Bug#792540: Wifi netinstall fails with flashing screen on Lenovo X220

[Steve McIntyre <steve@einval.com>]

On Thu, Jul 16, 2015 at 12:27:22AM +0200, W. Martin Borgert wrote:
>Package: debian-installer
>Version: debian-8.1.0-amd64-netinst.iso
>Severity: important
>Tags: d-i
>
>I tried to install Jessie on a Lenovo X220 using netinst on USB
>flash drive, without Ethernet connection, but with the non-free
>iwlwifi drivers .deb on an SD card (either internal slot or USB
>adaptor).
>
>After the very early step of selecting the keyboard layout, the
>installer seems to try to start X or something, but seems to fail.
>The screen flashes "for ever" and installation cannot be
>continued.
>
>Workaround:
>
>If I use Ethernet instead of Wifi and do not use the SD card,
>the installation continues.
>
>Btw, debian-7.8.0-amd64-netinst.iso shows the same behaviour.

Ok, that's *really* weird. I've been doing test installations
regularly on various X220 machines for *ages* and never seen this. Is
there anything special at all about your SD card? Is the machine
locked, or can you get to logs?

-- 
Steve McIntyre, Cambridge, UK.                                steve@einval.com
Can't keep my eyes from the circling sky,
Tongue-tied & twisted, Just an earth-bound misfit, I...