On Thu, 17 Oct 2002 12:11:21 -0400 philo vivero <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > Instead, I booted with the "rescue" image which, for whatever reason, > did a normal install. Here's what I did: > > ok> boot cdrom > . . . blah blah blah . . . > SILO: rescue > . . . normal installation occurs here . . . > > > 5. The computer begins to boot, I see the normal Linux screen as it > > boots. > > 6. During boot a kernel panic occurs... > > > > Kernel panic: I have no root and I want to scream > > Press L1-A to return to the boot prom > I had exactly the same experience, also on an Ultra-1. Once installed via the "rescue" path, everything was fine. Of course, so much of the install just _assumes_ you're on a "PC"-like device with a video card and attached keyboard and mouse. My Ultra-1, however, was headless and I was using a serial console. I was able to find workarounds to the assumptions but that made it a lot more painful than it needed to be. Took me about 6 hours to get everything installed. For comparison, I loaded Solaris 9 on the same machine and everything was smooth as silk. Very few "assumptions", good support (via "suninstall") for a serial console. Took me about an hour since once set-up for the install, the only required interaction was changing the CD's and I could walk away and do something else. I understand _where_ the assumptions come from (given the history of Linux) and I'm not really complaining or faulting anyone but I truly believe more effort needs to be put into the installation process. No, I'm most assuredly NOT talking about a whiz-bang, themable, skinable all-singing, all-dancing GUI, I'm talking about a well-thought-through procedure that gathers all the necessary information up front so a busy sysadmin doesn't have to spend all day interacting with the installer. I'm also talking about CONFIRMING assumptions before they are acted upon. (Example: does the presence of a video card _really_ mean that the installer can go ahead and assume a video display or does it just mean the box came with one and it wasn't worth the trouble to remove it?) Writing a good installer, one that helps novices while not getting in the way of experts, is a really big job and is as much an art as a science. But it ain't near as much fun as eye-candy or the 432nd unique text editor! BTW, the Ultra is still running Solaris while my 4 Intel boxes (3 desktops and a laptop) run Woody or Sid. I don't do Windows!! -- Bill Meahan WA8TZG [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Never ascribe to mailce what can be adequately explained by stupidity." -- Robert Heinlein
