On Sun, 6 Apr 2014 00:24:20 -0700 (PDT) Miles Wade <[email protected]> wrote:
> Guys! > > I want to thank ya'll for how well the net installation CD image > works. I have spent many days attempting to install various > distributions from CDs and DVDs ubuntu, fedora, suse mint etc. None > of them could get past the partition editor stage of the install > process. I have no clues why none of them worked. My understanding of > Linux is at best intermediate. > > In an attempt to make a "final" try. I downloaded a Debian 7.4 Net > Install CD image to do a net install. Success! I've used the same > disk on 4 different computers and it's worked every time. Whatever > partitioning tool is on that disk far surpasses what's on the other > distros. Something on those other distros is seriously broken so > please don't change your partition editor. > > What started this spasm of Linux activity is the April 8th, XP > Apocalypse/Shutdown of support. I refuse to deal with Windows 8.X. > My major reason for all the effort was to replace my old installs of > XP Pro. I need to get a clear understanding of at least one flavor of > Linux OS. It looks like Debian will be it. > > Again, thank you for such a bug-free install! Hi Miles, I can't say for sure why all the other distro installations crapped out on your system, but I have some ideas why the Debian net install generally succeeds when others fail: * The net install has a CLI/curses installer that requires no X. Right away, you've saved huge memory and lots of other complications that could kill an installation for want of a silly driver. * With the net install, you can do a tiny install, reboot, and install other software with apt-get install. So your likelihood of a functional install is greatly enhanced. * A small Debian net install takes hardly any time at all. This means that if some intermittent, whether on your computer, your network, or your Internet connection, won't scuttle your install. * Unlike Gentoo and the like, the Debian net install (and all Debian installs of which I'm aware) guarantees you a working kernel to boot to. There are a lot of marginal computers out there that could run Linux, if only they could *install* Linux. The Debian net install is perfect for such computers. About a year ago I did a Debian net install on a computer with a 500Mhz processor and 128K of RAM. Don't try that with Ubuntu. SteveT Steve Litt * http://www.troubleshooters.com/ Troubleshooting Training * Human Performance -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [email protected] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [email protected] Archive: https://lists.debian.org/20140406124004.3794118a@mydesk
