RE: Loading packages from zip drive
I posted this message on 23 March, and received replies from Helmut Metzdorf, Santiago Vila Doncel, Bruce Sass, and ANShevin. Thank you for you help, all of which was useful. This is how I solved the problem. 1. Throw away the Infomagic CD. 2. Download the base distribution from the Debian ftp site, as per Debian installation guide. 3. Copy downloaded files from zip drive to dos partition. 4. Install base system from hard disk, as per Debian installation guide. 5. Download required packages from ftp site. 6. Install packages using dpkg -i package-name-which-is-usually-very-long-indeed-1.23-456-7.deb 7. Repeat 5 6 for required packages not originally downloaded (d'oh). The result is a simple, small installation with which I am very happy. I recommend Debian for those who require a small, simple console-based installation due to memory and disk-space limitations (or who believe in function over form). Well done, and thanks for the help. Chris -Original Message- From: Chris Reay Sent: Tuesday, 23 March 1999 15:10 To: 'debian-user@lists.debian.org' Subject: Loading packages from zip drive I have an old-ish Toshiba laptop (486, 200 mb, no CD) onto which I have loaded the Debian v2.0 base system from the dos partition. I now want to add a few console editing, development (mostly Python and C), and utility packages; to this end I've copied the relevant binary-i package directories (and packages) from an Infomagic CDR (11/98 ish) as well as the files Package and Package.gz onto an Iomega zip drive, which I have mounted. I run through dselect and select the zip directory, select the packages I want, resolve (i trust) dependency issues and set it going. The process appears to be collecting information about the packages but doesn't get very far at all, and after a while finds too many errors ... and returns to the dselect menu without installing the packages. I've looked through the installation, faq, and tutorial documents, but haven't found anything helpful on the topic. Does anybody know the solution? Thanks Chris Reay
Re: Loading packages from zip drive
Quoting Chris Reay [EMAIL PROTECTED]: The process appears to be collecting information about the packages but doesn't get very far at all, and after a while finds too many errors ... and returns to the dselect menu without installing the packages. Hi Chris, IMHO there are two possible causes for your problem, first if you start dselect to install packages first time (i.e. after installing just the base-system) it tries to install all packages selected and all preselected packages (i. e. all packages with category essential and category standard) that means, you have to go through the select process with absolute care, setting all such preselected packages to HOLD you dont have on your zip-disk, or else make shure you include all that packages on your zip-disk (i know it's possible, tried it myself). Second thing to keep an eye on is the directory-structure on your zip-disk that (IMHO) has to mirror the original directory structures of the mirror you got your packages from. e. g. dists/stable/(architecture)/main/(category e. g. devel, base, doc etc.)/(package) because thats where dselect tries to find them and of cause complains if they are not there. hope not having told trash Helmut.
Re: Loading packages from zip drive
On Tue, 23 Mar 1999, Chris Reay wrote: I have an old-ish Toshiba laptop (486, 200 mb, no CD) onto which I have loaded the Debian v2.0 base system from the dos partition. I now want to add a few console editing, development (mostly Python and C), and utility packages; to this end I've copied the relevant binary-i package directories (and packages) from an Infomagic CDR (11/98 ish) as well as the files Package and Package.gz onto an Iomega zip drive, which I have mounted. I run through dselect and select the zip directory, select the packages I want, resolve (i trust) dependency issues and set it going. The process appears to be collecting information about the packages but doesn't get very far at all, and after a while finds too many errors ... and returns to the dselect menu without installing the packages. I've looked through the installation, faq, and tutorial documents, but haven't found anything helpful on the topic. Does anybody know the solution? The too many errors thing is a bug in dpkg, it should not stop just because too many errors. This is usually avoided by using an installation method which does package ordering, like APT or dpkg-mountable. You may also do dpkg --pending --configure or select 4. [C]onfig in dselect, and try to continue with the install after some packages have been configured.
