Bug#422307: Sparc installation problem.
On Monday 07 May 2007 03:54, Anthony Smith wrote: I had to figure out the hard way, that to get to the shells during install you have to set debconf priority to low AND BOOT_DEBUG=3any other combination failed for me. I repeatedly tried BOOT_DEBUG=3 and never saw a menu where I could get to a shell until I used the low priority. BOOT_DEBUG=3 has nothing to do with the ability to enter a shell during the installation; it only enables a shell during the boot of the installer. priority=low is certainly not required to enter a shell. The easiest method is to use Go Back from almost any installer screen until you get to the main menu and then selecting the execute a shell option. I've added a sentence in the manual about using Go Back. I had to find the dd trick to get the disk label back to a usable state. Otherwise my 2GB harddrives appeared to be 200MB drives. Known issue. It would be great if someone from the sparc community would really analyze the issue and provide a fix for it (probably in libparted). What are the command line partitioning tools ?? :-) I know now, but to someone with no experience this would be daunting, if not unapproachable. I don't think any are available for sparc by default. You can install fdisk as an optional component, but there is currently no easy option to do that. We hope to improve that for the next Debian release. Thank you for your comments. Cheers, FJP pgpQs4hBXYMpl.pgp Description: PGP signature
Bug#422307: Sparc installation problem.
On Monday 07 May 2007 17:08, Frans Pop wrote: priority=low is certainly not required to enter a shell. The easiest method is to use Go Back from almost any installer screen until you get to the main menu and then selecting the execute a shell option. I've added a sentence in the manual about using Go Back. For future reference: another useful option for serial console installations is the optional network-console component. See: http://www.debian.org/releases/etch/sparc/ch06s03.html.en#network-console pgp39GZ3s5zvs.pgp Description: PGP signature
Bug#422307: Sparc installation problem.
Hey, I wanted to resurrect my old SPARC to use as a web proxy/ dan's guardian server for my daughter and Debian supports my old box. I tried etch sparc installer on the debian site but I am assuming that the known problem with the esp driver on the cd install is what almost made me quit and throw the old sparc into the trash bin. see here for info: http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/errata - section sparc: CD installs for sparc32 may fail I have however managed to get the machine installed from a Sarge CD and upgraded to Etch: First) I had to figure out the hard way, that to get to the shells during install you have to set debconf priority to low AND BOOT_DEBUG=3any other combination failed for me. I repeatedly tried BOOT_DEBUG=3 and never saw a menu where I could get to a shell until I used the low priority. Second) I had to find the dd trick to get the disk label back to a usable state. Otherwise my 2GB harddrives appeared to be 200MB drives. Third) What are the command line partitioning tools ?? :-) I know now, but to someone with no experience this would be daunting, if not unapproachable. I am going to propose the following changes: Could someone please upgrade the documentation to reflect the fact that on SPARC you have to use the correct combination of flags to get to the menu with the shells during install e.g. boot: linux debconf/prioity=low BOOT_DEBUG=3 AND put the trick with dd onto the partitioning page and which tools to load and WHEN so that you can get to them which partitioning tools to use from the command line AND in what order, to discover and partition your disks. Last, and this is the most important: I was quite disappointed with the initial interaction with the installer. Non of the documentation spells anything out if you happen to need to use the most bare bones nothing is working install. I would think(yah! I know) that the serial interface would be the primary installation mechanism on anything other than a PC(i386 or x86_64) and the fact that it would just stop working with no notification or messages is quite scary. Menu, Menu, Menu, lack of any response and no error or status messages should be avoided. Before you wonder if I have a clue - I am a linux certified technical professional(and I code/hack for fun) that has been deploying linux for years but this is my first experience with anything debian based - if my clients don't use it I haven't had to learn it so no debian until now. I'll be putting etch on a PC to give it a fair try since the sparc is a little older and more limited hardware. Now if I can just find a couple if ethernet interfaces for the old sparc 20 so that I can setup the firewall/proxy/dan's guardian. Anthony P.S. Buona Fortuna! Ema. Emanuele Rocca wrote: Hello Anthony, * Anthony Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED], [2007-05-04 15:36 -0600]: Image version: Sarge Can you try a recent version of the installer? http://www.debian.org/releases/etch/debian-installer/ Thanks. ciao, ema -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Bug#422307: Sparc installation problem.
Hello Anthony, * Anthony Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED], [2007-05-04 15:36 -0600]: Image version: Sarge Can you try a recent version of the installer? http://www.debian.org/releases/etch/debian-installer/ Thanks. ciao, ema -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Bug#422307: Sparc installation problem.
Package: installation-reports Boot method: CD Image version: Sarge Date: 4 May 2007 Machine: Sparc 20 Processor: SuperSparc II Memory: 128M Partitions: Old Solaris 8 partitions I re-installed solaris 8 to make sure the hardware wasn't the problem. Configuration: No video - I am using ttya in hyperterminal. No monitor, no keyboard. I even removed the secondary framebuffer to make sure it wasn't the problem. Base System Installation Checklist: [O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it Initial boot: [O] Detect network card:[O ] Configure network: [O ] Detect CD: [O ] Load installer modules: [E ] x Error while running 'modprobe -v sunlance' x Doesn't see sunlance on first attempt - loads on next screen Detect hard drives: [ ] Partition hard drives: [ ] Install base system:[ ] Clock/timezone setup: [ ] User/password setup:[ ] Install tasks: [ ] Install boot loader:[ ] Overall install:[ ] Comments/Problems: Problem 1: If I boot like this boot: linux DEBIAN_FRONTEND=text well here... ok ttya io ok boot cdrom SPARCstation 20 (1 X SuperSPARC-II), No Keyboard ROM Rev. 2.25, 128 MB memory installed, Serial #7493007. Ethernet address 8:0:20:72:55:8f, Host ID: 7272558f. Rebooting with command: cdrom Boot device: /iommu/sbus/[EMAIL PROTECTED],40/[EMAIL PROTECTED],80/[EMAIL PROTECTED],0:d File and args: SILO Version 1.4.9 \ boot: linux DEBIAN_FRONTEND=text (process:158): ERROR **: Couldnt get/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/build/buildd/cdebco/bui ld/buildd/cdebcon/build/buildd/cdebco *However* if I boot the default linux boot: linux Uncompressing image... Loaded kernel version 2.4.27 SCREEN NAME: Loading components of the Debian installer SCREEN NAME: Configure the network Domain name: xx xx gateway.2wire.net xx *so it can see the gateway *SCREEN NAME: Detecting Disks and all other hardware There is a clear screen and then it just scrolls the cursor to the bottom left of the screen...sleeps for about 18secs and then the cursor scrolls down to the screen and settles in the bottom left Thanks for any help Anthony -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
