DFS - amd64 - install report
Target: e-Machines M6809
DFS version: 0.6.5
ISO signature: size 355344384 md5sum 3541f58b286f840e39cfeb18b4079e14
dfs-0.6.5_i386.iso
The ISO booted using the 64 bit non-SATA kernel with no problems.
Not being familiar with DFS, I looked at the screen after the boot
completed and wondered "ok, now what, how am I supposed to do the
install?". It would be nice to have a command dfsinstall mentioned on
the login instructions that simply takes you to the install page that is
already under dfshelp. [1]
I'd suggest making two changes to the instructions in DFS:
(1) put the alioth deb source into the instructions ... to avoid booting
another computer to look it up.
(2) mention that /target/proc should _not_ be mounted before invoking
cdebootstrap (it'll crash)
I did not do any hardware autodetect. "modprobe via-rhine" brought up
the onboard network card.
It would be convenient if the DHCP client configuration under DFS would,
by default, collect the nameserver and/or domain settings being offered
and stick them into resolv.conf with some suitable explanatory comment.
If it is supposed to already do that, it didn't do it for me.
Other than the fact that the kernel on DFS obviously worked to boot, I
can't comment on how suitable it is for subsequent use of the system.
As soon as cdebootstrap had finished, I copied the custom
"kernel-image-2.6.7*.deb" from the M6805 laptop, chrooted into the
target, installed it and told grub to use it as default.
I did all the instruction steps, then rebooted, then took the cdrom out,
then rebooted 8-), and the system came up completely normally in pure
64. After adding the other software I wanted and configuring various
things, I still have a few outstanding issues with the system:
(a) I can't get the network/interfaces mapping script to work right.
Unlikely an AMD64 problem and probably some stupid mistake by me that I
haven't managed to identify yet. Irritating though.
(b) Mozilla crashes. Known issue, see list archive.
(c) Using "xdm" and "xserver-xfree86" with the same config file as I
have for the M6805, the display comes up properly on the laptop screen.
However, I haven't managed to get the X-server to drive the external
1600x1200 monitor on my desk. This is only a pure64 problem from the
point of view that the monitor works fine in pure32 with the proprietary
ATI9600 X-server installed.
(d) The built in wireless is a broadcom 54G chipset. I should replace it.
(e) The combination of 64 bit, 2.6 series kernel and PC-card electricals
means that a lot of peripheral cards are unusable. Having said that,
there's not much that Debian can do about it, but it is worth mentioning
for other peoples' advance planning ...
(f) OpenOffice 2.0 isn't out yet. See earlier list traffic.
(g) I haven't tried to wake up the integrated soft modem yet.
Hope that helps,
Alex.
PS. [1] I'm not suggesting that I didn't want to do the install
manually; I'm quite happy partitioning and stuff. Since I wanted to
evaluate DFS as an AMD64 installer, I wanted to do it the 'recommended'
way. The lack of such a hint meant that I wasn't initially sure what
approach the DFS creator expected me to take.
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