Bug#410211: Debian Installation report
Package: installation-reports
Boot method: CD
Image version: http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/daily-builds/daily/
arch-latest/amd64/iso-cd/debian-testing-amd64-netinst.iso
Date: Feb 7, 2007
Machine: Apple Mac Pro
Processor: (2) 2.66 GHz Duel-Intel Xeon
Memory: 3 GB
Partitions:
Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Initial boot: [O]
Detect network card: [O]
Configure network: [O]
Detect CD: [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Detect hard drives: [O]
Partition hard drives: [O]
Install base system: [O]
Clock/timezone setup: [O]
User/password setup: [O]
Install tasks: [O]
Install boot loader: [O]
Overall install: [E]
Comments/Problems: booted with expert irqpoll, installer wants to
try install a mess of IDE chipset controllers (does not identify
Intel 5000X chipset?), disabled IDE chipset drivers from floppy to
bottom of first page on the Feb 7 install (disabled bigger set on
second attempt on Feb 8). Installed LILO to MBR.
Seeing "the drive appears to be confused" messages on boot of new
system (which uses 2.6.18). /sbin/lilo -v 5 runs on clean system.
Installed system boots with minimal desktop install from CD with
periodic "the drive appears to be confused" messages.
Installing a standard set of desktop software causes the "the drive
appears to be confused" messages to appear continuously, making the
system unusable.
Changing append="irqpoll" to append="apic" in /etc/lilo.conf,
running /sbin/lilo -v 5, and rebooting, removes the drive confused
problem (disables the PATA controller? and thereby the DVD drive).
HOWEVER, then /sbin/lilo hangs preventing any further updates to the
system. The problem is specific to the 2.6.18 kernel on this
system. The 2.6.17 kernel does not have this problem. Unable to
install 2.6.17 kernel because is has been removed from the servers.
Rebuilding system again with RC1 to get back to 2.6.17.
The Feb. 7, 2007 daily build is the first daily build that I could
get to install on this machine, before this only RC1 worked.
The second attempt using the Feb 7 daily image (on Feb 8) disabled
even more IDE chipset controllers (previous attempts along this line
have not been successful). I have been unable to find documentation
in the install FAQ and the Debian web sites on what chipsets are
covered by which drivers, I believe that information might be
somewhere in the kernel configuration interfaces; however, nothing
there refers the Intel 5000X chipset so it's rather a guess at which
IDE chipset drivers to keep. Keeping them all may have prevented my
previous attempts installing with the daily builds using the 2.6.18
kernel or a mod to the installer or the Debian 2.6.18 kernel between
Feb 1 and Feb 7 daily builds has fixed part of the problem I was seeing.
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