Basedebs.tgz documentation
Here are changes to the install manual for basedebs.tgz, and some
clarification on the Installation Options. Please correct me if I've
erred, I'll commit in a couple of days otherwise.
Index: appendix.sgml
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/debian-boot/boot-floppies/documentation/en/appendix.sgml,v
retrieving revision 1.14
diff -u -r1.14 appendix.sgml
--- appendix.sgml 2001/11/01 04:02:12 1.14
+++ appendix.sgml 2001/12/21 04:49:32
@@ -249,6 +249,33 @@
If you are not limited to diskettes, choose one of these files.
</taglist>
+ <sect2 id="base-images">Base Image Files
+ <p>
+These files are needed only for computers without a working network
+connection, or those with unsupported network hardware. They contain
+the programs needed for the most basic Linux operating system. Often
+the contents of these files can be obtained automatically by
+the installer over a working network connection.
+
+<taglist>
+ <tag>
+<strong>Base System Images:</strong>
+ <tag>base-file-images entity needed here</tag>
+ <item>
+These are the base system floppy disk images.
+ <tag>
+<strong>Base System archive tarball</strong>
+ <tag>base-file-tarball entity needed here</tag>
+ <item>
+If you are not limited to diskettes, choose this file.
+
+ <item>
+ <p>
+Debian Base System Installation Files</p>
+ </item>
+</taglist>
+
+
<![ %i386 [
<sect2 id="utilities-links">Utilities
Index: inst-methods.sgml
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/debian-boot/boot-floppies/documentation/en/inst-methods.sgml,v
retrieving revision 1.93
diff -u -r1.93 inst-methods.sgml
--- inst-methods.sgml 2001/12/18 07:44:36 1.93
+++ inst-methods.sgml 2001/12/21 04:49:33
@@ -16,28 +16,30 @@
most people need are there on the CD.
<p>
If your machine doesn't support CD booting, but you do have a CD set,
-you can use an alternative strategy (floppy disk, hard disk, or
-net boot) to initially boot the system installer. Once the installer
-is booted, it will be able to obtain all the other files it needs from
-the CD. You will also find all the files you need for booting by another
-means on the CD.
+you can use an alternative strategy (floppy disk, hard disk, or net
+boot) to initially boot the system installer. The files you need for
+booting by another means are also on the CD; the Debian network
+archive and CD folder organization are identical. So when archive file
+paths are given below for particular files you need for booting, look
+for those files in the same directories and subdirectories on your CD.
<p>
+Once the installer is booted, it will be able to obtain all the other
+files it needs from the CD.
+ <p>
If you don't have a CD set, then you will need to download the
-operating system installation files and place them either on your hard
-disk, floppy disks, or a connected computer so they can be used to a)
-boot the installer, and b) allow the installer to retrieve additional
-files as needed.
-
+installer system files and place them either on your hard disk, floppy
+disks, or a connected computer so they can be used to boot the
+installer.
<sect>Downloading Files from Debian Mirrors
<p>
When downloading files from a Debian mirror, be sure to download the
-files in <em>binary</em> mode, not text or automatic mode. It's important to
-replicate the directory structure you find on the mirror to create a
-local `sub-mirror'. It isn't really necessary to do this if you place
-all the installation files on floppies; but it still makes it easier
-to find the files when you need them. You should start your local
-directory structure at the level under
+files in <em>binary</em> mode, not text or automatic mode. It's
+important to replicate the directory structure you find on the mirror
+to create a local `sub-mirror'. It isn't really necessary to do this
+if you place all the installation files on floppies; but it still
+makes it easier to find the files when you need them. You should start
+your local directory structure at the level under
<file>disks-&architecture;</file>, for example:
<example>
current/<var>sub-architecture</var>/images-1.44/<var>flavor</var>/rescue.bin
@@ -55,20 +57,62 @@
decompression program, they won't be there later when the installer
needs them.
