Bug#283600: RC2 succeeded; unhelpful error message
Package: installation-reports
Debian-installer-version: RC2
uname -a: Linux edgar 2.4.27-1-k7 #1 Fri Sept 3 06:21:29 UTC 2004 i686 GNU/Linux
Date: Nov. 28, 2004
Method: How did you install? FTP download from mirror
What did you boot off? Floppies, 20041118 set, with network
drivers floppy
If network install, from where? http://www.us.debian.org
Proxied? No.
Machine: CCSI rackmount server with Tyan S2469 motherboard
Processor: single Athlon MP
Memory: 512 MB
Root Device: SCSI, AIC7902 internal host adapter. Name of device? /dev/sda1
Root Size/partition table: 8 GB /, 100 MB /boot, 2 GB /var, 14 GB /home
Disk /dev/sda: 35 GB 10K RPM SCSI-320
Base System Installation Checklist:
Initial boot worked: [O]
Configure network HW: [O]
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]
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Comments/Problems:
Debian Installer has advanced noticeably just since RC1. On this
very recent machine, the only problem that showed up was an insufficiently
informative error message. It's a pleasure to move on to some of the final
cleanup items.
1. Out of the 5 installation passes I performed, two of them timed out
during base system install, apparently because the mirror was slow to
respond. The resulting error messages read: "DEBOOTSTRAP ERROR" and
"COULDN'T DOWNLOAD EXIM4".
The error messages on console 3 and the log file just repeatedly cycled
through:
"No matching physical volumes found"
"No volume groups found"
"Reading all physical volumes. This may take a while..."
Obviously, this was no help in figuring out what the problem was, or what
to do next.
The second time it happened, I figured out that the correct thing to do
was go back and start the base install again. Sure enough, it resumed where
it left off, and ran to completion.
(In the past, I've seen "Loading components of the Debian Installer" time
out a lot and need to be restarted. That didn't happen during this test
session."
2. I created both ext3 and Reiser file systems on different runs. Both
worked without problems.
3. The Radeon bug another user and I reported with RC1, where the text mode
display would jump left and push column 1 off-screen halfway through the
first phase of install, didn't show up this time.
RECOMMENDATION:
Supplement the "DEBOOTSTRAP ERROR" message with something like
"Go back, and start the Base System install again, or select a faster
mirror."
This simple hint could greatly reduce frustration for a Debian newbie.
Similar advice would be desirable if downloading times out during
"Loading components of the Debian Installer".
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