# [FAQ Forum] FAQs still needed

## pjp

The purpose of this thread is to compile a list of topics that are candidates to be added to the FAQ Forum.  Because a suggestion is made does not guarantee that it will be added.  Also keep in mind, someone has to take the time to write the FAQ.

We welcome anyone to write a FAQ & Answer.  For information on how and what to do, see Writing & Submitting a FAQ.

To keep this thread manageable, posts and topics will be removed as this post is updated, and FAQ entries created.

IG: Installing GentooWhat version of Gentoo should I install? / Gentoo versioning (reference: FAQ in progress)

transmit timed out/pci=noacpi (Needs improvement)

boot floppy (i.e., tom's or whatever that thing is)

Install from CD - slow inet connection (dialup)

Install w/o CD burner

Installing from other distros (ref: link, / partition cloning) Isn't this covered in the Alternative Install guide?

GF: Gentoo FundamentalsUse flag descriptions (a pointer to use.desc really)

Basic config files and syntax(make.conf, rc.conf, use flags, etc/profile, devfsd.conf)

portage general usage.  (switches and upgrading programs)

portage rescue

AT: Advanced TopicsSetting up a local portage semi-mirror

compile on fast machine for slow machine

CB:  Command Line Basics

SA: System AdministrationCron setup, crontab (root, user) and differences between the different cron daemons (including cron.*)

How much swap space?

Backup and Recovery

KC: Kernel Compilation

ATI & Nvidia driver installation

ALSA

scsi options for CDR

IA:  Installing Applicationswhere and how to install non-gentoo programs (i like /usr/local)

How long does it take to install x,y,z? (including start through working KDE et. al.)

XG:  X and other graphics (framebuffer, etc.)

framebuffer fonts/sizes

start x,y,z WM/DE with startx/.xinitrc

xdm (especially for kdm)

Can't use X apps after su

xdm configuration

Advantages/Disadvantages of different WMs (highly moderated topic to avoid flame wars)

NS:  Networking & Security

samba (including printing)

Users: management, authentication, PAM, LDAP and kerberos

Firewall and iptables, with use cases

Mail services, with sections by major MTAs, IMAPS and filters

Web services, with sections by major HTTPDs, toolkits and frameworks

Intruder detection

System monitoring

IPSec tunnel with kernel 2.6 and ipsec-tools

UN: Uncategorizedmigrating from windows

clock/time skew

printing setup

gpm configuration and usage

setting up usb mouse/keyboard

setting up a 7 button mouse

sourced files for different terms (ie: pts/1 vs. [xEa]term)

sending signals (SIGHUP, USR1, etc)

cd switching on multiple cd games (ref:  Diablo2 install)

FO: Forums

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## mountainboiler

KC - add root FS compiled directly into kernel

all the other options can be bewildering and sometimes appear to do the same/similar things.  How about a section organized by conceptual device (optical drive:CD, CDRW, DVD; printer: parallel, USB; sound; video:console, X, FB; multimedia).  Many of these things apply to applications, but what should be enabled by the kernel to support a feature?

Conflicting flags (this doesn't work with that, ie pcmcia-cs vs pcmcia cardbus)

Dependency flags (ie devFS requires developmental/experimental setting)

I have just begun scratching the top of this iceburg.

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## keratos68

Not sure what category this would come under? I'm working on the answer , should be with you next couple of days. RFCs invited please.

FAQ Title: 

What kernel module do I need for my hardware/card?

Synopsis: 

Most hardware will require some form of driver to compliment the kernel functionality and get it working under Gentoo. This driver support can be compiled as KLM (Kernel Loadable Modules). 

Having installed a piece of hardware (e.g. network card) , how do I determine which KLM I need, how do I compile it and then how do I use it?

Link to Docs&Tips (the FAQ!) is here

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## linde002

I was just wondering if it´s possible to place the howto´s on this forum (with credit to the original author ofcourse) on other sites (translated if necessary), an example of this is the bootsplash howto by narada that i translated to the NedDocWiki (a dutch wiki), and if it´s possible to start a (sticky?) thread here where people can give permission (or not  :Very Happy: ) to translate/republish their work.

-Robert

PS excuse my foul english.  :Wink: 

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## keratos68

 *linde002 wrote:*   

> I was just wondering if it´s possible to place the howto´s on this forum (with credit to the original author ofcourse) on other sites (translated if necessary), an example of this is the bootsplash howto by narada that i translated to the NedDocWiki (a dutch wiki), and if it´s possible to start a (sticky?) thread here where people can give permission (or not ) to translate/republish their work.
> 
> -Robert
> 
> PS excuse my foul english. 

 

Your English is far superior to my Dutch   :Smile:   but I concurr with you my friend....I for one found it unusual that the [FAQ Forum] does not actually contain the FAQs  :Exclamation:  But I guess there is a jolly good reason for it , maybe Site Admin/Mod can tell us?

