manual install

[Andrew D Dixon <andrew.dixon@seranoa.com>]

Hi All,
I've got a machine here that I'm trying to install Debian on.  Right now
it boots over the network but it does have a hard disk and I'd like to
install Debian on the hard disk.

My problem is that I can't get dbootstrap to run.  I try passing yaboot
the argument,

    initrd=root.bin
    initrd-size=8192

but I get this error:

    dev_path = /pci@FF500000/ethernet@7
    file_name = root.bin
    partition = 0
    dev_phandle = 001aa12c
    device is a network device
    of_net_open(dev:/pci@FF500000/ethernet@7, part: x00000000,
    name:root.bin
     -> prom_open</pci@FF500000/ethernet@7:0,root.bin>...
     -> 001a5d84
    Can't claim memory for TFTP download

    Ramdisk image not found.
    ramdisk load failed !


I can, however, boot over the network using an nfs root partition and
then mount the hard drive with the base.tgz image on it.  I was
wondering if it possible to just unzip and untar the base image and then
configure it manually without having to use dbootstrap.  This way I
could configure the base system and then mount the hard drive as my root
partition instead of the nfs file system.

As always, any hints, tips, pointers, etc . . . would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks,
Andy