Re: Plans to make dbootstrap/base-config easier and as automated as possible
On Wed, May 24, 2000 at 09:44:20AM -0700, Christoph Lameter wrote:
> I need to have the boot-floppies in a condition where I can have end-users
> use them to install. In particular I need to have credit card size Debian
> CDs that install without generating too much confusion. I have a patch to
> debian-cd that allows the specification of parameters to dbootstrap during cd
> generation. I would like to extend the features available via the boot
> options.
>
> Modification to existing options:
>
> quiet 1. Switch off splash screen.
I seriously object to this. Our splash screen is where we basically
congratulate ourselves for doing a good job and tell the user who we are.
> 2. Do not ask about pre-2.2 compatibility during mkext2 dialog (assume no)
No, assume "yes". Compatibility is good.
> 3. Do not ask for ppp-configuration if cdrom is also set (base-config)
> 4. Do not ask to erase downloaded files (base-config)
Base-config is after reboot. The parameters to dboostrap do not affect
this.
>
> cdrom 1. Do not ask to insert CD ROM
> 2. do not ask for ppp-configuration (if quiet is also set)
> 3. Aviod prompts in base-config to insert CD-Rom if it is already inserted.
Inserting the CDROM is coming from apt, and those should not be avoided.
>
> New boot options:
>
> install=packagename Skip tasksel and just install that package without user prompts.
> This could be a metapackage. Need that for my
> special purpose installation.
Hack this in yourself if it is for your own special stuff. This close to
release is no time to add such things. See the addon.tgz in the
boot-floppies README.
>
> drivers=driver1,driver2 Skip driver configuration and just load these drivers.
> It would be much better to have some means of
> autodetecting drivers. I packaged "detect" but I am
> not clear at this point on how this could be working.
Same as above.
> timezone= Specify timezone
This could be useful, but that makes the CD very local doesn't it?
> copycd copy the cd /dists contents to /dists on the target
> partition. For a Credit card size cd the /dists is
> about 15-20Meg. Copying to HD avoids another insertion of the CD
> in base-config.
And make there need to be more space, and config options...
> Add an alternative to partitioning called
>
> autopartitioning
>
> this will wipe clean the first harddrive, do standard partitioning,
> formatting and making the hd bootable.
>
>
> With these changes the complete installation process can be fully
> automatized. Just throw in a properly prepared CD and it can zap the hd and
> install if properly generated. The installation can be partially or fully
> automatized as needed.
This scares me. I can see the usefulness of it ("Install onto first
hardrive"), but it can also be very terrible for the user. Plus it means
we need to assume certain things and call fdisk manually to delete any
current partitons, then create one partition. We don't know if it's a
sparc, amiga, powerpc, i386 or whatever, so each arch will need it's own
little thing to do this. Again, too much too late in the release cycle.
--
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/ Ben Collins -- ...on that fantastic voyage... -- Debian GNU/Linux \
` bcollins@debian.org -- bcollins@openldap.org -- bcollins@linux.com '
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