Hello, I wrote a message a while ago which reported a more-or-less successful cross-installation of GNU using the Debian packages and Marcus' 3 scripts. Some of the problems that exist with Marcus' "cross-install" would exist with any modification of "debootstrap" as well---so I thought I'll mention them:
1. Debootstrap needs an updated list of packages that it must install. I don't know how such a list is generated but a possible such script (using grep-dctrl) was enclosed in my earlier message. 2. Debootstrap cannot run "native" which means that something analogous to native-install needs to be run after re-booting and entering the GNU. Many packages can only be configured *after* that. 3. Debootstrap is meant for chroot so it does not create /etc/fstab entries or entries for grub to boot with. 4. Since the disribution is "sid", there are chances that the downloaded packages will not mesh. (As happened for me with adduser). So while I certainly like to build things for myself, I must declare that the current method of downloading a tar.gz image from alpha.gnu.org *is* easier than any automated cross-installation procedure---certainly for those of lesser faith! With a little more faith and some extra effort Marcus' 3 scripts can be made to work... One way to test your installation procedure before going through many boots is to use Bochs. One way to test your cross-installation procedure without root access is to use user-mode-linux. Now, if only there was a user-mode-gnumach... We *could* combine the two and check these things without disurbing "real" work ;-) Regards, Kapil. P.S. This was written before reading about Robert Millan's debootstrap patches. I'll read those now. -- This place just isn't big enough for all of us. We've got to find a way off this planet. -- http://www.imsc.res.in/~kapil/gpg.html for my Public Key. ------------------------------------------------------------------ 768D/FED1D08D 2000-02-19 Kapil Hari Paranjape <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 1024g/CECEB39B 2000-02-19 Kapil Hari Paranjape <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Key fingerprint = B6D2 F4F2 A37C B887 DFA2 9100 5F22 0D1D FED1 D08D --