-<![ %powerpc %m68k [ This is particularly true on the Macintosh, where .bin
+<![ %powerpc %m68k [ <p> This is particularly true on the Macintosh, where .bin
files are interpreted to be MacBinary, and the decoder's attempts to
convert them will fail noisily. Also, many of the binary files such as
linux and yaboot, will be automatically interpreted as text since they
have no file extensions unless you specifically select binary transfer
mode. These files will be <em>unusable</em> if they are transferred
in text mode. ]]>
+
+ <sect1>Installation Options
+
+<![ %m68k [
+ <p>
+For Amiga, Atari, and 68k Mac, all the necessary files have
+been compiled into one tarball. You will download the appropriate
+tarball listed in <ref id="amiga-install-files">, <ref
+id="atari-install-files">, or <ref id="mac-install-files">
+below. Only VME machines will need the following files.
+ ]]>
+<![ %not-m68k [ <p>
+Files you may need fall into three categories:
+<list>
+<item>1) Files needed to boot into the installation system (for example,
+<file/rescue.bin/, <file/linux/, and <file/root.bin/)
+<item>2) Files the installation system will need access to
+after it has been booted in order to install the operating system
+kernel and peripheral drivers (for example, <file/rescue.bin/ and <file/drivers.tgz/)
+<item>3) Base system installation files (for example, <file/basedebs.tgz/)
+</list>
+ <p>
+If you have a working Ethernet connection on the computer, and your
+Ethernet card is of one of the types compiled into the installation
+kernel, you may only need the install system boot files. The
+installer is capable of installing the kernel and drivers over
+the network for many common Ethernet cards.
+ <p>
+If you have an Ethernet connection for which the installer doesn't
+have built-in support, you may need both the install system boot files
+and the kernel and peripheral driver installation files.
+ <p>
+If you are installing on a system without a working network
+connection, or if your network connection is via PPP (using a modem)
+rather than Ethernet, you will need to obtain all three types of files
+before starting the installation.
+ <p>
+If you're not sure which files you need, just start with the install
+system boot files. If your first attempt to configure the network
+within the installer fails, you can just quit, get the extra files you
+need, and re-start the installation.
+]]>
+
<sect1 id="kernel-choice">Choosing the Right Installation Set
<p>
-<![ %i386 [
-Kernel images are available in various ``flavors'', each of which
-supports a different set of hardware. The flavors available for
-&arch-title; are:
+<![ %i386 [ Installation files include kernel images, which are
+available in various ``flavors''. Each flavor supports a different
+set of hardware. The flavors available for &arch-title; are:
<taglist>
<tag>`vanilla'
@@ -135,9 +179,9 @@
<![ %mipsel [
-Kernel images are available in various ``flavors'', each of which
-supports a different set of hardware. The flavors available for
-&arch-title; are:
+Installation files include kernel images, which are available in
+various ``flavors''. Each flavor supports a different set of
+hardware. The flavors available for &arch-title; are:
<taglist>
<tag>`r4k-kn04'
@@ -159,9 +203,9 @@
<![ %mips [
-Kernel images are available in various ``flavors'', each of which
-supports a different set of hardware. The flavors available for
-&arch-title; are:
+Installation files include kernel images, which are available in
+various ``flavors''. Each flavor supports a different set of
+hardware. The flavors available for &arch-title; are:
<taglist>
<tag>`r4k-ip22'
@@ -179,9 +223,9 @@
<![ %hppa [
-Kernel images are available in various ``flavors'', each of which
-supports a different set of hardware. The flavors available for
-&arch-title; are:
+Installation files include kernel images, which are available in
+various ``flavors''. Each flavor supports a different set of
+hardware. The flavors available for &arch-title; are:
<taglist>
<tag>`32'
@@ -210,9 +254,9 @@
<![ %s390 [
-There are currently two kernel images available. The s390-tape
-image supports booting from a tape. The s390 image supports all other
-booting methods.
+Installation files include kernel images. There are currently two
+kernel images available. The s390-tape image supports booting from a
+tape. The s390 image supports all other booting methods.
<p>
These kernels include almost all drivers supported by Linux built as
modules, which includes drivers for network devices,
@@ -223,14 +267,13 @@
The kernel config files for these images can be found in their
respective directories in a file named "config.gz".
-
]]>
<![ %powerpc [
-Kernel images are available in various ``flavors'', each of which
-supports a different set of hardware. The flavors available for
-&arch-title; are:
+Installation files include kernel images, which are available in
+various ``flavors''. Each flavor supports a different set of
+hardware. The flavors available for &arch-title; are:
<taglist>
<tag>`powermac'
@@ -243,17 +286,20 @@
version 2.4 of the Linux kernel.
