Re: [gentoo-user] Can't get the GUI to stay up for more than a minute or so before crashing

[Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com>]

Michael wrote:
> On Sunday, 23 June 2024 23:37:15 BST Dale wrote:
>> Michael wrote:
>>> On Sunday, 23 June 2024 13:19:18 BST Dale wrote:
>>>> That's my thinking.  The only benefit to reinstalling is correcting the
>>>> partition boo boo.
>>> What in particular are you referring to?  I thought you created an ESP, /
>>> and /home partitions, if I recall.
>> I was thinking the EFI partition, ef02, and /boot were the same
>> partition.  I only created one that was huge.  I made the ef02 partition
>> 8GBs I think when 8MBs would have been more than enough from what I've
>> read.
> OK, the "EFI System Partition" is type ef00.  You need this partition type to 
> be able to boot a UEFI MoBo using its (BIOS) firmware.  This is where GRUB, or 
> any other boot manager will install its UEFI executable image.
>
> ef02 is the partition code type for the "BIOS Boot Partition".  You do NOT 
> need one of these, since you are not trying to boot a GPT disk on a legacy 
> BIOS MoBo.
>
> Your new /boot partition can be a normal linux partition, type 8300 and you 
> can format this as ext2/3/4, or whatever GRUB can read.
>

I thought it was ef02.  I think it is in the install guide anyway.  Good
to know it is ef00 for the efi partition tho.  Less chance of me messing
that up.  LOL


>> I kinda like /boot on its own partition.  If /boot gets corrupted
>> somehow, I can get the kernel and config again from /usr/src/linux. 
>> Building the init thingy again is trivial.  So is reinstalling grub.  If
>> I were to lose root somehow, I'd have to reinstall but I got the kernel
>> and its config file.  It ain't much but it's something.  As it is, /boot
>> is on the same partition as root.  If root goes bad, all is lost, except
>> for any backup copies I might have.  If I redo the install, I'd have a
>> EFI partition and a separate /boot partition as well.  The EFI would be
>> like 8MBs or so and the /boot partition would be ext2 and 8GBs or so. 
>> Plenty of room for expansion.
> I see.  I don't think you need to redo the install.  All you need to do is:
>
> 1. Back up the ESP contents, just in case.
> 2. Shrink the ESP partition, down to a reasonable size.  500M or 1G would be 
> more than enough.
> 3. Create a new partition, say ~7G in the space your just freed up, of type 
> 8300.
> 4. Check if the content of the ESP fs is intact (it should be, but we're 
> talking about FAT here) and if not reformat as FAT32 and copy over the files 
> from the ESP backup.
> 5. Format the new /boot partition and copy over the files from your current /
> boot tdirectory to the new /boot partition you created.
> 6. Adjust your fstab and reboot.
>
> NOTE: The GPT partition numbering order will be messed up, but this does not 
> alter their functionality.  If it annoys you, then use gdisk to re-order them.

Oh, I'd mess that up quick.  o_O 


>
>> I saved messages, sddm log and the Xorg log.  Honestly tho, they will be
>> different because the live DVD uses the kernel drivers, nouveau, where I
>> use Nvidia.  Still, I got them anyway. 
>>
>> Several years ago, I took the CPU cooler off my main rig.  I dunked the
>> fin part into some heavy duty cleaner that cleans off dirt and dust. 
>> They wasn't to bad really since I blow them clean with compressed air
>> from my compressor pretty regular.  Still, it looked new when I was
>> done.  I used alcohol and a toothbrush to clean the old paste off of the
>> base.  The original paste was what came with the CPU I think.  I'm
>> pretty sure I put Arctic Silver on the second time.  I can't remember
>> the exact amount but it did cool better after a few updates and some
>> compiling.  I don't know if it was the fin cleaning or the thermal paste
>> or both tho.  I think Arctic Silver is still considered a good brand and
>> very good product.  I'm pretty sure it never dries out.  Even some
>> cheaper generic brands are quite good. 
> Ha!  I thought my low temperatures were too good to be true!  The Mobo had 
> lost its settings (it reminds me I need to replace the CMOS battery) and 
> consequently the CPU was underclocked.  I reconfigured everything and on a 
> second run the temperature was cooler, but only by 2-3°C cooler.  Still, 
> grateful for small mercies.  :-)
>

Well, it being done likely makes you feel better anyway.  You know it is
fresh and should be good for a while. 


>> I'm going to compare some data between the Gentoo live DVD and my
>> install.  If I don't see something obvious, I'm going to fix my
>> partition boo boo with a fresh start.  While at it.  What is the best
>> way to wipe the partition data from a m.2 stick?  They not spinning rust
>> so don't want to try to dd or use shred on the whole thing.  Doesn't
>> gdisk have a wipe partition option?  Curious what you think is the best
>> way to do that.  Don't want to shorten the life of my m.2 stick. 
> In this case do not reinstall.  Most of it, if not all, would be unnecessarily 
> deleting and rewriting the same data.
>
> gdisk can destroy all the GPT data structures on a disk.  Press x, then z.  
> However, I suggest you don't this.  Use Gparted to shrink your ESP and add a 
> new partition for /boot as I explained above.  The focus on sorting out your 
> graphic card.

Well, I'm hoping that it will fix whatever I missed before.  I'm sure I
missed something but I have no idea what.  I've tried everything I can
think of.  Given it all works with the Gentoo live DVD and all, it has
to be a bad install somehow.  I just don't know what I missed.  If I
can't figure out how to fix the current install, then maybe starting
over is a possible fix.  I'm wanting to finish testing and then switch
out the rig.  Then new rig becomes main rig.  Old main rig becomes, a
NAS box maybe??? At least this CPU has the aes encryption support. 
Current NAS box doesn't. 

Oh, you notice the name I gave it?  Gentoo-1.  My first rig was named
smoker.  At the time, it was smoking fast.  Current rig is fireball.  It
is faster than first rig.  I ran out of names that were reasonably short
and made sense.  I got tired of trying to figure out one so I named it
Gentoo-1. 

Now to ponder what comes next. 

Dale

:-)  :-)