Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 14:32:49 +0000, Brian wrote:
> On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 22:47:59 -0600, David Wright wrote:
>
> > On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 10:36:40 (+0800), Robbi Nespu wrote:
> >
> > > > 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the
> > > > firmware there.
> > > >
> > > > 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware.
> >
> > Note that on most systems, steps 3 through 6 are unnecessary as
> > the installer will find the firmware itself anyway.
>
> That's the advice given in Section 6.4.1 if the Installer Guide and,
> if it works, it works. However, I would not like to guarantee that it
> does, just as, in the case of the OP, the non-free installer ISO does
> not come up with installing the firmware.
>
> Transferring the firmware files directly to where the installer kernel
> can find them seems more assured of success. If it doesn't, there is a
> big problem for the system both during and after installation.
Inspired by David Wright's and Robbi Nespu's contributions I adapted
my six-step advice to take advantage of preseeding. The needed firmware
files are assumed to be available in a directory named firmware on a
USB stick partition labelled FIRMWARE.
The following addition is made to the installer's kernel command line.
Press TAB when theinstallation choice is highlighted to make the line
visible.
(The line is broken for readability).
preseed/early_command="modprobe vfat ; sleep 2 ; \
mount /dev/disk/by-label/FIRMWARE /media ; \
cp -a /media/firmware /lib"
Firmware blob location and loading is put with the installer kernel
rather than have the installer, sometimes unreliably, locating and
dealing with the files.
--
Brian.
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