NEWS 20180414 about exGENT (Gentoo) 64 bit
I’ve made a new version of exGENT with only a few necessary packages pre-installed. It uses LXQt as Desktop environment and kernel 4.15.14-aufs-gentoo-exgent. The ISO file is of 1800 MB due to the fact that I’ve included the kernel sources. They are needed for installation of certain software. Despite this exGENT version 180414 runs surprisingly fast from DVD or USB. Even in VirtualBox and VMware. Faster than most other Linux live systems. I call my new version exGENT 2018 LXQt Live DVD. It replaces version 170407 and 170412. Those versions were too old for upgrading. I had to start over and build version 180414 from “scratch”. All installed packages in exGENT have been updated to the latest available version by 180414. Study the full package list.
What’s new in exGENT Build 180414?
The boot loader Grub Legacy has been replaced by Grub2. MOST IMPORTANT: In exGENT versions before 170309 the file system wasn’t writable when running exGENT live (from DVD). Now you can emerge (install) new programs/packages even while running the system from a DVD or USB stick. If you do that and later decide to install exGENT to hard drive all your changes will follow! Furthermore you can install/transfer exGENT to a USB stick with the dd command in Linux or use Etcher and Rufus in Windows. Such installations were impossible before. NOTE: I have not installed Google Chrome. It’s not needed anymore, since Netflix nowadays runs very well in Firefox. About the LXQt Desktop environment: LXQt is a lightweight Qt desktop environment. It will not get in your way. It will not hang or slow down your system. It is focused on being a classic desktop with a modern look and feel.
Used KERNEL
My special kernel 4.15.14-aufs-gentoo-exgent corresponding Kernel.org’s kernel 4.15.14.
Quick install to Hard Drive
exGENT Linux can be installed to hard drive in 2 – 8 min. (Depending on computer type). This means that all of you who might hesitate to perform a normal Gentoo installation – which can take up to a couple of days – now have the chance to get this great Linux system (Gentoo) installed on your computers very easy. Read below on how the installation works.
UPGRADE the System
The exGENT System (version 180414) is in very good shape, since I, without problems, have been able to update the whole system with the following commands:
# emerge –ask –update –newuse –deep –with-bdeps=y @world
# emerge –depclean
# revdep-rebuild
NOTE 1: Before running the above three commands you’ll have to run the commands emerge –sync followed by emerge –oneshot portage
NOTE 2: After a hard drive installation of exGENT you should run the above commands at least every month (to keep the system in good shape).
SPOTIFY
You can easy and quick install Spotify in exGENT. Just run the command emerge spotify. The installation takes about 1 min.
NOTE: Spotify is pre-installed in Build 180414.
Rolling distribution
Gentoo/exGENT is a rolling distribution, which implies that once you have installed the system on the hard drive there is no need for re-installations (which otherwise is common in the Linux world).
Default language
The default language (locale) is set to English.
Keyboard
The default keyboard layout is American (us). Change it by running the command setxkbmap se (for Sweden).
Install exGENT to hard drive
Please read this INSTRUCTION.
Install exGENT to a USB stick
Please read this INSTRUCTION. This can be done in the same way as a hard drive installation.
Login and passwords
When you start up your computer from the dvd you will end up at Slim’s login screen. Log in as the ordinary user live with password live or as root with password root. Screenshot of the login screen.
Wireless connections
NetworkManager make it easy to configure wireless connections. Give your WEP/WAP password and connect. That’s it! You’ll find the NM-applet to the right in the panel. Check the name of your interfaces with the command iwconfig (as root).
Who is exGENT/Gentoo for?
Experienced Linux users or those who really want to learn Linux. (Perhaps also for people who are bored with mainstream distributions like Ubuntu).
KNOWN ISSUES re. Build 180410
1. After a hard drive installation the boot process may stop at this
Just press q and the boot process will succeed.
2. Samba is installed, but not configured.
3. To be able to run Cups (configure printing) in Firefox you’ll have to run the command sudo systemctl start cups.service
NOTE: The errors described above is gone in exGENT Build 180414.
Screenshots
1. exGENT Build 180414 running Vlc
2. exGENT running Spotify
3. exGENT running Cups
4. exGENT running in VirtualBox
5. exGENT running in VMware
DOWNLOAD
This version of exGENT has been replaced by exGENT Build 200119…
andex.exton.net – latest is AndEX 10 (with GAPPS) and AndEX Pie 9.0 (also with GAPPS)!
and
about my Pie, Oreo, Nougat, Marshmallow and Lollipop versions for Raspberry Pi 3/2 at
raspex.exton.se – latest is RaspAnd Pie 9.0 (without GAPPS) and RaspAnd Oreo 8.1 (with GAPPS)!