Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Mon 01 Mar 2021 at 10:53:16 -0600, David Wright wrote: > On Mon 01 Mar 2021 at 14:13:08 (+), Brian wrote: > > > > The directory structure has to remain intact. Execute, for example, > > > > modinfo zd1211rw | less > > > > At the top we have > > > > firmware: zd1211/zd1211_uphr > > > > The kernel would expect the firmware file to be in zd1211/. > > I confirmed that. The good news is that the d-i tells you the name of > the subdirectory: I had forgotten that (and these are the screens that > are almost impossible to log). So it's not an issue even for someone > who doesn't know the name of the module, or doesn't know to get a > shell and use modinfo. That's good. > But the regression remains, AFAICT. I am going to pass on investigating an unsupported wheezy. I have my installations working well with hd-media and a suitable preseed.cfg. Naive users can sort themselves out, -- Brian.
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Mon 01 Mar 2021 at 14:13:08 (+), Brian wrote: > On Sun 28 Feb 2021 at 18:36:49 -0600, David Wright wrote: > > On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 14:32:49 (+), Brian wrote: > > > On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 22:47:59 -0600, David Wright wrote: > > > > On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 10:36:40 (+0800), Robbi Nespu wrote: > > > > > > > > > > 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the > > > > > >firmware there. > > > > > > > > > > > > 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. > > > > > > > > Note that on most systems, steps 3 through 6 are unnecessary as > > > > the installer will find the firmware itself anyway. > > > > > > That's the advice given in Section 6.4.1 if the Installer Guide and, > > > if it works, it works. However, I would not like to guarantee that it > > > does, just as, in the case of the OP, the non-free installer ISO does > > > not come up with installing the firmware. > > > > Agreed: it's difficult to do too much for the installer. > > > > And AFAICT my advice and the Installation Guide § 6.4.1 and > > § 4.3.1 are all out of date. It appears that nowadays (official > > buster 10.8 netinst, amd64 and i386), loose firmware files > > don't get picked up, either off a second USB stick¹, or off an > > extra partition added to the hybrid installation stick. You > > have to offer it the firmware in .deb files. > > "loose firmware files" is a bit of a woolly term; it needs expanding > on. The .deb files will have a directory structure (please see later). > > > OTOH my official wheezy 7.1.0 netinst i386 installer does pick up > > the loose files, exactly as described in the Installation Guide. > > So it appears we have a regression in the debian-installer. > > That isn't quite my recollection but it is so long ago that I am not > willing to push it. I am also not motivated (yet) to try it out. I thought it would be clearer to use the d-i's own nomenclature. Anyway, here are the relevant lines of syslog, with just tg3_tso5.bin, the one that comes in a subdirectory: kernel: [] tg3.c:v3.121 (November 2, 2011) kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: eth0: Tigon3 [partno(BCM95705A50) rev 3003] (PCI:33MHz:32-bit) MAC address 00:c0:9f:44:15:b5 kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: eth0: attached PHY is 5705 (10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet) (WireSpeed[0], EEE[0]) kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: eth0: RXcsums[1] LinkChgREG[0] MIirq[0] ASF[0] TSOcap[1] kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: eth0: dma_rwctrl[763f] dma_mask[64-bit] net/hw-detect.hotplug: Detected hotpluggable network interface eth0 kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: firmware: agent aborted loading tigon/tg3_tso5.bin (not found?) kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: eth0: TSO capability disabled kernel: [] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: wake-up capability enabled by ACPI check-missing-firmware: /dev/.udev/firmware-missing does not exist, skipping check-missing-firmware: missing firmware files (tigon/tg3_tso5.bin) for tg3 check-missing-firmware: copying loose file tg3_tso5.bin from '/media/tigon' to '/lib/firmware/tigon' ↑ kernel: [] tg3.c:v3.121 (November 2, 2011) net/hw-detect.hotplug: Detected hotpluggable network interface eth0 kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: eth0: Tigon3 [partno(BCM95705A50) rev 3003] (PCI:33MHz:32-bit) MAC address 00:c0:9f:… kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: eth0: attached PHY is 5705 (10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet) (WireSpeed[0], EEE[0]) kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: eth0: RXcsums[1] LinkChgREG[0] MIirq[0] ASF[0] TSOcap[1] kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: eth0: dma_rwctrl[763f] dma_mask[64-bit] kernel: [] tg3 :02:02.0: firmware: agent loaded tigon/tg3_tso5.bin into memory > > > Transferring the firmware files directly to where the installer kernel > > > can find them seems more assured of success. If it doesn't, there is a > > > big problem for the system both during and after installation. > > > > I also haven't tested whether, when you copy loose files to > > /lib/firmware, you have to preserve the directory structure. > > For example, wheezy automatically copies the file tg3_tso5.bin > > from '/media/tigon' to '/lib/firmware/tigon', but would manually > > copying it to /lib/firmware/tg3_tso5.bin still work (if the > > user wasn't aware of its usual location, …path-to/tigon/tg3_tso5.bin)? > > ↑↑ > > The directory structure has to remain intact. Execute, for example, > > modinfo zd1211rw | less > > At the top we have > > firmware: zd1211/zd1211_uphr > > The kernel would expect the firmware file to be in zd1211/. I confirmed that. The good news is that the d-i tells you the name of the subdirectory: I had forgotten that (and these are the screens that are almost impossible to log). So it's not an issue even for someone who doesn't know the name of the module, or doesn't know to get a shell and use modinfo. But the regression remains, AFAICT. Cheers, David.
