On Sat, May 12, 2007 at 10:26:09AM -0400, Patrick Wiseman wrote:
> Hi, all:
>
> I'm trying to install Etch on an old Portege 3020 (which had Woody on it at
> one point). The boot and root disks work just fine, but then it just hangs
> when I get to the net-drivers-1 disk. It either hangs immediately (so that
> Alt-F4 no longer works to show me the log) or at some percentage into
> "Scanning the disk". I've copied the img file to other floppies, so I don't
> think that's the problem. I'm wanting to do a net install, so I need those
> drivers! Any thoughts about how to get past this problem?
>
> (I had some old Woody disks around, and it got me as far as "Install the
> base system", but then I get an error that no release file is found. I'm on
> the network at that point because I can ping ftp.us.debian.org. I tried
> using debian/oldstable as the source URL - there IS a Release file in there
> - but I still get the error.)
I downloaded the img files for 'oldstable' (sarge), and got past the net-drivers disk, only to have the process stick at loading the 'yenta-socket' module. Then I remembered something about how PCCARDS should be set up in the BIOS. I set that to Cardbus, tried again, and now, even as I e, the 3020 is getting re-Debianized!
How much memory does a Portege 3020 have; does it meet the requirements
for Etch's Debian Installer as set out in the Installation Manual?
Mine has 96MB - plenty, according to the docs.
The installation manual also tells you to submit an installation report.
It provides a form you can fill out and mail to bugs@debian.org which is
especially usefull in the case of a failed install such as you are
describing. The reports go the the deban boot team on the debian-boot
mailing list. I would suggest that you subscribe to that list and send
a report. They will know more about what to do to get the install
working.