Re: Bug#694777: Wheezy Beta4 installs but X server unusable

[Lou Poppler <lwp@mail.msen.com>]

On Mon, 3 Dec 2012, Brian Potkin wrote:

> I've tried to read
>
>   http://d-i.debian.org/manual/en.i386/ch02s02.html
>
> and
>
>   http://d-i.debian.org/manual/en.i386/ch06s04.html
>
> from a new user's perspective. There is nothing there, as far as I can
> see, which says only missing firmware for network cards will be attended
> to at that stage of the installation.

Indeed, the first paragraph of section 2.2 also mentions USB devices, disk
controllers, and graphics cards needing firmware.  The following discussion
discusses firmware in general (not specifically network card firmware)
including the last paragraph which suggests the installer will prompt for
firmware.  Section 6.4 also says the installer will display a dialog
offering to install missing firmware, as part of a completely general
discussion of firmware.

As I answered before, at no time did the installer ask me or offer me
to install any firmware at all, even though my radeon display controller
will not work at all with the installed kernel without firmware.

>                                       Even this excellent page
>
> http://raphaelhertzog.com/2011/03/14/missing-firmware-in-debian-learn-how-to-deal-with-the-problem/

> doesn't make it clear that non-free firmware detection in D-I is for
> network hardware only.

However, the suggestion that the kernel update post-installation process
will eventually inform the new user of all missing firmware, is the best
answer I've seen so far to my own concern that I might never have known
I needed to install some firmware.  With the work-around patch from
bug 693324 that would allow the new system to boot to a framebuffer screen
(instead of black screen), and the eventual discovery of the need for
firmware installation from eventually updating the kernel and thus seeing
the firmware messages from the post-install scripts, I would eventually
get the message.

> Irrespective of anything else which could be done, there is a case for
> the Manual to reflect this situation and to offer some advice for
> missing firmware detection post-installation.

Agree.  This situation with newer devices *requiring* firmware reloads
at bootup, and with some firmware walled off in non-free, can surprise
even somewhat experienced users who have done previous installs without
having to think about firmware at all.  I suggest including lots of
references/hyperlinks in these sections of the installer manual.

Thanks,
Lou