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Sun 28 Feb 2021 at 18:36:49 -0600, David Wright wrote: > On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 14:32:49 (+), Brian wrote: > > On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 22:47:59 -0600, David Wright wrote: > > > On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 10:36:40 (+0800), Robbi Nespu wrote: > > > > > > > > 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the > > > > >firmware there. > > > > > > > > > > 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. > > > > > > Note that on most systems, steps 3 through 6 are unnecessary as > > > the installer will find the firmware itself anyway. > > > > That's the advice given in Section 6.4.1 if the Installer Guide and, > > if it works, it works. However, I would not like to guarantee that it > > does, just as, in the case of the OP, the non-free installer ISO does > > not come up with installing the firmware. > > Agreed: it's difficult to do too much for the installer. > > And AFAICT my advice and the Installation Guide § 6.4.1 and > § 4.3.1 are all out of date. It appears that nowadays (official > buster 10.8 netinst, amd64 and i386), loose firmware files > don't get picked up, either off a second USB stick¹, or off an > extra partition added to the hybrid installation stick. You > have to offer it the firmware in .deb files. "loose firmware files" is a bit of a woolly term; it needs expanding on. The .deb files will have a directory structure (please see later). > OTOH my official wheezy 7.1.0 netinst i386 installer does pick up > the loose files, exactly as described in the Installation Guide. > So it appears we have a regression in the debian-installer. That isn't quite my recollection but it is so long ago that I am not willing to push it. I am also not motivated (yet) to try it out. > I haven't tested jessie or stretch because my netinst media are > all firmware versions, so I can't pinpoint the change in behaviour. > The Installation Guide's wording in those two sections (above) > became settled by the time of wheezy, but has remained unchanged > since then. Unless the problem has been fixed for bullseye², > I would suggest that the guide text needs revising. > > > Transferring the firmware files directly to where the installer kernel > > can find them seems more assured of success. If it doesn't, there is a > > big problem for the system both during and after installation. > > I also haven't tested whether, when you copy loose files to > /lib/firmware, you have to preserve the directory structure. > For example, wheezy automatically copies the file tg3_tso5.bin > from '/media/tigon' to '/lib/firmware/tigon', but would manually > copying it to /lib/firmware/tg3_tso5.bin still work (if the > user wasn't aware of its usual location, …path-to/tigon/tg3_tso5.bin)? > ↑↑ The directory structure has to remain intact. Execute, for example, modinfo zd1211rw | less At the top we have firmware: zd1211/zd1211_uphr The kernel would expect the firmware file to be in zd1211/. -- Brian.
