I've tried to send this in before but I don't know if it got through or not so
I'm sending a copy of it again. Perhaps some of the items were fixed in the
second beta already - I'll try to download it and install the beta2 today or
tomorrow.
By the way, is there some way to convert the iso image to a regular file
system? I'd like to be able to download these betas and test them without
having to burn a couple of CDs every time I want to try it. If I could just
convert the iso into a regular filesystem then I could do an http install from
my local apache server.
Hope the info below helps, and I'd like to hear any comments on the iso ->
filesystem issue above.
Thanks
Tom Korte
--------------------------
I got Mandrake 7.1 to install on my UltraSparc today - twice!
Before I did the install I reset the eprom to factory defaults so that it got
rid of the setting that was installed there by RH6.2. After that I selected
expert -> development mode and proceeded. When it came time to do partitions,
I deleted all of the existing RH partitions and recreated the same layout with
DiskDrake. I noticed that DiskDrake started the first partition at sector 1
instead of sector 0. I'm pretty sure that the RH partition started at sector 0
but whatever the case, I left it on sector 1 and proceeded.
One small recurring problem during the install. When it gets to the
"Installing System" step the mouse seems to disappear. I moved it around a bit
and noticed the buttons highlighting even though I couldn't see it. I used
it like that for a bit until I moved it all the way to the left side of the
screen. It seemed like when it got to the left side frame it reappeared and
stayed visible for the rest of the install. Perhaps that will give a clue as
to what's wrong.
When I did the first install I indicated that I had both CD's to the program.
The install proceeded and I changed CD's when asked but when it came time to
install the X server, it gave me the message that it couldn't find it. It
seems to be on the first CD but the second CD is in the drive when it gets to
that install stage so it can't load it. I exited the install at that point and
it did boot ok, but of course there was no GUI. I did a reinstall and
de-selected the second CD when it asked if I had it. The second time it just
worked with the first CD and it installed the X server (Xsun24) with no
problems.
Two other persistent glitches during the install are the crypto installation
and X configuration. Neither one of them works. It prompts about the crypto
but if you select "Yes" then it comes back with some kind of perl error I
think. As for the X configuration, after it installs the server it displays
the little menu of config choices ("Select Resolution," "Test Again," etc.) but
none of them work.
Other than that everything went rather well. It sure is nice to have Mandrake
up and running on the Sparc. The only other glitch I have noticed is that the
keboard doesn't seem to work in the "Advanced Editor". This is the editor that
has a pencil for its icon - I belive it's kwrite. I guess this is why its icon
was not installed on the bottom toolbar like it is on the i586 version. I
realize that it's a beta release so don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining.
I just though you'd like to hear the feedback.
Keep up the good work guys, this is great! It's soooo much nicer than Solaris.
I have Solaris 7 sitting in a box on my shelf and that's where it's going to
stay.
Do you suppose that getting sound working would be possible? At this
point it does nothing when I test wav files for the system sounds and the same
goes for playing CDs. When I click on the mixer it tells me "kmix: Could not
write to mixer." However, kscd works and I can plug in to the headphone jack
on the CD player itself so all is not lost.
Hope this feed back helps. If there are any install log or boot log files that
you want me to send you then let me know. Or if there's anything else that I
can do to help out for that matter.
Thanks again
Tom Korte
--
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"Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what
harbour he is making for, no wind is the right wind." - Seneca