<tag>`apus'
<item>
-<![ %FIXME [ Describe APUS ]]>
+Use this kernel for Amiga Power-UP Systems (APUS); it is based on
+version 2.2 of the Linux kernel.
<tag>`chrp'
<item>
-<![ %FIXME [ Describe CHRP ]]>
+Use this kernel for embedded CHRP computers; it is based on
+version 2.2 of the Linux kernel.
<tag>`prep'
<item>
-<![ %FIXME [ Describe PReP ]]>
+Use this kernel for Motorola and IBM RS/6000 PReP computers; it is based on
+version 2.2 of the Linux kernel.
</taglist>
<p>
The kernel config files for these flavors can be found in their
-respective directories in a file named "config.gz".
+respective directories in a file named <file/config.gz/.
]]>
@@ -262,8 +308,6 @@
There is only one install kernel available for each supported
ARM machine family.
-]]>
-
<![ %m68k %sparc %ia64 [
There is only one install kernel available for &arch-title, which
@@ -279,13 +323,6 @@
<sect1 id="where-files">Where to Find Installation Files
-<p>
-The files needed for a Debian installation fall into two categories:
-1) those files you will need in order to boot into the installation system,
-and 2) those files the installation system will need access to after
-it has been booted in order to install the operating system kernel and
-peripheral drivers. You will need to obtain both types of files before
-starting the installation.
<![ %m68k [
<p>
@@ -305,21 +342,31 @@
<tag>&root-images; <item>root image(s) or tarball ]]>
<tag><ref id="kernel-images"> <item>kernel binary
<tag><ref id="driver-images"> <item>driver images or tarball
+<tag><ref id="base-images"> <item>base system images or tarball
</taglist>
<p>
- <![ %powerpc [
-Both the boot-floppy-hfs floppy image and the rescue.bin image contain
-a compressed Linux boot kernel. The boot-floppy-hfs floppy is used to
-boot the installation system, while rescue.bin serves as the source
-for the Linux kernel when the kernel is being installed on your
-machine. The rescue.bin floppy cannot be booted on &arch-title;.
-]]>
- <![ %not-powerpc [
-The rescue image contains a compressed Linux boot kernel. It is used
-for both floppy disk booting (when transferred to a floppy) and as the
-source for the Linux kernel when the kernel is being installed on your
-machine.
-]]>
+
+ <![ %not-powerpc [ The rescue image contains a compressed Linux boot
+kernel. It is used for both floppy disk booting (when transferred to a
+floppy) and as the source for the Linux kernel when the kernel is
+being installed on your machine. The kernel binary <file>linux</file>
+is an uncompressed binary kernel. It is used when booting the
+installer from the hard disk or CD-ROM, and is not needed for floppy
+installer booting.
+ ]]>
+
+ <![ %powerpc [ Both the <file/boot-floppy-hfs/ floppy image and the
+<file/rescue.bin/ image contain a compressed Linux boot kernel. The
+<file/boot-floppy-hfs/ floppy is used to boot the installation system,
+while <file/rescue.bin/ serves as the source for the Linux kernel when
+the kernel is being installed on your machine. A <file/rescue.bin/
+floppy cannot be booted on &arch-title;. A third uncompressed kernel
+image, simply named <file/linux/, is used when booting the installer
+from the hard disk or CD-ROM. It is not needed for floppy installer
+booting.
+ ]]>
+
+ <p>
Refer to <ref id="create-floppy"> for important information on properly
creating floppy disks from floppy images.
<p>
@@ -327,10 +374,6 @@
image contains a compressed ramdisk filesystem which gets loaded
into memory after you boot the installer. ]]>
<p>
-The kernel binary <file>linux</file> is an uncompressed binary kernel.
-It is used when booting the installer from the hard disk or CD-ROM,
-and is not needed for floppy installer booting.
- <p>
The peripheral drivers may be downloaded as a series of floppy images
or as a tarball (<file>drivers.tgz</file>). The installer system will
need access to the drivers file during installation. If you have a
@@ -341,29 +384,28 @@
<p>
When downloading files, you should also pay attention to the type of
filesystem you are downloading them <em>to</em>, unless you will use
-floppies for the kernel and drivers. The installer can load files from
+floppies for the kernel and drivers. The installer can read files from
many kinds of filesystems, including FAT, HFS, ext2fs, and Minix.