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## linde002

 *keratos68 wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Your English is far superior to my Dutch  
> 
> 

 

I can't blame you, dutch is one of the most difficult languages to learn (studies confirm this)  :Wink: 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
>  but I concurr with you my friend....I for one found it unusual that the [FAQ Forum] does not actually contain the FAQs  But I guess there is a jolly good reason for it , maybe Site Admin/Mod can tell us?

 

I didn't mean that there aren't enough faqs here, I just wanted to know if it's alright to translate and republish the howto's on this forum.

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## svyatogor

Hi!

I've just wrote a faq on how to access Kazaa network from Linux. Though it hasn't been requested I believe that a lot of users will find it useful. Here is the link to the thread:

 :Arrow:  https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?p=409889

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## tragor

Hi,

I have just posted a "FAQ" here. As I am looking around a bit, it seems it is perhaps too long for a faq. It's my first attempt on writing a docu so I don't know really...

But I felt, it would be great if there where a doc of some kind for that task...

Maybe someone could check it for spelling and grammer mistakes, 'cause my english is not that good any more  :Wink: 

greets,

tragor

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## sukotto

I'd like to propose a FAQ question

Why does emerge KDE take so long?

How long will emerge KDE take?

etc

maybe cover these points?

use emerge kdebase instead of emerge KDE then emerge the apps you actually want

it's ok to ctrl-c the emerge and start it up again later (it will continue from where it stopped)

list of USE flags that might speed things up (eg -gtk -gnome etc)

point to desktop config guide?

mention other, lighter, desktops (fluxbox, etc)

I realize that these topic are covered to a certain extent in the desktop config guide but...  

People typically do a search on "faq" or "howto" when looking for help (well... the people who bother searching that is  :Smile:  ) 

There are several threads asking about this in the forums

Opinions?

Sukotto

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## Decibels

I'm not the one that came up with this solution. But works perfectly for a FAQ on: 

Fixing unknown system problems (not a good title, but been working all night).  

This is a perfect example to start with:

Why is KDE login taking a long time to load. Sometimes up to 5 minutes. 

Solution: emerge fontconfig. Even if you already have it emerged.

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## bestel

 *sukotto wrote:*   

> 
> 
> [*]it's ok to ctrl-c the emerge and start it up again later (it will continue from where it stopped)

 

Not exactly. If you emerge more than one package, it will continue from the begining of the stopped package... But not from the middle of the compillation process.

To do it you must enter in /var/tmp/portage/... and type make to restart the compilation manually from the middle.

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## tarbox23

I just finished setting up gentoo this week from stage1, and am very pleased.  Been in KDE and finishing up tweaking my system the past few days.

I want to approach this thread from an 'advanced newbie to linux' perspective (which I think is what many of these docs are written for).  I had no trouble following the excellent Install Guide for my i686, but I have had some issues with finalizing my install:

1) A more comprehensive fstab doc.  How to setup a cdr, dvd player for instance?  I have been searching through the forums and still not sure the best way... and usb for cameras and ipod type stuff..... there is no simple doc anywhere for this (as far as I know!)

2) A Gentoo specific (emerge) KDE install guide.  There is one, but it is pretty short.  How do we install fonts, 7 button mice, themes, mp3 players, cd burners, etc etc etc?  Maybe a listing of emerge commands for each fave app.... again, as a guide, not a bible, so explain how to get basics like kpdf and firefox (emerge mozilla-firefox, not emerge firefox!) - 

I guess, something for intermediate beginners, folks new to linux who were windows geeks.  I am not expecting a guide for my mom to install gentoo.  But something for us who are not linux veterans....

I guess it would be great if there were a Part Two to the Gentoo Install Doc, something that could get a user through setting up a GUI with all the typical hardware devices ready to go.  USB and CDr is pretty common nowadays.  But I am still figuring it out and there is no gentoo guide!  I search the forums but never get just what I want, and seems like everyone is asking similar questions, all because there are no guides....

The guide could just pick one main method, and like the Install Guide, show one alternative (like with grub and grub-install and lilo).  Just to get us going.  Sure, there are many pdf viewers, but just show us how to get kpdf.... we can always emerge another option when we know more... show us how to get k3b, knowing there are other options, but at least if we get k3b, we are somewhere.... later, we could change the app if we wanted.... 

I guess, some advice on a Gentoo KDE system.  Not like other distros that force you into something, but at least a recommendation to newbies... sure, Mandrake forces you to load certain apps, and I don't want Gentoo to go that direction, but it would be cool, for us new fellas, to have a recommendation.... 

