User:Xerxeslins/Simplified Installation of Gentoo

This article is a summary for reference, which removes much of the information from the Handbook to meet a specific case: installing Gentoo using ext4 file system, Systemd, GRUB, GPT/UFI, no encryption, KDE Plasma, all system directories on a single partition (except for efi partition). It serves as a superficial guide and reminder of the installation process that can perhaps help you in some way. But if you want "generic" content that adapts to all situations, the best option would be to read the Handbook.

Article tested on a modest personal computer:

AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
32 GB RAM SSD4
128 GB NVMe SSD
GPU RADEON R5220 2 GB

Download a ISO

To get started, download the minimal Gentoo installation ISO or use another distro like SystemRescue:

The advantage of SystemRescue is that you will have a graphical environment, browser and several tools.

Burn the ISO to a USB device and boot from it.

Partitions

Create two partitions:

300 MB for UEFI ESP
And the rest to the root

For that, use "gdisk".

root #gdisk /dev/nvme0n1


Create the GPT partition table:

Command: o ↵
This option deletes all partitions and creates a new protective MBR.
Proceed? (Y/N): y ↵

Create partition 1 (UEFI ESP):

Command: n ↵
Partition Number: 1 ↵
First sector: ↵
Last sector: +300M ↵
Hex Code: ef00 ↵

Create partition 2 (root):

Command: n ↵
Partition Number: 2 ↵
First sector: ↵
Last sector: ↵
Hex Code: ↵

Write the partition table on the disk:

Command: w ↵
Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): Y ↵

Note
We will not create a swap partition. It can be created in a file later.

Format partitions:

root #

mkfs.ext4 /dev/nvme0n1p2

root #mkfs.vfat -F 32 /dev/nvme0n1p1

Mount partitions:

root #

mkdir -p /mnt/gentoo

root #

mount /dev/nvme0n1p2 /mnt/gentoo

root #

mkdir -p /mnt/gentoo/boot/efi

root #mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/gentoo/boot/efi

Stage 3

To download and extract stage3 proceed with:

root #cd /mnt/gentoo

Visit: https://www.gentoo.org/downloads/

Copy the link from Stage3: desktop profile with systemd. This article was designed for Systemd.

root #wget -c <copied link>

Note
If you are in text mode, you can use the browser links to download the file.

Extract with the correct permissions:

root #tar --xattrs-include='*.*' --numeric-owner -xpf stage3*

Chroot

Now let's chroot:

root #

cd /mnt/gentoo

root #

mount --types proc /proc /mnt/gentoo/proc

root #

mount --rbind /sys /mnt/gentoo/sys

root #

mount --make-rslave /mnt/gentoo/sys

root #

mount --rbind /dev /mnt/gentoo/dev

root #

mount --make-rslave /mnt/gentoo/dev

root #

mount --bind /run /mnt/gentoo/run

root #

mount --make-slave /mnt/gentoo/run

root #

cp /etc/resolv.conf etc && chroot . /bin/bash

root #source /etc/profile

One line:

root #

cd /mnt/gentoo; mount --types proc /proc /mnt/gentoo/proc; mount --rbind /sys /mnt/gentoo/sys; mount --make-rslave /mnt/gentoo/sys; mount --rbind /dev /mnt/gentoo/dev; mount --make-rslave /mnt/gentoo/dev; mount --bind /run /mnt/gentoo/run; mount --make-slave /mnt/gentoo/run; cp /etc/resolv.conf etc && chroot . /bin/bash; source /etc/profile

Sync and User Creation

Sync with Gentoo repository:

root #emerge-webrsync

Create the root password and a new user.

The line below is optional and is for Gentoo to accept weak passwords.

root #sed -i s/everyone/none/ /etc/security/passwdqc.conf

Root password:

root #passwd

Creating your user:

root #

useradd -g users -G wheel,portage,audio,video,usb,cdrom -m <user>

root #passwd <user>

Fstab Configuration

Check the UUID of the root partition.

root #blkid | grep nvme0n1p2

Edit fstab:

root #nano /etc/fstab

Add the line referring to the root partition, based on the UUID. Example:

FILE /etc/fstab

UUID=xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx / ext4 noatime 0 1