From 4f0ae735ed9e942c77b7672d1ffc226c2a4bdb74 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Guillaume Cottenceau Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 15:51:20 +0000 Subject: have doc here --- mdk-stage1/doc/README | 185 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 185 insertions(+) create mode 100644 mdk-stage1/doc/README (limited to 'mdk-stage1/doc/README') diff --git a/mdk-stage1/doc/README b/mdk-stage1/doc/README new file mode 100644 index 000000000..e3747cf30 --- /dev/null +++ b/mdk-stage1/doc/README @@ -0,0 +1,185 @@ +------------------------------------------------------- +* Stage1 of the Linux-Mandrake installation program * +------------------------------------------------------- + + +[ Author ] + + Guillaume Cottenceau (gc@mandrakesoft.com) + + +[ Copyright ] + + Copyright 2000 MandrakeSoft + + Partially inspired by Redhat stuff (install from 5.x and 7.x) copyright + Red Hat Software, and Debian stuff (boot-floppies) copyright by their + respective holders. + + +[ Licence ] + + This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify + it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by + the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or + (at your option) any later version. + + This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, + but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of + MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the + GNU General Public License for more details. + + You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License + along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software + Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA + + + *** WARNING! *** + + This General Public License does not permit incorporating any part + of this program as a library into proprietary programs. + + +[ Online ] + + http://us.mandrakesoft.com/~gc/html/stage1.html + + +[ Purpose ] + + This code will take the control of the computer after that Linux + kernel booted properly, and will try to run the main installer + (also known as "stage 2") from a series of different media + including harddrive, cdrom, and network. + + Use the source, Luke. + + + + + -=-=-- Okay, now, more details --=-=- + + + [ Installing Linux-Mandrake ] + +Per default, just insert your Linux-Mandrake Installation CD into your +CDROM tray, be sure your system BIOS is configured to boot on your CDROM, +and that's all. + +If you have multiple CDROM drives and the installer can't autodetect in +which CDROM drive is the disc, it may ask you to choose the correct drive, +between your CDROM drives. + +Also, if you want to install from an SCSI CDROM, the installer should +detect your SCSI adapter; if it fails you may have to select the right +driver and/or supply additional parameters. + + + [ Position of the problem ] + +The need for alternate installation methods come with more specific +hardware configuration and/or need for frequent updates of the Installer +software. + +All of these methods will require to use a special boot disk. The method +is to download it and then to copy it "physically" to a floppy with the +command: + +# dd if= of=/dev/fd0 + +Our boot disks are called "cdrom.img", "network.img", etc. + + + [ Installation from CDROM ] + +The first situation you may encounter is an old BIOS which does not permit +you to boot from your CDROM drive. + +In that case, you'll need to use the "cdrom.img" image file. The steps are +the same as with CDROM boot, and everything should be automatic. + + + [ Installation from DISK ] + +If you like trying occasionnally our development version, the Cooker, one +of the easiest way is to grab a local copy of the Distribution on one of +your local hard drives, and to install from that location. + +At present time, you can install from IDE or SCSI drives, from Linux +(ext2), Windows (vfat) or Reiserfs partition. + +In that case, you'll need to use the "hd.img" image file. The dialogs will +ask you to choose the DISK drive to use to install from, then the +partition on which you copied the Distribution, then the location +(directory) in which you copied the Distribution. + + + [ Installation from NETWORK ] + +For convenience, you can also install from a NFS volume, from a FTP +server, or from a HTTP server. NFS installs are maybe the fastest +and most convenient possible, so if you need to do frequent and/or +multiple installs, you may like this option. + +In that case, you'll need to use the "network.img" image file. If you have +PCI network card(s), you'll probably have to only setup your network +options. If not, you'll have to choose the appropriate driver(s) and/or +optional parameters. Supported network configurations include static IP +allocation and DHCP automatic configuration. + + + [ Installation from PCMCIA ] + +If you want to perform an installation on your laptop that is not based on +local IDE CDROM or DISK, nor on built-in network card, but on PCMCIA +extension (probably a network adapter or CDROM drive), you'll need the +"pcmcia.img" image file. + +PCMCIA services should automatically start and be transparent to you. +Then, you'll follow the instructions according to your preferred +installation method. + + + [ Monitoring a stage1 session ] + +Linux supports virtual consoles. You can switch between them by issueing +Ctrl+Alt+Fx key, in which 'x' is the number of the console. Here's console +occupancy during stage1. + +(#1) The user-interface of the stage1 is on the first console. In case of +newt interaction, it's provided with a neat blue and black color scheme, +and nice widgets. In case of stdio interaction (cdrom and disk installs), +it's more basic but still usable :-). + +(#2) A shell is provided on second console in some cases (you need to +compile it with -DSPAWN_SHELL and you need to provide a valid shell in the +initrd) and of course it's not in, in image files of Linux-Mandrake +releases because it's too much diskspace. + +(#3) The log is printed out on the third console. This is the location +where you can find most valuable information, prefixed by a '*'. See +"log.h" for calls that print things out to the log. + +(#4) The kernel messages are printed on the fourth console. There is a +process forked very early in the init (the program before the stage1) +which monitors /proc/kmsg for new kernel messages. Also, syslog stuff (the +logs commited by the programs) should appear on the /dev/log Unix socket, +this is also printed on this console. + +(#5) Former place for the stderr of insmod calls. It's not used anymore. + +(#6) Place where a trivial interactive communication with the stage1 is +set up if the parameter -DSPAWN_INTERACTIVE is compiled in. Basically, you +can set switches such as "expert" and "rescue" on the fly with this +feature. It's implemented with a fork and a Unix pipe. + + + [ Rescueing a system ] + +Since Linux-Mandrake 7.1, we provide a rescue system through each of the +previously described methods. You don't need a special "rescue.img" file. +Just hit "F1" at boot time, type in "rescue", and follow the first steps +of the installation according to the method you chose (choose +disks/partitions for disk method, network parameters for network method, +etc). Then, you'll end up with a workable system, very useful to rescue a +damaged system, or do other basic actions. -- cgit v1.2.1