On Sun, Jul 07, 2002 at 02:47:26PM +0200, Ben Bucksch wrote: > Hi Tillman, > > Chris Tillman wrote: > > > This section explains how to install Debian GNU/Linux from an existing > > Unix or Linux system. > > > Thanks for writing that up. > > >This has been requested by users switching to > > the "best" Linux system from Redhat, Mandrake, or SUSE. > > > Please leave these plugs like "best" out.
OK... > (heavily cutted:) > > >Installing debootstrap > >Running debootstrap (Using basedebs.tar) > >Configuring The Base System > > OK. You've got a few things to configure that would ordinarily be > > handled by the Debian installer: > > * keyboard > > * language > > * time zone > > * partition mounting > > * networking > > * apt sources > > > > You need to create /etc/fstab. > > > > $ editor /etc/network/interfaces > > $ editor /etc/resolv.conf -- your nameserver(s) and search directives > > > Sorry for my lacking knowledge about debootstrap. debootstrap doesn't > run that ncurses-based, menu-driven installer tool that comes up when > you boot using the Debian boot disks? Right, it does not. The two programs are easily confused because of their names; dbootstrap is the ncurses-based menu-driven installer. woody's dbootstrap calls, in turn, debootstrap which is a command-line tool. It installs a baseline set of Debian packages in a target folder. > Then, this was the reason why I ditched debootstrap as option to > install. Back then, I found it too cumbersome to edit all the files by > hand. While it might be interesting for power users (so your write-up is > useful), I think the existing, more comfortable tools should be used, if > possible. Of course that is always an option. > That's what I described [1]. Although not exactly being easy, these > steps start the dbootstrap (without e) UI tool on the boot disks > directly from the harddisk. That's why I would suggest to use the steps > on my webpage (maybe made a bit easier for newbies) for this section of > the Debian manual. The installation manual already describes in great detail how to launch dbootstrap. This section is not for newbies. I added a note in the first paragraph saying one needed some familiarity with *nix commands and file system navigation to use this method. > I think that your text would be useful as *additional* path, for people > who want to control things more or want to know how it works under the > hood, e.g. to change an existing system. That's how it's intended. > IMO, we would ideally have > > * a tarball with a complete, runnable Debian base system > (so one wget, cfdisk, mkfs, tar xzf and GRUB command suffices to > end up in Debian) > * a tool which helps to configure the system and which can be run > from an existing installation. > This would help with both the cross-install and later > modifications to an existing system (e.g. a changed network name) > without having to edit a ton of config files. Hope you can help on debian-installer. -- *------v--------- Installing Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 --------v------* | <http://www.debian.org/releases/woody/installmanual> | | debian-imac (potato): <http://debian-imac.sourceforge.net> | | Chris Tillman [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | May the Source be with you | *----------------------------------------------------------------* -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
