Install report for Sony Vaio PCG-5211

[Rainer Dorsch <rdorsch@web.de>]

INSTALL REPORT

Debian-installer-version: 08-Nov-2003, 
http://people.debian.org/~sjogren/d-i/images/daily/
uname -a: Linux localhost 2.4.22-1-386 #9 Sat Oct 4 14:30:39 EST 2003 i686 
GNU/Linux
Date: 08-Nov-2003
Method: bootfloppy-image, floppy-image, net-drivers-image
I booted from an USB attached sony floppy drive
network installation from ftp.us.debian.org (I was somewhat surprised, that I 
was not asked for a server)...later on from ftp.de.debian.org
Machine: Sony Vaio PCG-5211
Processor: rd@localhost:~$ cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor       : 0
vendor_id       : GenuineIntel
cpu family      : 6
model           : 8
model name      : Pentium III (Coppermine)
stepping        : 3
cpu MHz         : 496.318
cache size      : 256 KB
fdiv_bug        : no
hlt_bug         : no
f00f_bug        : no
coma_bug        : no
fpu             : yes
fpu_exception   : yes
cpuid level     : 2
wp              : yes
flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat 
pse36 mmx fxsr sse
bogomips        : 989.59

Memory: rd@localhost:~$ cat /proc/meminfo
        total:    used:    free:  shared: buffers:  cached:
Mem:  196911104 192454656  4456448        0  9101312 106659840
Swap: 131600384  4931584 126668800
MemTotal:       192296 kB
MemFree:          4352 kB
MemShared:           0 kB
Buffers:          8888 kB
Cached:         103532 kB
SwapCached:        628 kB
Active:          93876 kB
Inactive:        79284 kB
HighTotal:           0 kB
HighFree:            0 kB
LowTotal:       192296 kB
LowFree:          4352 kB
SwapTotal:      128516 kB
SwapFree:       123700 kB

Root Device: /dev/hda3
Root Size/partition table: if somebody needs it, I will provide it
Output of lspci:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 
03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 
03)
00:07.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)
00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
00:07.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01)
00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 03)
00:08.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Sony Corporation CXD3222 i.LINK Controller (rev 
02)
00:09.0 Multimedia audio controller: Yamaha Corporation YMF-744B [DS-1S Audio 
Controller] (rev 02)
00:0a.0 Communication controller: Conexant HSF 56k Data/Fax Modem (Mob WorldW 
SmartDAA) (rev 01)
00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corp. 82557/8/9 [Ethernet Pro 100] (rev 08)
00:0c.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c475 (rev 80)
00:0d.0 FLASH memory: Sony Corporation Memory Stick Controller (rev 01)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Neomagic Corporation NM2230 [MagicGraph 
256AV+] (rev 30)


Base System Installation Checklist:

Initial boot worked:    [O]
Configure network HW:   [E]
Config network:         [O]
Detect CD:              []
Load installer modules: [O]
Detect hard drives:     [O]
Partition hard drives:  [O]
Create file systems:    [O]
Mount partitions:       [O]
Install base system:    [O]
Install boot loader:    [O]
Reboot:                 [O]

Comments/Problems:

Installation worked out very well (far better than installing KDE or GNOME ;-)

There was one glitch:

debian-installer/rootskel/src/sbin/init.bootfloppy

asked in this part 

[...]
debugshell "after hardware detection"

FIRST_PASS=1
LOADED=0
while [ "$LOADED" = 0 ]; do
        echo
        echo
        echo
        echo
        echo
        echo
        echo -n "Please insert the second floppy or plug in a USB storage 
device..."

        if [ 1 -gt "$BOOT_DEBUG" ]; then
                # Shut up kernel errors if the disk is inserted at wrong time, 
etc.
                OLD_PRINTK=`cat /proc/sys/kernel/printk`
                echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/printk
        fi

        MOUNTED=0
        while [ "$MOUNTED" = 0 ]; do
[...]

to insert the second floppy, but the laptop was basically dead at this point. 
mvrn from #debian-boot helped out: I booted with BOOT_DEBUG=3 and inserted 
the second boot floppy in the debugshell after hardware detection. Then it 
worked out very smooth.


If I do not change the floppy in the debugshell, the problem becomes obvious:

During the first

mount /dev/floppy/o -o ro -tvfat floppy

I get a 

Unable to handle kernel NULL ponter dereference at virtual address 000000ff
[..]

Then after the 5 sleep seconds the installation hangs at the second call of

mount /dev/floppy/o -o ro -tvfat floppy


Though it is somehow cool, if the user only needs the change the floppy 
without doing anything, I recommand to ask the user to change floppy and hit 
the enter button, this would be a very save workaround for this issue.

Thanks for the great work,
Rainer

-- 
Rainer Dorsch
Alzentalstr. 28
D-71083 Herrenberg
07032-919495
Icq: 32550367