True, most Gentoo users are linux veterans, but for those of us new to linux, and bummed at the Windowsesque atmosphere of Mandrake, etc, it would be great to make Gentoo a bit easier to get going.... (I got rid of mandrake once the nags to pay cash to join their club started showing up, and I realized maybe linux wasn't that different from windows.... thank god for gentoo showing me that linux IS different from windows... hell, I will contribute cash to gentoo, voluntarily, cause I love it and I was never nagged.... )

Again, I believe the Install Doc is excellent, and followed it line by line, learned a lot, had no clue often what I was even typing in, but learned fast, and it all worked... I am new to Linux, but was a windows geek, so know basics of coding and such, (i.e. I am not saying any old idiot should be able to install Gentoo!) - But, make it a touch easier for us typical new to linux folks to configure our fstabs and emerge and kde.... (like, for instance, I am glad I read to 'emerge kdebase' and not 'emerge kde' - )

I think a basic guide, Install Part Two, would really help new Gentoo users.... and I am a proud new Gentoo user, hoping that those behind me will have an easier go at it.... I do agree that perhaps we do not want idiots installing gentoo, like some other distros are encouraging with easy install cds, but I would think Gentoo would want to court SMART windows users, folks who are intelligent but new to  the linux world.... folks who like the cli, but are not aware of what chmod and rc-update etc do on day one....

Loving Gentoo and all the Doc Authors...

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## pjp

 *porodzila wrote:*   

> don't worry pjp,  I've got a good FAQ on CLI basics started, including a good section on how to read the man pages

  *porodzila wrote:*   

> don't worry still working on it,  somebody might have to cut it down though

 Great.  When its done, just send me a PM, and we'll work out what to do with it.

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## Teh Penguin D00d

 *pjp wrote:*   

> 
> 
> XG:  X and other graphics (framebuffer, etc.)
> 
> start x,y,z WM/DE with startx/.xinitrc
> ...

 

I'll take a bite out of those 3, if you could please elaborate the issue with "Can't use X apps after su."  Perhaps provide an example of an app that doesn't work after su, as I *believe* I know what the issue is, but want to make sure before I say I do...

The other 2 go hand in hand...and I've already got fvwm, xpde, kde, gnome, fluxbox, blackbox, openbox, twm, and probably a few more that have slipped me memory installed, and I worked with all of them.

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## transient

Most likely its when you su, and your X cookies/validation arent valid anymore.

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## Gherald

How about a "UNIX Fundamentals" entry for this question?

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## Gherald

 *porodzila wrote:*   

> don't worry pjp,  I've got a good FAQ on CLI basics started, including a good section on how to read the man pages

 

I would suggest that such a FAQ have a "for more information" link to http://linuxcommand.org

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## RedSonja

KC: Migration from 2.4.x to 2.6.x

There is already a doc (here), but to be on the safe side for the upcoming 2005.0 profile, perhaps it should be added to the FAQ?

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## golding

I spent the money and bought a high quality colour printer for photographics.  Unfortunately, there were no decent drivers for it under CUPS.  I checked Linuxprinting.org to find that I needed Gimp-Print to get the drivers for the printer.

Not as easy as it sounds.  Understand that I have been using various flavours of Linux exclusively (no dual booting or MS on any machines) since 1996, so I felt quite able to get Gimp-print installed and start printing those photos my wife and I have been wanting to put up in the house.

Then the gremlins arrived, with a vengence!  "emerge -av gimp-print cups" installed the proper software, but the additional printer drivers failed to appear within CUPS, not to mention, The Gimp still had no 'print' option.

I spent many days, for hours on end, looking high and low on how to get those wonderful drivers from Gimp-Print to show up in CUPS.  I felt like the writer of every item I read about Gimp-print and CUPS assumed all would know about the method required to get the drivers to show up in CUPS.  

I finally found the solution buried deep within an item about installing Windows printers via Samba.

To make sure the Gimp-print drivers are installed into CUPS you need to have an additional USE flag for the 'ppd' system of driver instructions.  In other words, to get the Gimp-print drivers installed into CUPS, setup the software thus;

Open /etc/portage/package.use in your favourite text editor, creating the file if it does not already exist. Add these lines:

net-print/cups ppds

media-gfx/gimp-print ppds

Oh yeah, to get the print command to show up in The Gimp, re-emerge gimp thus;

Add to /etc/portage/package.use this line

media-gfx/gimp gimpprint

Then re-emerge Gimp

emerge -av gimp

I hope this helps the next unfortunate soul who does not have this piece of assumed knowledge  :Smile: 

Regards,  Robert

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## 96140

I completed the needed FAQ for using gpm:

How do I use a mouse within a console?

