[scroce]

I'm working thru my very first install of Linux, debian distro.

I've gotten to "Install Kernal and Driver Modules"

I choose CD-rom drive
it says "place first Debian CD ROM in Drive
I do that > I choose continue
it says "select directory containing images-1.44/rescue.bin"
with two choices
1. "Choose from a list of all likely directorys"
- or-
2. it says "Enter a directory manually"

If I choose 1.:

it says "file not found - couldn't find directory containing files rescue.bin, drivers.tgz

If I choose2.:

it forces me to have a directory prefix called "instmnt" - there is no "instmnt" directory on my cd, therefore if I type the path where I think the files are located on the CD, it says "Directory not found"

what to do .... what to do...????

[deuce868]

the easiest way to install debian is with the sarge boot disk in a net install. It will download what it needs and it's pretty easy to get through.

http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/
grab the netinst image for your platform (probably i386)

[scroce]

this pc is a standalone not connected to the network - at this point it would be harder to reconfigure to connect to our network than it's even worth.

I was thinking I could re-burn the CD RW so that the path matches what debian install is asking for - do you think that might work? probably worth a try at least

[ShavedApe]

i found it's best to install debian on a networked computer. thatway it has access to any package it might need during install.

some of other distros i've tried go through the entire install without asking for net access (some may ask to connect for updates). and they have better hardware detection.

fedora
mandrake (now mandriva)
ubuntu (debian based, uses the debian installer)

most any linux distro will complain about not being networked at first, and may need some tweeks to keep it from waiting for operations to timeout during boot.

[scroce]

A few comments:

1. (conceptual quesiton) it seems most people recommend a network install, but if you're completely reformatting the hardrive/partitions etc, and installing an entirely new operating system, how are you supposed to configure networking when you can't even boot into anything?

2. deuce, I noticed the sarge installer at the link you posted also includes a Full CD option, and the documentation says this about it,

"If you'd rather, you can get a full size CD image which will not need the network to install. You only need the first CD of the set. " I figured I'd try this - but wondered if you (or anybody) has had any experience with it.

[deuce868]

I've never used the full CD. I only use networked machines so I've never had a need.

When you do the install the first thing the install does is get networking running, then you tell it what else you want on the setup during the install. It will then go in and download those parts so in the end you only end up installings/downloading the parts that you want on the system. I find it a much better system than say a mandrake install where if you only need 3 rpms from disk 3 you have to download the full 650mb disk and burn it before you can install.

[scroce]

OK - I'll try the sarge and see what happens and i'll post back.