Bug#579576: installer bug -- debian-504-i386-netinst.iso
Package: installation-reports
Boot method: CD (debian-504-i386-netinst.iso)
Image version:
http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/5.0.4/i386/iso-cd/debian-504-i386-netinst.iso
Installation mode: Expert
Date: 26 through 28 April 2009 (three attempts)
Machine: generic i386 (ASUS P5EQ>
Processor: Intel Pentium
Memory: 4 Gbyte
Partitions: manual partitioning
primary = /
logical = usr var swap tmp home
Drives: PATA (Primary Master) = Debian installation
SATA1 = (partitioner instructed not to use this drive)
multiple partitions with miscellaneous files
SATA2 = CD/DVD
Output of lspci -knn (or lspci -nn): [ ]
Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Initial boot: [E]
Detect network card: [E]
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: [E]
Overall install: [O]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Comments:
(1) The installer ought to offer a wider variety of keyboard maps.
For example. I am accustomed to the "dvorak-classic" layout, which
differs significantly from the "Dvorak" layout offered by the installer;
in particular, the numeric row of dvorak-classic is
[ 7 5 3 1 9 0 2 4 6 8 ]
so entering network parameters and passwords is a bit awkward with the
"Dvorak" layout.
%%%
(2) The installer ought to allow the user to specify the GMT/UTC time
zone, irrespective of the country selection.
%%%
(3) The installer ought to allow the user to specify the drive to which
GRUB Legacy or GRUB2 is to be installed, as well as the drive to which
the GRUB Legacy or GRUB2 MBR is to be written.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Problem:
(1) On the first installation attempt, I elected to install GRUB2 as the
boot loader, but the system would not boot.
I was able to boot using a "SuperGRUB" rescue CD which I created from an
ISO image I found with Google. But several attempts to re-write the MBR
and several attempts to reinstall GRUB did not remedy the problem.
%%%
(2) On the second installation attempt, I elected to install GRUB Legacy
as the boot loader, but the system would not boot.
Again, I was able to boot using a "SuperGRUB" rescue CD which I created
from an ISO image I found with Google. But (again) several attempts to
re-write the MBR and several attempts to reinstall GRUB did not remedy
the problem.
%%%
(3) For the third installation attempt, I replaced the PATA drive with
another PATA drive, assuming that perhaps the boot track of the original
PATA drive was defective.
I again elected to install GRUB Legacy as the boot loader, but the
system would not boot.
Again, I was able to boot using a "SuperGRUB" rescue CD which I created
from an ISO image I found with Google. But (again) several attempts to
re-write the MBR and several attempts to reinstall GRUB did not remedy
the problem.
%%%
(4) For the fourth installation attempt, I disconnected the SATA drive,
thinking that the installer was broken for the case in which both PATA
and SATA drives are present in a system.
Again, I elected to install GRUB Legacy as the boot loader. The system
booted properly. I did not attempt to upgrade to GRUB2.
RLH
Reply to: