Bug#250589: May 22nd sarge_d-i CD images on sparc32
Package: installation-reports
Debian-installer-version: May 22nd sarge_d-i images from
http://cdimage.debian.org/pub/cdimage-testing/sarge_d-i/sparc/current/
uname -a: Linux debian 2.4.26-sparc32 #1 Sat Apr 24 00:12:33 EDT 2004 sparc GNU/Linux
Date: May 23rd, 2004
Method: Businesscard and netinst CDs, booted from a SCSI CD-ROM drive,
using serial console.
Machine: Sparcstation 10
Processor: SuperSparc TMS390
Memory: 80MB
Root Device: /dev/sda: SCSI1 (0,3,0) - 4.2 GB FUJITSU MAB3045S SUN4.2G
Root Size/partition table:
Disk /dev/sda (Sun disk label): 16 heads, 135 sectors, 3880 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 2160 * 512 bytes
Device Flag Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 0 90 97200 1 Boot
/dev/sda2 90 3616 3808080 83 Linux native
/dev/sda3 0 3880 4190400 5 Whole disk
/dev/sda4 3616 3880 285120 83 Linux native
Output of lspci: pcilib: Cannot open /sys/bus/pci/devices
pcilib: Cannot open /proc/bus/pci
lspci: Cannot find any working access method.
Base System Installation Checklist:
Initial boot worked: [O]
Configure network HW: [O]
Config network: [O]
Detect CD: [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Detect hard drives: [O]
Partition hard drives: [O/E] [Note 1]
Create file systems: [O]
Mount partitions: [O]
Install base system: [O/E] [Note 2]
Install boot loader: [O/E] [Note 3]
Reboot: [O] [Note 4]
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Comments/Problems:
1. The partitioner occasionally gets confused about the swap partition.
See bug 250453 for a detailed description. The problem is not
reproducible every time, but usually may be triggered by repeatedly
deleting/recreating the partitions. In the installation above I have
chosen the partition sda4 to be swap (and partman was displaying it as
swap), but as a result it was marked as "Linux native" and no swap
entry made in /etc/fstab.
2. The installer from businesscard CD still tries to install the 64-bit
SMP kernel on a sparc32 machine, even though the corresponding
32-bit image is available. This breaks the installation. The netinst
install is fine. I'll try to investigate the problem by debugging
the base-installer's postinst.
3. I've tried guided partitioning offered by partman and 'All files in
one partition' option, recommended for beginners. As a result, two
partitions, / (4.0GB) and swap were created. When it comes to
installing SILO, it fails, claiming that the second stage boot loader
is above the "magic" 1GB boundary, even though the base system occupies
about 230MB. I am not sure whether this is a problem with SILO
miscalculating the position of /boot/second.b or this file is really
placed too far from the beginning of the disk for no good reason. It
probably should be documented somewhere. Two ways to work around are
a) to make a small /boot partition in the beginning, or b) keep the
size or / (which should be in the beginning of the disk) under 1GB.
4. After reboot the pseudographics in debconf screens is screwed up
(looked fine during the first stage), screenshot is available at
http://www.wooyd.org/d-i/second.png.
Summary:
Netinst CD - usable, completed the install, some minor setbacks.
Businesscard CD - ok up to base system install, then breaks by trying to
install the wrong kernel.
Best regards,
Jurij Smakov jurij@wooyd.org
Key: http://www.wooyd.org/pgpkey/ KeyID: C99E03CC
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