Installation

Installation from DFS involves the following general steps:

  1. Partitioning

  2. Initialize and mount swap

  3. Formatting and Mounting Filesystems

  4. Installing Base System

    You can do this (assuming you have mounted your new partitions at /mnt) with: cdebootstrap sid /mnt file:///opt/packages. (amd64: add -a amd64 before "sid". Also, I recommend using the amd64 mirror directly, since things change frequently and the data available when the CD was made may or may not be usable for you.

  5. Configuring Base System

    You should copy your /etc/resolv.conf to the new system. Then, configure its /etc/apt/sources.list and /etc/network/interfaces. Then, chroot /mnt and:

    1. apt-get update

    2. i386: apt-get install module-init-tools grub ppp

      alpha: apt-get install module-init-tools aboot ppp

      powerpc: apt-get install module-init-tools yaboot ppp

    3. apt-get install appropriate filesystem tools for your chosen filesystem

    4. i386: mkdir /boot/grub; cp /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/* /boot/grub

      If your /boot is its own partition, also run cd /boot; ln -s . boot.

      Note: amd64 did not have a grub package as of the last check. However, you can simulate it; just mkdir /mnt/boot/grub and copy the files from /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc on the live CD image to /boot/grub on your new system.

      alpha: see aboot docs

      powerpc: see yaboot docs

  6. Installing Kernel

    If you like the kernel on the DFS CD, you can do this: cd /mnt/root; dpkg-repack kernel-image-2.6.6. Then, chroot /mnt and dpkg -i /root/kernel-image-*.

  7. Installing Grub

    # grub
    grub> root (hd0,0)
    grub> setup (hd0)
    grub> quit
    # update-grub
    	    

    amd64 users: if this doesn't work, try rebooting the DFS cd. Press "c" when you see the blue Grub menu to get a command line. Then run the above.

  8. Rebooting into new system