Re: Floppy installer fails to load modules
On Sun, Feb 08, 2004 at 04:15:07PM -0500, David Clymer wrote:
> > This sounds like a problem with the installation instructions. Has
> > anybody successfully done an install from floppies on a system that needs
> > modules to be loaded? Do I need to build a custom kernel and install that
> > on a rescue floppy?
> >
>
> I've tried before and had similar problems with loading modules from
> floppies. I would suggest 2 things:
>
> 1. try a different install kernel (type F3 at the CD boot prompt)
> 2. build a custom kernel and copy it over linux.bin on the boot floppy
>
> most likely, if you are going to be booting off a SCSI controller for
> which the install kernel doesnt have a driver compiled in, you are going
> to have problems, and will have to compile a custom kernel. The "load
> modules from floppy" option often isnt really useful - loading modules
> usually can be put off until after you've got a base debian install and
> can more easily configure your system to support whatever hardware you
> like.
The manuals and some of the messages from the installer differ on
that point.
The key observation seems to be that the installer insists on laying
out partitions before it even attempts to get further installation software
from either the CD or the net, and it also needs to load modules to use the
network boards. That being the case, it needs modules right then, and the
floppies are the only place it could get them.
So it looks like there's a fatal bug associated with loading modules
from floppies, and therefore a custom kernel is necessary. That's a real
drag. This is going to be a major chore to figure out, because there's no
cut-and-drived procedure to follow.
I'll give F3 a shot, though.
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