Bug#401392: Installation report AMD64 'testing' netinstall - part I
Package: installation-reports
Boot method: CD image
Image version: 'testing' netinstaller snapshot image 2006-11-30 (downloaded 2006-12-02) from debian.org
Date: 2006-12-03
Machine: PC
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 dualcore
Memory: 2G RAM dual channel
Video: 256M nvidia GForce7200
Harddrive: 320G SATA II 'ST3320620AS'
Partitions: I try to create 1 prim -> 11 logical partitions including 2 x swap and a fat32, + 1 prim = /boot
User level: I'm experienced.
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It was my intention to take as less care as possible, to test the installers
robustness. Accordingly, the installation didn't succeed.
This is a preliminary bug report - more to come soon.
I hope i will have more luck tomorrow ;)
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I just send you my manual logs, mainly usability notes.
I chose the graphical installer, got a nice screen and anything went
fine, until the partitioner.
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Manual partitioning
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* keyboard navigation: the active buttons are not easy to recognize
(no highlight color) it's a detail but creates a unsure feeling - really, that's
an unfortunate moment to tolerate that detail, at *partitioning* !
* I notice that installer offers some standard mountpoints. It would be nice
if those already chosen would be omitted in that list.
* You really want to have MB the default when i enter just a number ?
I bet 99% of all AMD64 users partition anything in full G.
I missed to type 'G' repeatedly, leading to the below barfed issue.
* pressing 'back' one time too often throws me back to the beginning,
deleting my sophisticated partitioning table without warning ! Shit !
Strange enough, some values (m%, name, ..) seem to be remembered
-> does it mean the partition table gets written immediately to disk,
for every new partition ? I am used to it being written only if anything
is complete...and why does the installer show an empty table at the
second start then.
* Selecting an already completed partition, i can modify any setting but not
the size. ... You see, that's the reason why i walked back at all in the above
mentioned case, to search for that feature. A trap. Why do i have to *search*
for a way to modify the size ? It should be there, in the main partition settings,
as anything else. ... i checked it out now, you really want me to *delete* it !
Come on... that's really really uncool.
(And don't tell me it can't be because the table immediately gets written, or
whatever. I know it can. You know it can.)
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Failure stability and debug logging
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* oops. After creating 11 sophistricated partitions, i pressed a wrong key
(ESC one time too often ?) and GTK or whatever crashed: 5 seconds of silence,
where all buttons are blank, so no screenshot possible; with blank window content.
Then the main menu reappears. Choosing 'Create partitions' again, just leads to the
same empty window. Nothing left from my precious table it seems !
And I can't go on.
I tried to save a debug log:
'Web' just went back to main menu. I already configured
the network though. Maybe the card wasn't working?. No way to check that !
'Disc': Didn't try that, there's no floppy drive anyway (i bet 99% of AMD64 users....)
and no dvd writer yet (would that have worked ?).
'Mounted Filesystem' leads to unresponsive system,with blinking white screen...
and here we are. Looks like i have to reboot.
Uhgh. I'm finished. (I admit i'm far too tired BUT isn't that the standard situation ?
For sysadmins. Anyway i can't remember it had been different any time....)
Enough for tonight....
m°
* ps. There should be a feature to leave the graphical configurator, to enter a shell to
track bugs (like, i still don't know if the network was reachable at all)
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