+When downloading files to a *nix filesystem, choose the largest
+possible files from the archive.
<![ %i386 [
<p>
-It cannot access files on an NTFS
-filesystem — you must load the appropriate driver). ]]>
+The installer <em>cannot</em> access files on an NTFS filesystem
+— you must load the appropriate driver).
+ <p>
+In addition to the files above, you will need
+&loadlin.exe; (see <ref id="rescue-images">). ]]>
<![ %powerpc [
<p>
-It cannot access files on an HFS+ filesystem. MacOS
+The installer <em/cannot/ access files on an HFS+ filesystem. MacOS
System 8.1 and above may use HFS+ filesystems; NewWorld PowerMacs all
use HFS+ by default. To determine whether your existing filesystem is HFS+,
select <tt>Get Info</tt> for the volume in question. HFS filesystems
appear as <tt>Mac OS Standard</tt>, while HFS+ filesystems say <tt>Mac
OS Extended</tt>. ]]>
- <p>
-Note that the partition you are installing <em>from</em> should not be
-the same as the partitions you are installing Debian <em>to</em>.
-<![ %i386 %m68k [ When downloading files to a *nix
-filesystem, choose the largest possible files. ]]>
-
<![ %alpha [
<p>
If you choose to boot from ARC console firmware using
@@ -387,10 +429,11 @@
id="supported-cpus"> to determine the appropriate <prgn>MILO</prgn>
image for your Alpha platform. ]]>
-<![ %i386 [
- <p>
-In addition to the files above, you will need
-&loadlin.exe; (see <ref id="rescue-images">). ]]>
+ <p>
+During the installation, you will erase the partition(s) on
+which you are installing Debian before beginning the installation. All
+downloaded files must be placed on partitions <em/other/ than those on
+which you are planning to install the system.
<![ %m68k [
<sect2 id="amiga-install-files">AmigaOS Installation Files
@@ -729,10 +772,7 @@
<p>
The installer may be booted using boot files placed on an
existing hard drive partition, either launched from another operating
-system or by invoking a boot loader directly from the BIOS. If you
-intend to boot the installer from a hard disk partition, you will need
-to place the files in specific locations according to the instructions
-here.
+system or by invoking a boot loader directly from the BIOS.
<![ %i386 [
<p> The installer cannot boot from files on an NTFS
@@ -749,40 +789,43 @@
files between MacOS and Linux, in particular the installation files
you download.
- <sect1>Booting from Open Firmware on PowerMacs
<p>
-Open Firmware is a BIOS-system for modern systems. Variants of it are
-also used in SPARC machines, for instance.
- <p>
-However, on PowerMacs, the procedures for installation vary pretty
-radically depending on whether the system is a ``NewWorld'' or an
+Different programs are used for hard disk installation system booting,
+depending on whether the system is a ``NewWorld'' or an
``OldWorld'' model.
+
+ <sect1>Hard Disk Installer Booting for OldWorld Macs
+ <p>
+The <file/boot-floppy-hfs/ floppy uses <prgn>miBoot</prgn> to launch
+Linux installation, but <prgn/miBoot/ cannot easily be used for hard
+disk booting. <prgn>BootX</prgn> (<url id="&url-powerpc-bootx;">),
+launched from MacOS, supports booting from files placed on the hard
+disk. <prgn/BootX/ can also be used to dual-boot MacOS and Linux after
+your Debian installation is complete.
<p>
-OldWorld systems use an older, buggier revision of Open Firmware. They
-can boot Linux either directly via <prgn>quik</prgn>, from the MacOS
-ROM via <prgn>miBoot</prgn>, or from within MacOS via
-<prgn>BootX</prgn>. Of these, only the BootX method flexibly supports
-dual-booting. Information on <prgn>BootX</prgn> is available at <url
-id="&url-powerpc-bootx;">
+To use <prgn/BootX/ download it and use <prgn/Stuffit Expander/ to
+extract it from its archive. An empty Linux Kernels folder is
+included. Download <file/linux/ and <file/ramdisk.image.gz/ from the
+powermac archive folder, and place them in the Linux Kernels
+folder. Then place the Linux Kernels folder in the active System
+Folder.
