Bug#250978: Partial success
Package: installation-reports
Debian-installer-version: Daily 2004/05/25 sarge-i386-netinst.iso
uname -a: Linux bittersweet 2.4.26-1-386 #2 Sat May 1 16:31:24 EST 2004 i686 GNU/Linux
Date: 2004/04/25
Method: CDROM boot, netinst over ethernet
Machine: ABit VP6
Processor: Dual P-III 800 MHz
Memory: 1.5 Gb
Root Device: 120 Gb IDE, /dev/hda
Root Size/partition table: Small ext3 /boot, large XFS /, 2Gb swap (for future swsusp2)
Output of lspci: I would have to hand type it; sorry.
Base System Installation Checklist:
Initial boot worked: [E] USB keyboard did not work
Configure network HW: [O]
Config network: [O]
Detect CD: [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Detect hard drives: [O]
Partition hard drives: [O] Very nice job. I like it.
Create file systems: [O]
Mount partitions: [O]
Install base system: [E] gnome-desktop-environment left me with XDM not GDM
Install boot loader: [O] Great job. update-grub and everything! Good.
Reboot: [O]
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Comments/Problems:
This installer is very nicely done. Great work! I tried the USB stick
thing on my laptop once; no install, but just booted it. It worked!
I'm impressed. I've been using http://www.sysresccd.org/ as a rescue
system. They give instructions for putting it on a usb stick... the
instructions are not quite right; I managed to get it to boot, but their
linuxrc cannot find the usb stick device and thus cannot mount the cloop
from it. What is the secret? It would be awesome to have a combination
debian installer and rescue live image in a cloop. Is anyone working on
such a thing?
On the VP6 board, the main reason for this report:
At first I thought that USB keyboard support was not present, but
perhaps it is? Of course it should be if it's not. USB is not working
with this particular kernel/mainboard configuration:
usb.c: USB device not accepting new address=2 (error=-110)
hub.c: new USB device 00:07.2-1, assigned address 3
usb_control/bulk_msg: timeout
usb.c: USB device not accepting new address=3 (error=-110)
... and in fact I have seen this happen before. My USB keyboard and
mouse worked fine up until around kernel (IIRC) 2.4.22 -> .23 or so. I
am not absolutely certain which kernel broke it. The same problem
occurs with 2.6.5. At some point I tried a newer kernel and USB would
no longer function.
I selected the "aptitude" method for picking packages, and since I know
my way around, went straight for "gnome-desktop-environment". I had to
also choose "x-window-system". When it was through, I had XDM but not
GDM. I'd like to see a nice looking GDM instead (I really like the full
screen themes a lot), and just plain leave old XDM behind. I'll never
use it. Since my mouse is not working due to the USB problem, I was
unable to log in. For some reason the keyboard would not let me blink
out of X to fix it either, and with no SSH I cannot get in to fix it, so
had to push the panic button.
The X configuration did not automate as much as I'd like either; if I
had not know I've an ATI card, it would have been difficult, perhaps.
It's not newbie proof enough yet. Did I need to select some other
package to get a more automatic configuration? I asked it to try and
autodetect my monitor, and couldn't tell whether that did anything or
not. I need more feedback about whether a monitor was detected, instead
of just getting dropped into the "easy, medium, expert" screen. Is the
default shown after that a reflection of what the autodetection found?
I'm never told.
I also picked an SMP kernel; a 2.6.5 was available. When it booted, I
had both ALSA and OSS sound modules loaded at once, and the network
didn't function. After unloading the OSS sound and the network module,
then reloading the network module, I was able to attempt to get to the
net again... there was a problem getting an IP that I suspect is due to
the fact that my MAC is registered and the crash did not send a
DHCPRELEASE. I recall a recent version of ALSA having a message about
no longer loading the modules but using hotplug to do it... so I suppose
this one is a "known" and is being dealt with. Luckily I know enough
about it to blacklist the OSS module with hotplug. This will become an
FAQ; I've an ensoniq 1371, or "Soundblaster PCI 128", a fairly popular
card. The thing is that the "es1371" should be there for 2.4, but I
think the ALSA modules are to be preferred for 2.6.
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