Re: installation problems
> Massimo> 5) the base installation was from nfs but the second part of the
> Massimo> installation doesn't have an nfs option. I had to create a mount
> Massimo> point and mount manually the same location used for the base
> Massimo> installation. Why can't we have an nfs install method also for
> Massimo> the second part and use by default the same source used in the
> Massimo> first part?
>
> Ok, noted. I don't know how hard it will be to do that yet. Anyone
> else see how it can be done? (I'll have to look it all over again
> with an eye for doing that. I've only been around `boot-floppies'
> for a short time.)
>
> I guess that `dbootstrap' ought to make notes someplace that the
> second stage installer can find it.
There are two ways of doing this: the proper way would be to add an nfs
method to apt. I tried to do that but being unable to speak C++ I decided
to go with the hacker way in my auto-installer, i.e. to create automatically
a sources.list with "file:" locations built from the base system location and
a small script which mounts automatically the source on a known mount point.
> I would like it if `tasksel' would display the information about each
> task in a lower window, like `dselect' does; when you move the
> highlight bar with the arrows, the info window changes. It also
> ought to open up tasks and allow choosing individual packages inside
> of them... Machine profiles is a good idea also. (I am way behind
> on the discussions about this sort of thing - I apologize... but I've
> so much to read other than the email. As it is I don't read enough
> in my books; I spend too much time tinkering on the computer.)
Has anybody had a look at Mandrake7.0 package selection? Nothing particularly
exciting, but at least it is usable and you can easily select/deselect any
package.
> Massimo> Most of the questions asked don't seem at all critical and can be
> Massimo> answered by just pressing enter. Anyway I would like to be asked
> Massimo> for critical questions by debconf before starting the package
> Massimo> installation and after unpacking.
>
> Not every package has been converted to `debconf' yet. There is not
> unlimited time available to every maintainer for doing that. Perhaps
> there ought to be a task force working on this? Who will buy us
> lunch and pay our DSL bills?
Having modified more than sixty (60) package for my auto-installer I can
guarantee that it wouldn't take too much time for each maintainer to
convert his few packages to debconf.
> Massimo> 12) after having selected almost all tasks I found a system which is
> Massimo> lacking an essential thing like gpm. As I said before mouse and gpm
> Massimo> should be the first things configured.
>
> GPM is non-essential until the `dbootstrap' GUI can utilize it.
GPM is missing from the final system, not from the bootdisk.
> Massimo> 19) as for the base installation there is no message log. If something
> Massimo> goes wrong there is no way to examine the error message.
> Massimo> We must run the package installation inside a `script' shell and
> Massimo> save the typescript for later examination. This is an invaluable
> Massimo> debugging aid, specially if you have to help someone on the phone
> Massimo> or via email.
>
> Perhaps the trick that `script' does can be utilized by the installer software?
It can be done. If you run apt under script all messages will be logged.
--
Massimo Dal Zotto
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