+
+ <sect1>Hard Disk Installer Booting for NewWorld Macs
<p>
-The NewWorld PowerMacs use a more complete Open Firmware bootloader,
-which supports booting from a network or an ISO9660 CD-ROM, as well as
-ELF binary loading. These machines will boot Linux directly via
-<prgn>yaboot</prgn>, which supports loading a kernel and ramdisk
-directly from an ext2 partition, as well as dual-booting with MacOS.
-<prgn>BootX</prgn> is not supported and must not be used on NewWorld
-PowerMacs.
-
- <sect2>Files for Open Firmware Booting in OldWorld Macs
- <p>
-<![ %FIXME; [
- <em>Not yet written.</em> ]]>
-
- <sect2 id="files-newworld">Files for Open Firmware Booting in NewWorld Macs
- <p>
-For NewWorld Macs, you can boot the installer directly from files
-placed on an HFS partition. This method is particularly appropriate
-for machines with no floppy drive such as the iMac.
+NewWorld PowerMacs support booting from a network or an ISO9660
+CD-ROM, as well as loading ELF binaries directly from the hard
+disk. These machines will boot Linux directly via <prgn>yaboot</prgn>,
+which supports loading a kernel and ramdisk directly from an ext2
+partition, as well as dual-booting with MacOS. Hard disk booting of
+the installer is particularly appropriate for newer machines without
+floppy drives. <prgn>BootX</prgn> is not supported and must not be
+used on NewWorld PowerMacs.
<p>
<em>Copy</em> (not move) the following four files onto the root level
of your hard drive (this can be accomplished by option-dragging each
@@ -1213,10 +1256,10 @@
<sect id='FAI'>Automatic Installation
<p>
For installing on multiple computers it's possible to use the fully
-automatic installation called FAI. The Debian package fai has to be
-installed on a computer called the install server. Then all install
-clients boot from their network card or floppy disk and automatically
-install Debian on their local disks.
+automatic installation called <prgn/FAI/. The Debian package
+<file/fai/ has to be installed on a computer called the install
+server. Then all install clients boot from their network card or
+floppy disk and automatically install Debian on their local disks.
<!-- Keep this comment at the end of the file
Index: kernel.sgml
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/debian-boot/boot-floppies/documentation/en/kernel.sgml,v
retrieving revision 1.5
diff -u -r1.5 kernel.sgml
--- kernel.sgml 2001/11/12 23:34:57 1.5
+++ kernel.sgml 2001/12/21 04:49:34
@@ -9,10 +9,9 @@
system.
<p>
You will be offered a menu of devices from which you can install the
-kernel. Choose the appropriate device from which to install the
-kernel and modules. Remember that you can use any devices which is
-available to you, and that you are not restricted to using the same
-media you used to mount with (see <ref id="install-methods">).
+kernel, and an option to install using the network. You can use any
+available device, you are not restricted to using the same media you
+used to mount (see <ref id="install-methods">).
<p>
Note that the options presented to you will vary based on what
hardware <prgn>dbootstrap</prgn> has detected. If you are installing
@@ -245,12 +244,16 @@
some steps may take a significant amount of time, and progress may not be
evident. In particular, the initial retrieve of <file>Packages.gz</file>, and the
installs for base and essential packages may seem to be stalled; give them
-some extra time. You can use <tt>df -h</tt> in terminal 2 to assure yourself
+some extra time. You can use <tt>df -h</tt> in console 2 to assure yourself
that the contents of your disk are indeed changing.
<p>
However, if the install bogs down right away retrieving a file called
<file>Release</file>, you may assume that the network archive has not
been found, or there is a problem with it.
+ <p>
+If you are installing the base system from your hard disk, just point
+the installer to the <file/basedebs.tgz/ disk location, similar to the
+procedure for installing the kernel and modules.
<!-- Keep this comment at the end of the file
--
*------v--------- Installing Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 --------v------*
| <http://www.debian.org/releases/woody/installmanual> |
| debian-imac (potato): <http://debian-imac.sourceforge.net> |
| Chris Tillman tillman@azstarnet.com |
| May the Source be with you |
*----------------------------------------------------------------*
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