Bug#1033678: installation-reports: Unbootable install: MBR partition unusable with UEFI

[Dima Kogan <dkogan@debian.org>]

Hi all. Thanks for the replies. I was just able to get it installed. And
here are some notes about what happened, and about how we can do better.

I got it running by using a friend's usb installer. HIS usb disk was a
valid UEFI boot disk, so I could boot in UEFI mode, and do the normal
install, which completed successfully.

As stated earlier, I made my USB install disk like this:

>  I downloaded this:
>
>    debian-bookworm-DI-alpha2-amd64-netinst.iso
>
>  from here:
>
>    https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/bookworm_di_alpha2/amd64/iso-cd/
>
>  and I wrote that .iso to /dev/sde
>
>    cp debian-bookworm-DI-alpha2-amd64-netinst.iso /dev/sde

This worked, but apparently this was not a valid UEFI thing. Which I
didn't know. Maybe some clearer instructions on the website would help.
I was here:

  https://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/

Clicking on "amd64" under "other images (netboot, USB stick, etc.)"
gives me listings of files that I don't know what to do with. I ended up
getting the "CD" image, which gave me an .iso file that I did know what
to do with. The iso-cd page:

  https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/bookworm_di_alpha2/amd64/iso-cd/

has some quick instructions which maybe would be helpful for those that
don't know what to do with an .iso. It does mention UEFI, but only when
describing the "mac" image. So better UEFI notes on the iso-cd page. And
any kind of notes on the USB page would be good.


Next. Steve McIntyre suggested installing in "expert mode", and then
explicitly creating a GPT partition table. This worked, but I didn't
read his suggestion closely enough, and didn't add an ESP partition.
Because I didn't know anything about it. The installer allowed me to do
that, and once again, created an unbootable installation. Should the
installer have yelled at me? Just because I was in "expert mode" doesn't
mean I know what I'm doing :)

I guess that's it. In the default path where the installer just picks
the partition kind (MBR, GPT, ....) I don't think it ever said anything
about that being a choice at all. If it at least had text somewhere
about creating an "MBR", or something, that would probably be good.

Thanks.