Make the system bootable, was: beta 2 update
Hi folks,
I keep thinking about the boot loader point in d-i. There were
several points in previous discussions (references see below)
with different points of view. I would like to collect this here
along with my thougts.
Currently ``Making the System Bootable'' is available as
a. "Install lilo" (default)
b. "install grub"
It is my current state of knowledge that
1) "Install lilo" is called without asking in "normal" mode
2) there is no "cancel" button in the "Install lilo" menu
3) the default install location is the root partition and not MBR
4) "Install grub" is visible only if DEBCONF_PRIORITY="medium" or
"low"
5) lilo is the "default" installer
6) there is currently no way to create a boot floppy instead
7) there is currently no way to not install any bootloader
My experience from helping Windows literate people to install
Debian GNU/Linux on their systems tells me to not touch the
master boot record unless specifically asked to do so --- and
this is the rare occasion where I would like to see 2
confirmations! This is a point where I was asked the most
questions. IMHO it worked best to tell folks:
``Create a boot floppy. If you want Linux, boot the floppy. If
you want Windows (or whatever), remove the floppy and boot. When
you like it, install the boot loader later, when you have become
aquainted with the system. Nothing is broken until you decide to
install a new boot loader.''
Maybe this is caused by my ignorance of Windows and it's boot
loader.
However, my feeling for beta 2 release is uneasy on this point.
And the mentioned discussion threads make me believe, there are
more feeling uneasy as well.
On one hand, yes d-i does a working job of getting the system
bootable with a minimum of questions. And this is simple and well
for systems which host Linux only.
On the other hand I think that this point deserves more careful
procedures, if the system hosts other OSes as well. Therefore
I would present 4 options regardless of level:
Make the system bootable:
+ Install lilo (default)
+ install grub
+ create a boot floppy
(recommended if other OSes are present)
+ do not install any boot loader
(I know what I'm doing, and I will not complain :-)
This means rewrite of code, rewrite of translations, and may
rightfully be rejected to go into beta 2.
However, I would feel much better, if something close to this can
be agreed to go into beta-3.
Comments/hints/suggestions are, as always, most welcome. It is
not my intention to make a big wave, I just would like a clear
understanding of this point.
Cheers,
Erich
--
The purpose of computing is insight --- not numbers.
Richard Hamming 1962
----------------------------------------------------------------------
References:
Discussion in thread below
http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2004/debian-boot-200401/msg00297.html
Subject: Re: beta 2 update
Harald Dunkel
> Petter Reinholdtsen wrote:
> > [Joey Hess]
> >
> > > Are you talking about the reported freeze in serial console after
> > > languagechooser, or just a general, non-user-visible cleanup?
> >
> >
> >
> > I am talking about a general non-user-visible cleanup, to make sure
> > kbd-chooser, lilo-installer, grub-installer (and possibly other
> > packages) use common information regarding the current console, to
> > make it easier to handle serial console and also make sure the
> > information used is consistent.
>
> grub-installer? You mean d-i supports grub?
>
> I have never seen this option at installation time.
> How can I avoid Lilo in favour of Grub?
http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2004/debian-boot-200401/msg00251.html
Subject: install report (success, i386+xfs) was: XFS support in d-i: ...
Erich Wälde
> * grub: /boot/grub/menu.lst
>
> grub-update generates the menu.lst file
> --- snip ----------------------------------------------------------
> ## ## End Default Options ##
>
> title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.22-xfs-386
> root (hd0,6)
> kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22-xfs-386 root=/dev/hda7 ro
> initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.4.22-xfs-386
> savedefault
> boot
>
> title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.22-xfs-386 (recovery mode)
> root (hd0,6)
> kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22-xfs-386 root=/dev/hda7 ro
> initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.4.22-xfs-386
> savedefault
> boot
>
> ### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
> --- snap -----------------------------------------------------------
>
> I do not see a difference between the two entries other than
> the second being announced as "recovery mode", however, it
> would not achieve that, from what I can tell. I would expect
> either an 'S' or 'single' or 'init=/bin/bash' argument in the
> kernel line of the second entry. But maybe this has been
> reported long ago.
>
>
> * installing a bootloader in general:
>
> I would like to suggest a single menu entry (similar to woody
> installer) like so:
>
> + make the system bootable
>
> + install lilo
>
> + install grub
>
> + create a boot floppy (recommended if you do not want to
> touch the Master Boot record)
>
> + do nothing (I know what I'm doing)
>
> would that be feasible? And IMHO I would default to the boot
> floppy. But that is definitely a matter of debate.
http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2004/debian-boot-200401/msg00373.html
Subject: Bug#226347: Install report, i386, success
Ming Hua
> 2. lilo.conf template
> In woody installation, the /etc/lilo.conf is generated from a nice
> template with intensive comments. This templated makes modifying
> lilo.conf much easier. However after this installation the lilo.conf is
> just several lines without any comment. Is it possible to bring the
> template with nice comment back?
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