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Bug#275127: installation-reports



Package: installation-reports

Debian-installer-version: pre-rc2

Date: 		Tue Oct  5 21:19:43 CDT 2004
Method: 	Network install, boot off CD, linux26, non-expert

Machine: 	PC desktop
Processor:	AMD Athlon 1.4Gz
Memory:		512 Meg
Root Device:	/dev/md0  (raid1, hde2, hdg2)
Root Size/partition table: 
		750 MB

Output of lspci:

0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] AMD-760 [IGD4-1P] System Controller (rev 13)
0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] AMD-760 [IGD4-1P] AGP Bridge
0000:00:07.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super South] (rev 40)
0000:00:07.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
0000:00:07.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 16)
0000:00:07.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 16)
0000:00:07.4 SMBus: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super ACPI] (rev 40)
0000:00:08.0 Ethernet controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] (rev 43)
0000:00:0d.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Live! EMU10k1 (rev 07)
0000:00:0d.1 Input device controller: Creative Labs SB Live! MIDI/Game Port (rev 07)
0000:00:11.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon R100 QD [Radeon 7200]
0000:00:13.0 Unknown mass storage controller: Triones Technologies, Inc. HPT366/368/370/370A/372 (rev 04)

Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

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]
Create file systems:    [O]
Mount partitions:       [O]
Install base system:    [O]
Install boot loader:    [O]
Reboot:                 [E]

Comments/Problems:

I felt brave and created and installed on a software RAID-1 partition.
There are possibly some issues here:

1)  I have existing raid arrays administered by mdadm.  The partition I
created was named md0, when I had an existing md0.  When I boot into my
normal workstation, the new md0 is recognized as md10.  If it is easy,
maybe give more control over mdadm.  This is a suggestion, not a bug I
think, as if I am running multiple raid arrays, I should be able to
configure them myself, and should be using expert mode on install, or
bootstrap the install to existing raid partitions.  (To be honest, the
mix of raid arrays and LVM I currently have is a dog's breakfast, no
automated installer should have to cope with it!)

2)  Bug?  When I rebooted, Grub loaded root as (hd1,1), but it then
ignored this and used (hd0,0), from menu.lst.  I had to edit to (hd0,0)
then booted into software raid just fine!


Software selection Bug: 
I initially chose Desktop profile.  Package installation failed when I
ran out of space on my 750Meg partition.  I think the installer should
at least note the approximate sizes of the install choices, ie, Desktop
(1.5 GB),  File Server (450 MB), etc, and perhaps warn before hand if
insufficient disk space is on hand.  I played around a bit and I am
confident I could have recovered the install if necessary -- debian's
package system continues to amaze me!  I reinstalled as file server
instead.

?:
I went back and forth thru the install menu, and had no problems in
general except that I skipped the keyboard setup in the final phase of
the install and was not able to go back and reconfigure the keyboard.
Is it necessary to configure the keyboard again?  I recall choosing a
keyboard configuration very early in the install process.

Suggestion:
I was not installing in expert mode and I think the questions
about serial port configuration would be very confusing to a newbie,
especially when there are three choices (keep, keep once, forget?).
I would suggest that this step be skipped.

Picky, picky:
I found the bright red backgrounds in the first install phase a bit
overwhelming.  Red == Danger?  Then other screens are blue background.
I would prefer consistency.  If I wasn't testing, I would install one
time only and so color coding would be meaningless to me.

Suggestion:
Is discover necessary?  I hate discover.  Does anyone like discover?
Does it solve more problems than it creates?


I like that most of the defaults were sane, and the install seemed
nicely streamlined to me. 
DHCP not detected and this time installer gave me an option to configure
manually!  Great!

All in all, a noticable improvment over rc1, IMO.  I am very impressed!  

Thanks,
Patrick.
-- 





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