Bug 591520

Summary:	The installation handbook should warn that genkernel uses up a lot of disk space
Product:	Gentoo Linux	Reporter:	Sophie Hamilton <gentoo-bugs>
Component:	Current packages	Assignee:	Gentoo Linux bug wranglers <bug-wranglers>
Status:	RESOLVED INVALID
Severity:	normal
Priority:	Normal
Version:	unspecified
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Package list:		Runtime testing required:	---

Description Sophie Hamilton 2016-08-17 16:00:09 UTC

Sorry about filing this here, but the Documentation component says it's not for the wiki, and it's obviously not possible for me to edit the handbook text itself.

When the installation handbook gives instructions on compiling a kernel, it should probably mention that the genkernel alternative path needs a lot of space to do its compilation and that the space isn't automatically freed afterwards. I was walking a friend through installing Gentoo on a VM, and recommended genkernel as the best method for starting out. Turns out that the compilation takes up about 6GB of space in /usr/src/linux , and although they had given the VM enough space for it to complete, I needed to tell them to 'make clean' the compiled genkernel sourced to get enough space back to continue the installation.

I'd suggest editing:

> Now, compile the kernel sources by running genkernel all. Be aware though, as genkernel compiles a kernel that supports almost all hardware, this compilation will take quite a while to finish!

To:

> Now, compile the kernel sources by running genkernel all. Be aware though, as genkernel compiles a kernel that supports almost all hardware, this compilation will take quite a while to finish, and use several times more space than a regular compile - it can easily use up 6GB of space in total, which is not automatically cleaned afterwards!

Comment 1 Sophie Hamilton 2016-08-17 16:02:12 UTC

I'm so sorry, I should have wrapped the quotes there. Let me try that again.

I'd suggested editing:

> Now, compile the kernel sources by running genkernel all. Be aware though,
> as genkernel compiles a kernel that supports almost all hardware, this
> compilation will take quite a while to finish!

to:

> Now, compile the kernel sources by running genkernel all. Be aware though,
> as genkernel compiles a kernel that supports almost all hardware, this
> compilation will take quite a while to finish, and use several times more
> space than a regular compile - it can easily use up 6GB of space in total,
> which is not automatically cleaned afterwards!

Comment 2 Brian Evans (RETIRED) gentoo-dev

2016-08-17 16:45:49 UTC

The best place to discuss wiki content changes, including the Handbook, is on the Discussion link listed on every page.

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Handbook_Talk:AMD64/Installation/Kernel
for example

Comment 3 Sophie Hamilton 2016-08-17 21:30:02 UTC

Thank you!