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## ChrisWhite

[GF]

1) Files belonging to a package:

http://www.gentooexperimental.org/~chriswhite/read.php?id=5

2) How do I update my system:

http://www.gentooexperimental.org/~chriswhite/read.php?id=24

3) What is the world file:

http://www.gentooexperimental.org/~chriswhite/read.php?id=25

4) Why is portage installing something:

http://www.gentooexperimental.org/~chriswhite/read.php?id=16

5) Emerge token errors:

http://www.gentooexperimental.org/~chriswhite/read.php?id=21

6) Emerge-ing specific package versions:

http://www.gentooexperimental.org/~chriswhite/read.php?id=23

[KC]

1) Re-Using an old .config file:

http://www.gentooexperimental.org/~chriswhite/read.php?id=13

[UC]

1) Where can I find recovery binaries:

http://www.gentooexperimental.org/~chriswhite/read.php?id=7

2) Missing /dev/input/*

http://www.gentooexperimental.org/~chriswhite/read.php?id=6

Let me know if these should be formated someplace

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## Hupf

I think that this FAQ entry should also mention the method of just doing a 

```
less /var/lib/portage/world
```

This only lists the packages which were manually installed, not the ton of dependencies behind them - those only confuse new users (well, they confused me, at least).

Certainly, this does not cover "emerge --oneshot"-packages and there are many other reasons to mention equery list, but the above was the Information I was expecting when searching for "installed packages", and I found out about this file just by chance.

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## rakoon13

 *Hupf wrote:*   

> I think that this FAQ entry should also mention the method of just doing a 
> 
> ```
> less /var/lib/portage/world
> ```
> ...

 

HMMMM.. looks like is something wrong.

or not ?

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## alistair

It would be nice to see a FAQ on setting up sound for different WM.  Especially seeing how the ALSA docs dont mention that you may have to emerge -N world if you have already have a WM.

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## huh_dude

 HowTo: setup your fqdn

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## Maedhros

Split off Configuring nfs - no route to host.

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## wynn

I have written a FAQ covering KC13: "I just installed a new kernel and now I'm getting a panic at boot time trying to mount the root partition. How do I fix this?" https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-497930-highlight-.html

As there is a limit on title length it has been shortened to "KC13: I just installed a new kernel and it won't boot"

Your comments and suggestions appreciated   :Very Happy: 

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## ATA

greetings im not quite sure if its the right point, and if its not already covered, but as far as i searched its not.

what i suggest is following:

if you make a mistake at the point where you get the system installed, and trying to boot the kernel, and its not working, what do you need to do if you dont want to go through the whole install again.

so the commands etc needed, like mounting etc.

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## Earthwings

 *wynn wrote:*   

> I have written a FAQ covering KC13: "I just installed a new kernel and now I'm getting a panic at boot time trying to mount the root partition. How do I fix this?" https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-497930-highlight-.html
> 
> As there is a limit on title length it has been shortened to "KC13: I just installed a new kernel and it won't boot"
> 
> Your comments and suggestions appreciated  

 

Thanks for the FAQ, I skimmed over it and it looks very good. I did the necessary steps to include it in the FAQ forum. Sorry for the long delay, this thread has very low volume and therefore participants in it don't get notifications of new posts.

The best way to contact a moderator is by replying to the Report violations, duplicates, misplaced posts, etc. which is checked daily at the very least. Please do so when you've written a new FAQ and nothing happens after announcing here.

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## mergemedia

A wiki would be a nice way to do the FAQ, so it could be written by EVERYONE.

.. $0.02 from a n00b

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## boniek

 *mergemedia wrote:*   

> A wiki would be a nice way to do the FAQ, so it could be written by EVERYONE.
> 
> .. $0.02 from a n00b

 

I agree - text would be easier to maintain and should original author gone missing rest of community could continue to maintain it.  Gentoo-wiki.com seems like a good place.

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## Dominique_71

I am facing a kernel problem that turned into a kernel bug: http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=8300.

It was very time consuming for 3 different reasons: 

1) My new kernel just hang sometime and it can take a few days between 2 occurrences.

2) It was not easy to figure out what to do for someone that is not familiarized with kernel debugging.

3) I don't get any error messages even after enabling many kind of debug stuff in the kernel configuration. It just freeze when it hang.

I think at one more kernel FAQ would be nice. Something as KC17: What to do in case of unsolvable kernel issue, possible kernel bug.

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## desultory

A new FAQ "[FAQ] DriveStatusError (error=0x04)" has been written by cynric, please post feedback to that topic. Once the FAQ has been accepted, the feedback will be split off and the FAQ will be relocated to "Frequently Asked Questions".

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## dufeu

I'm proposing a new FAQ: [FAQ] Major Upgrades. The proposed grouping would be under AT: Advanced Topics.

Please review and comment.

Best regards to all.

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## jamesholden

Hi I am sorry that I made a post here. I just wanted to introduce myself and I am not getting the introduction forum. If possible please let me know where I should have posted a thread for introducing myself.

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## siljrath

an faq about remastering a custom gentoo iso of your own, would be nice i think.  perhaps covering reasons and methods (of which there are at least several).

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