but a quick search yields little to speak of)

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## pjp

Just some notes/links for gcc.  Haven't gone through the threads very well... some might be more related to the actual upgrade process.  I'm hoping generic info can be pulled out.  Will do some more searching for glibc and whatnot later on.

 *rac wrote:*   

> be careful that when upgrading gcc, binutils may need to be upgraded as well, and it can sometimes be challenging finding good pairings.

 

GCC 3.2 is here: Now is the time to rebuild everything. How? looks like it will have some useful stuff.

This one might be worth mentioning, or might be getting into minutia.

Possibly.

This one points out that the gcc incompatibility was done deliberately by gcc devs, possibly to reduce the chances of it happening again/often.

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## Wing0

What is the difference between ISO and the stages ?

The last LiveDVD was compiled on the last day of the Mayan Calender (December 21, 2012).

Why aren't LiveDVDs being compiled for more recent releases?

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## Naib

 *Wing0 wrote:*   

> What is the difference between ISO and the stages ?
> 
> The last LiveDVD was compiled on the last day of the Mayan Calender (December 21, 2012).
> 
> Why aren't LiveDVDs being compiled for more recent releases?

 A liveCD provides an environment to initiate building a gentoo system. The stages are the seed to your specific system.

A liveCD really only needs, kernel + basic drivers for your hardware, a shell, chroot, partition tool,... a few additional tools.

I have used ubuntu's installCD to install gentoo before (only because it was a liveCD that had drivers for my FakeWARE HDD controller...) 

Basically a new liveCD only really needs to be created if

1) there is a serious enough security issue in a package used on the present liveCD to warrant a newer liveCD generation

2) a bug is identified in the present liveCD to warrent regen

3) newer hardware requires a new liveCD (ie kernel drivers) to be compatible - NOTE very little hardware needs to be actually talked to to actually get gentoo install, network and harddrive controllers are the obvious 2

I know you mentioned liveDVD while I have been talking about liveDVD because... liveCD is actually autogen'ed  very frequently http://distfiles.gentoo.org/releases/amd64/autobuilds/current-iso/  last build was the 13th March 2014

why not use the CD and d/l the stages

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## krinn

Gentoo need a linux root to be install, livecd or livedvd has no real usage except to provide that. You can pickup any linux livecd you wish or use a running linux to do that.

So the ISO provide booting, and can't remember, but might also provide stage3 too.

And the stage provide the basic set of Gentoo tools that will be use to install Gentoo.

So grab the latest stage file, and use any livecd/dvd, if that cd/dvd provide a stage file, if it provide stage file, just use the one you have download instead.

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## Spankin Partier

When picking a LiveCD to perform a Gentoo installation, make sure it's the same architecture as which you wish to install.  If you wish to install from an AMD64 (x86_64) stage, you'll need a AMD64 live CD/DVD.  Running a 32bit live CD will prevent you from chrooting into your new Gentoo install.

I ran into this problem on one of my last installations when I was using a Knoppix DVD I had before realizing it didn't boot into the 64bit kernel by default.

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