Debian

[joshg]

How can I install Debian 2.2r3 if my CD ROM is not bootable?

 

[joshg]

let's kind of rephrase... where do I need to go and what do I need to do to create the proper boot and/or root disks I need to install Debian from a non-bootable CD ROM?

 

[frostie]

Ok..
Here's what I did. Go to www.debian.org
Download the rescue floppy image. (something like i386/images/disks/1.44/rescue.bin) I don't remember the path. It can be found in the install guide under the types of installation thingy. Get that, the root.bin and write it to floppy using rawrite or rawrite2. that can also be d/l there. Boot up with the rescue disk. Then at the prompt, change it to the root disk and then type ramdisk. That should start the install sequence. When they prompt for the installation media, select CDROM. /dev/hdd in my case.

That might not be the easiest but I got it to work that way.

 

[joshg]

hmmm I found the file but... it's on the CD under a directory of \2.2.20.2000-12-03\ and in DOS this dir is showing up as "2_2       20-" and I can't get to it, I don't know what I should tell the cd command to access this dir

Anyone know what command I need to use? How can I get into this directory? thanks

 

[Nothinman]

If you can't get to the directory from DOS you'll probably have to use an OS that can handle the LFNs properly. I believe there's a symlink to that directory called stable, see if you can use that.

 

[joshg]

well I did a find for rescue.bin on another pc, this one I am trying to install Debian on is bare.. anyway the find result came up w/ 3 matches for rescue.bin >>

x:\dists\potato\main\disks-alpha\2.2.20-2000-12-03\images-1.44\rescue.bin
x:\dists\potato\main\disks-alpha\2.2.20-2000-12-03\jensen\images-1.44\rescue.bin
x:\dists\potato\main\disks-alpha\2.2.20-2000-12-03\nautilus\images-1.44\rescue.bin

looks like that long numeric directory is my only way to go using this option... does anyone know of another option to install Debian from boot disks ??

or can I use rawrite under windows command line to get the job done ??

 

[joshg]

hmm... I think maybe it might have worked using command prompt in XP

but I rebooted w/ the rescue disk in and I got the message : Missing operating system

so I am thinking I'll boot up to DOS and then insert that disk in and see if I can type ramdisk from there..

 

[joshg]

hmm.. no worky

any other ideas 🙁 ?

 

[redgren]

Somehow I don't think you are attempting to boot the rescue floppy on an ALPHA system. You need the rescue disk for i386.

 

[frostie]

OK,
find the files on the cd using a windows PC.
Copy using windows explorer.
Copy the rescue.bin onto c:\
Copy the root.bin onto c:\
Copy rawrite.exe or rawrite2.exe (should be under the dosutils\ directory onto c:\
Make sure you get the ones under the directory of the distro you want to install. eg. nautilus or jensen
Go to the command line in windows.
go to c:\
Type rawrite -f rescue.bin -d a (or rawrite2) (assuming the floppy is a:\)
Change the floppy.
Type rawrite -f root.bin -d a
Voila!!! A rescue disk and a root disk!
Should work this way

 

[Nothinman]

Along the lines of what redgren said, that CD you have appears to be Debian for Alpha not Intel.

 

[joshg]

lol, yeah I kinda realized that this morning, downloaded the i386 version... thanks frostie for the layout I really think that will work out for me, I'm going to go home after work today and try that out...

if all else fails I guess I'm going to go down to something like Corel or possibly Mandrake, just for ease of use to get a feel for everything, then move on to Debian (doesn't Corel use a modified Debian though?? )

everybody's gotta be a n00b sometimes.. lol

 

[Nothinman]

If you do choose something other than Debian (it can be a little hard to swallow at first) I would stay away from Corel, it is based on Debian but it's pretty bastardized and I'm not sure if they're supporting it any more.

 

[joshg]

ok thanks for the tips.. if anything I'll just try out the "latest and greatest" from Mandrake if this Debian install does not go well...

thanks again

 

[joshg]

wahoo! frostie, currently scanning my HD for bad blocks, it worked! I just hope that this one goes well w/ my video card, the last distro I tried I couldn't install it right....