Re: Help with Debian Install
[This message has also been posted to linux.debian.user.]
In article <9g4so-4PZ-7@gated-at.bofh.it>, Ed wrote:
> Hi,
> I downloaded an image called debian-40r1-i386-netinst.iso. The install
> went fine until I got to the step to 'Configure the Package Manager'.
> When I do this step, it asks if I want to use a network mirror and I
> choose 'yes'. It then asks for a protocol and I choose 'http' although I
> also tried 'ftp' and it fails also.
Stop right there. Get a Debian-based live CD. If the Debian
installer has any chance of working, the live CD will work
all by itself automatically. There is no point in trying to
do the Debian install if the live CD does not work.
Try this one. http://damnsmalllinux.org/download.html
It's got most of Knoppix' hardware discovery but the image
is much smaller to download.
When the live CD comes up, get a shell and ping kernel.org.
If that works, cat /etc/resolv.conf and write down the
nameservers it found. Run ifconfig and write down the IP
address that was assigned to your eth0 or wlan0.
Run route -n and write down your gateway address and netmask.
While you're at it, if The X Window System is working well
with your video card and mouse, copy /etc/X11/xorg.conf
someplace. One way to do that is to log into a web-based
email and mail that file to yourself. Finally, run lsmod
and mail yourself the list of modules the live CD
thinks it needed. If you are really lucky, the live CD
figured out your sound card and sound works. Try it.
Sound probably won't work out of the box with the Debian Etch
installer, and the live CD has figured out what you
will need to fix. The answer is in the lsmod output.
Each piece of information you have just gathered is something
I have seen the live CDs do right and the Debian installer
screw up. Letting the live CD do the work will save you a
*lot* of screwing around.
When you boot the Etch 4.0r1 installer, before it starts
looking for a network mirror, get a shell (F2, enter)
and cat /etc/resolv.conf, and run route -n. If the
answers are not the same as what you got with the live CD,
that's your problem. Do the base system install off your
netinst or CD 1 of 21 without the network. It will
reboot and you can log in. You'll have to edit
/etc/modules, /etc/resolv.conf, /etc/apt/sources.list,
and /etc/network/interfaces. Then you can use apt-get
or aptitude and install the stuff you want.
Cameron
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