Package: installation-reports
Boot method: USB bootable drive
Image version: Debian GNU/Linux 7.7.0 "Wheezy" - Official amd64 NETINST Binary-1 20141018-13:04
Date: 17:00, 19 november 2014
Machine: Old DELL Silitech machine
Processor: 2 Xeon @ 2.80GHz
Memory: 2GB
Partitions: df -Tl
Filesystem Type 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
rootfs rootfs 76820520 20197584 52720628 28% /
udev devtmpfs 10240 0 10240 0% /dev
tmpfs tmpfs 207372 648 206724 1% /run
/dev/disk/by-uuid/f6fba29d-d1eb-45e3-a560-33795e6aace0 ext4 76820520 20197584 52720628 28% /
tmpfs tmpfs 5120 0 5120 0% /run/lock
tmpfs tmpfs 793200 80 793120 1% /run/shm
Output of lspci -knn (or lspci -nn): lspci -knn
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation 82865G/PE/P DRAM Controller/Host-Hub Interface [8086:2570] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation 82865G/PE/P DRAM Controller/Host-Hub Interface [8086:2570]
Kernel driver in use: agpgart-intel
00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82865G/PE/P AGP Bridge [8086:2571] (rev 02)
00:03.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82865G/PE/P PCI to CSA Bridge [8086:2573] (rev 02)
00:06.0 System peripheral [0880]: Intel Corporation 82865G/PE/P Processor to I/O Memory Interface [8086:2576] (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #1 [8086:24d2] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Desktop Board D865GBF [8086:4246]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.1 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #2 [8086:24d4] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Desktop Board D865GBF [8086:4246]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.2 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #3 [8086:24d7] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Desktop Board D865GBF [8086:4246]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.3 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #4 [8086:24de] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Desktop Board D865GBF [8086:4246]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.7 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB2 EHCI Controller [8086:24dd] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Desktop Board D865GBF [8086:4246]
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge [8086:244e] (rev c2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) LPC Interface Bridge [8086:24d0] (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) IDE Controller [8086:24db] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Desktop Board D865GBF [8086:4246]
Kernel driver in use: ata_piix
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) SMBus Controller [8086:24d3] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Desktop Board D865GBF [8086:4246]
Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) AC'97 Audio Controller [8086:24d5] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Desktop Board D865GBF [8086:e001]
Kernel driver in use: snd_intel8x0
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation NV18GL [Quadro4 380 XGL] [10de:018b] (rev a2)
Subsystem: NVIDIA Corporation Device [10de:0169]
Kernel driver in use: nouveau
02:01.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Intel Corporation 82547EI Gigabit Ethernet Controller [8086:1019]
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Intel 82865G Mainboard (D865GBF) [8086:302c]
Kernel driver in use: e1000
Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Initial boot: [ ]
Detect network card: [ ]
Configure network: [ ]
Detect CD: [ ]
Load installer modules: [E]
Detect hard drives: [ ]
Partition hard drives: [ ]
Install base system: [ ]
Clock/timezone setup: [ ]
User/password setup: [ ]
Install tasks: [ ]
Install boot loader: [ ]
Overall install: [ ]
Comments/Problems:
I was looking to recover an old computer and install a fresh Debian install on the machine. I was able to make my usb drive bootable from the fairly old but pretty functional bios.
The computer booted fine from the usb drive, and I got to the main installation screen. However, regardless of any operation I chose to execute, the system read on the drive for a bit, and then simply hangs. I tried rescue mode, graphical rescue mode and a simple install, several times and using different usb ports. In all cases, the whole system became unresponsive, forcing me to reboot manually.
Since I was able to boot properly from the usb drive, which was also used on an amd64 compatible machine, I think the issue isn't one of hardware. I think the installer fails silently as the processor tries to read 64 bit code when commands are sent.