netinst on old dell hardware
I purchased a dell desktop pc recently intending to
use it as a untility server for things like backup
and print serving, and I am having trouble installing
Debian on it. I've been using Debian since Potato was
new, so I didn't expect difficult problems. I want to
install wheezy, since daily backup and print are services
that if they break don't cut be off from getting help
from this list, which I know that I need on a frequent
basis.
But I am already in need of help:
The Squeeze netinstall CD that I have used for several previous
installs on other hardware won't work on this hardware. It doesn't
initialize the flat screen display properly. There is a Debian swirl
but response to keyboard commands which should be screen displays on
which I type answers, or menus from which I can select options are
replaced by a jibberish of tiny rectangles, mostly empty but some
having a single tiny letter. This is a real show stopper on installing
Squeeze. The same is true for Squeeze bizcard, and Wheezy bizcard.
But my old Lenny netinstall CD *does*work*. Now I need a repository to
point it at. I've found archive.kernel.org (I'm in USA). But I'm
having trouble composing the exact string that I need to type into the
screen on my new(to me) computer. And, I have never had a good
understanding of the magic involved in the apt-get system. I know about
the option 'enter inforation manually' in the menu of countries.
But what do I enter there?
And in the screen that follows asking for 'Debian archive mirror
directory:' which is prefilled with a default of '/debian/', should I
accept /debian/ or replace it? with what?
Lastly, there is a question about a proxy. I don't believe I have a
proxy, but using archive.kernel.org might necessitate one. I hope not.
Proxy?
Please help.
--
Paul E Condon
pecondon@mesanetworks.net
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