NEWS 20170331 about exGENT
I’ve made yet a new version (20170331) of exGENT based on Gentoo Linux. It uses Xfce 4.12.1 and kernel 4.10.4. It is for the 64 bit architecture. I call it exGENT 2017 Xfce4 Live DVD. It replaces version 20170309. The ISO file is of 2630 MB due to the fact that this version has a lot of packages pre-installed. Despite this exGENT version 170331 runs surprisingly fast from DVD or USB. Even in VirtualBox and VMware. Faster than most other Linux live systems. All installed packages in exGENT have been updated to the latest available version by 170331. (Took me a couple of days to do).
What’s new in exGENT Build 170331?
The boot loader Grub Legacy has been replaced by Grub2. I started this build in the hope that I should be able to implement a new independent installer program called Calamares. I wasn’t able to do it now though. (Many dependencies to satisfy). My old installer script will have to do until I find a solution. Anyway, I think exGENT Build 170331 can be of interest because of the change to Grub2 and the fact that it has one of the newest kernels installed. MOST IMPORTANT: In 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. Watch a screenshot when Etcher is running. Such installations were impossible before. Note: I have uninstalled Google Chrome. It’s not needed anymore, since Netflix runs very well in Firefox now.
Used KERNEL
My special kernel 4.10.4-aufs-exton corresponding Kernel.org’s kernel 4.10.4.
Programs etc
The best thing with exGENT is the premier autodetection of hardware and the ability to easily install the system to hard drive during a live session. Installed programs: Among many others GParted, GNU Emacs, Firefox, Spotify, Thunderbird, Samba, Vlc, AbiWord, Nvidia Graphics driver 375.39 and NetworkManager. Furthermore compilation tools so that you can install programs from source the Gentoo way. (After the installation to hard drive).
History
The predecessor to exGENT, Exton-Gentoo, was built completely from scratch. I.e. all its programs were compiled from source. As for exGENT version 111019 I did “cheat” a bit. I.e. exGENT version 111019 was based on another Gentoo-based distribution, but I changed (almost) everything. The changes were so great that virtually nothing was left of the original distribution. In exGENT version 120814, 130215, 130318, 130415, 130423, 130926, 131017, 131028, 131129, 140207, 140210, 140212, 141205, 141227, 160123, 170209, 170303, 130309 and 170331 I’m back to building from source.
Quick install to Hard Drive
exGENT Linux can be installed to hard drive in 3 – 10 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 170331) 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: Before running the above three commands you’ll have to run the commands emerge –sync followed by emerge —oneshot portage
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 170331.
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).
Configure X
Normally X is configured automatically during startup from the disc (dvd). On one of my computers with an Nvidia card (GeForce GTX 550 Ti) I had to change the boot line to look like this:
kernel /boot/vmlinuz real_root=/dev/loop0 \
looptype=squashfs loop=/livecd.squashfs initrd nomodeset \
udev nodevfs cdroot
NVIDIA
I have also installed Nvidia Graphics driver 375.39 in this version of exGENT. It has support for the following GPUs: Quadro GP 100, Quadro P4000, Quadro 1200, Quadro 2200, Quadro M3000 SE, Quadro K1200, Quadro M6000, GeForce 920M, GeForce 930A, GeForce 930M, GeForce 940M, GeForce GTX 950M, GeForce GTX 960M and GeForce GTX TITAN X. This driver will be used automatically if your card is supported.
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.
Porthole
You can (if you like) use Porthole Package Manager (after a hard drive/USB pen drive install). Porthole is preinstalled in exGENT version 170331. Porthole is a front-end for Portage, the Gentoo Package management system. It allows you to browse through available software packages and install them easy as pie. You can for example install the LXDE Desktop Environment (in version 170331). It will look like this.
Login and passwords
Log in to Xfce4 – version 170331: 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.
GO FOR IT!
You’ll run exGENT super fast in RAM. (Version 170331). The launch from the dvd becomes a little slow, but then… A wonderful way to run Linux if you have enough RAM. You’ll need at least 3 GB.
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).
Changing the root password
If you install exGENT to hard drive you must/should immediately (for security reasons) manually change root’s password. This is because the installation script does not ask about a new root password. The root password is changed by running the command sudo passwd 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).
What happened to the 32 bit version?
Please note that the 32 bit version of exGENT from December 2014 won’t be upgraded. I have deleted the ISO file from the servers. Almost no downloads! I guess 32 bit Linux systems are out of fashion nowadays.
Screenshots
exGENT running Nvidia config
exGENT running Brasero
exGENT running Samba
exGENT running Spotify
exGENT running in VirtualBox
exGENT running in VMware (installation to virtual hard drive)
exGENT running Google Chrome and Netflix
DOWNLOAD
This version (170331) has been replaced by version 170407.
