Bug#694777: Wheezy Beta4 installs but X server unusable

[Brian Potkin <claremont102@gmail.com>]

On Mon 03 Dec 2012 at 14:31:24 -0500, Lou Poppler wrote:

> 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.

I found

   http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=649851

informative:

     The installer only prompts for firmware needed by kernel
     modules loaded during the installation. 

     While discover is supposed to be run during the install to
     handle installing software needed by other devices on the
     system, it does not have the ability to load non-free
     firmware the way the installer can.

As an indication you are not alone in misunderstanding what d-i does:

   http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=661069

     > Also installer should warn user about what happens if
     > firmware is missing.
 
     I thought it did...?


> 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.

A minimal patch to the Guide is at

   http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=695403