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Sun, 28 Feb 2021 18:36:49 -0600 David Wright wrote: > It appears that nowadays (official buster 10.8 netinst, amd64 and > i386), loose firmware files don't get picked up, either off a second > USB stick¹, or off an extra partition added to the hybrid > installation stick. You have to offer it the firmware in .deb files. I see recent Bullseye i386 installers pick up firmware .deb files in the root of an additional USB stick. I have not experimented with loose files. I prefer the .deb files, as a means of keeping the firmware consistent with the version of Debian being installed. But perhaps d-i can offer both without too much bloat? -- Does anybody read signatures any more? https://charlescurley.com https://charlescurley.com/blog/
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 14:32:49 (+), Brian wrote: > On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 22:47:59 -0600, David Wright wrote: > > On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 10:36:40 (+0800), Robbi Nespu wrote: > > > > > > 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the > > > >firmware there. > > > > > > > > 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. > > > > Note that on most systems, steps 3 through 6 are unnecessary as > > the installer will find the firmware itself anyway. > > That's the advice given in Section 6.4.1 if the Installer Guide and, > if it works, it works. However, I would not like to guarantee that it > does, just as, in the case of the OP, the non-free installer ISO does > not come up with installing the firmware. Agreed: it's difficult to do too much for the installer. And AFAICT my advice and the Installation Guide § 6.4.1 and § 4.3.1 are all out of date. It appears that nowadays (official buster 10.8 netinst, amd64 and i386), loose firmware files don't get picked up, either off a second USB stick¹, or off an extra partition added to the hybrid installation stick. You have to offer it the firmware in .deb files. OTOH my official wheezy 7.1.0 netinst i386 installer does pick up the loose files, exactly as described in the Installation Guide. So it appears we have a regression in the debian-installer. I haven't tested jessie or stretch because my netinst media are all firmware versions, so I can't pinpoint the change in behaviour. The Installation Guide's wording in those two sections (above) became settled by the time of wheezy, but has remained unchanged since then. Unless the problem has been fixed for bullseye², I would suggest that the guide text needs revising. > Transferring the firmware files directly to where the installer kernel > can find them seems more assured of success. If it doesn't, there is a > big problem for the system both during and after installation. I also haven't tested whether, when you copy loose files to /lib/firmware, you have to preserve the directory structure. For example, wheezy automatically copies the file tg3_tso5.bin from '/media/tigon' to '/lib/firmware/tigon', but would manually copying it to /lib/firmware/tg3_tso5.bin still work (if the user wasn't aware of its usual location, …path-to/tigon/tg3_tso5.bin)? ↑↑ ¹ All my USB sticks are partitioned, ie /dev/sdX1, not /dev/sdX. ² I haven't yet tried bullseye, or its installer, at all. Cheers, David.
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 14:32:49 +, Brian wrote: > On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 22:47:59 -0600, David Wright wrote: > > > On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 10:36:40 (+0800), Robbi Nespu wrote: > > > > > > 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the > > > >firmware there. > > > > > > > > 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. > > > > Note that on most systems, steps 3 through 6 are unnecessary as > > the installer will find the firmware itself anyway. > > That's the advice given in Section 6.4.1 if the Installer Guide and, > if it works, it works. However, I would not like to guarantee that it > does, just as, in the case of the OP, the non-free installer ISO does > not come up with installing the firmware. > > Transferring the firmware files directly to where the installer kernel > can find them seems more assured of success. If it doesn't, there is a > big problem for the system both during and after installation. Inspired by David Wright's and Robbi Nespu's contributions I adapted my six-step advice to take advantage of preseeding. The needed firmware files are assumed to be available in a directory named firmware on a USB stick partition labelled FIRMWARE. The following addition is made to the installer's kernel command line. Press TAB when theinstallation choice is highlighted to make the line visible. (The line is broken for readability). preseed/early_command="modprobe vfat ; sleep 2 ; \ mount /dev/disk/by-label/FIRMWARE /media ; \ cp -a /media/firmware /lib" Firmware blob location and loading is put with the installer kernel rather than have the installer, sometimes unreliably, locating and dealing with the files. -- Brian.
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
You can get a usb hub to be able to have multiple usbs connected from one port. Not sure if that would solve all the problems, but it may help. Robbi Nespu , 24 Şub 2021 Çar, 18:09 tarihinde şunu yazdı: > I have another laptop which dual boot with Fedora and Windows10, it is not > my primary laptop since 9 months ago and I haven't used it since then. I > plan to fully install Debian testing on this machine because this laptop > has dual graphic cards (optimus) and theoretically, with Debian 11 (or > newer), special configuration shouldn't be needed and offloading should be > available as soon as you've installed the proprietary drivers[1]. This > machine has a faulty LAN port and only 1 of 3 USB ports are usable. So I > can only use 1 USB per time and only WIFI for the network connection. > > Since Debian provides an unofficial netinst image for i386/amd64/powerpc > with the non-free firmware, I go and download the ISO[2] and make a > bootable USB installer. > > But when I during the installation process (on "detect network hardware" > phase), debian-installer dialog asked me to load 2 firmware which is > iwIwifi-2030-6.ucode and iwIwifi-2030-5.ucode .. I feel perplexed about > this. So I checked the USB, it already have the firmware but with deb > package format: > > /firmware/firmware-iwlwifi_20201218-3_all.deb > /pool/non-free/f/firmware-nonfree/firmware-iwlwifi_20201218-3_all.deb > > Seems this firmware load on the next stage which is after network setup > and after do the partitioning stuff. I wonder why, since this is netinst I > need network working from the during installation process, not after that. > > Question : > a) Is it possible to do self modification on the installation script so > the wifi chip will be available and working during the installation process > so I can pull the packages that I want during installation from Debian > mirror. If yes, how and if no, please suggest me some solutions that don't > need me to fix LAN port, buy cable and router (since I use wifi hotspot > from my phone) > > The precompile firmware are available here[3] and here[4] > > TLDR; I want firmware-iwlwifi already loaded and working during Debian > installation phase, not after install. > > [1] https://wiki.debian.org/NVIDIA%20Optimus#PRIMEOffload > [2] > http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/images-including-firmware/weekly-builds/amd64/iso-cd/firmware-testing-amd64-netinst.iso > [3] > https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/_media/en/users/drivers/iwlwifi-2030-ucode-18.168.6.1.tgz > [4] https://github.com/OpenELEC/iwlwifi-firmware/tree/master/firmware >
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 22:47:59 -0600, David Wright wrote: > On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 10:36:40 (+0800), Robbi Nespu wrote: > > > > 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the > > >firmware there. > > > > > > 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. > > Note that on most systems, steps 3 through 6 are unnecessary as > the installer will find the firmware itself anyway. That's the advice given in Section 6.4.1 if the Installer Guide and, if it works, it works. However, I would not like to guarantee that it does, just as, in the case of the OP, the non-free installer ISO does not come up with installing the firmware. Transferring the firmware files directly to where the installer kernel can find them seems more assured of success. If it doesn't, there is a big problem for the system both during and after installation. -- Brian.
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer [SOLVED]
I found out a nice solution (thanks David Wright for the hint!), simply: 1. download and save the firmware to root of our debian installer USB 2. Boot USB 3. Press Ctrl+Alt+F2 to spawn busybox terminal 4. execute this command # /bin/mountmedia # cp -ir /media/YOUR_FIRMWARE_FILE_HERE.ucode /lib/firmware # /bin/unmount # exit 5. Press Ctrl+Alt+F5 to continue GUI installation..and surprise! Debian installer driver will load the firmware, so you can use WIFI and continue installation process Done! P/s : Thus "unmount" script is to release our USB media and let debian installer mount it later automatically, if you forgot to umount, this trick won't worked. All of this script is standard, no need to customize the installer. -- Email : Robbi Nespu PGP fingerprint : D311 B5FF EEE6 0BE8 9C91 FA9E 0C81 FA30 3B3A 80BA PGP key : https://keybase.io/robbinespu/pgp_keys.asc
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Thu 25 Feb 2021 at 10:36:40 (+0800), Robbi Nespu wrote: > On Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:07:09 +, Brian wrote: > > [T]his is from memory; I haven't done it for some time. > > > > 1. The USB stick you boot from will have empty space or a secomd > >partition. > > > There only one partition but there is lot of empty space Take care: this stick will have very strange partitioning. This is how fdisk sees a buster stick on this system: Device Boot StartEnd Sectors Size Id Type /dev/sdb1 *0 774143 774144 378M 0 Empty /dev/sdb24048 97115664 2.8M ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32) Fdisk can create a partition for you to use with the commands: (defaults in parentheses) # fdisk /dev/sdX p n (p) (3) (000) accept the defaults. The actual numbers may vary (000) from week to week with different versions. t (3) c p w Don't just type them blindly: read and take account of the responses from fdisk. Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type /dev/sdb1 * 0 774143 774144 378M 0 Empty /dev/sdb2 404897115664 2.8M ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32) /dev/sdb3 786432 1998847 1212416 592M c W95 FAT32 (LBA) Now you can create the filesystem: # mkdosfs -v -i 12345670 -F 32 -n mypartition /dev/sdX3 > > 2. Extract the firmware files from the .deb and put them on the > >stick. Mount it # mount /dev/sdX3 /mnt Copy the firmware from wherever you have it # cp -ip /lib/firmware/iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode /mnt # umount /mnt > It doesn't matter where I put right (on root location)? or need to > have special directory? Root is best. IIRC the installer looks widely for partitions, but not to any depth in each. > > 3. Boot and change to console 2: ALT-F2. > > > > 4. Mount the partition holding the firmware on /mnt. Type: # mount -t vfat /dev/ and press TAB twice. You'll get a listing of everything in /dev. Usually sticks appear as /dev/sd… so type s and press TAB twice. You should be able to distinguish the stick from any other drives. So you end up with, say: # mount -t vfat /dev/sdb3 /mnt Check by typing: # ls -l /mnt -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 707392 Aug 22 2019 iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode That would confirm the correct partition. > > 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the > >firmware there. > > > > 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. Note that on most systems, steps 3 through 6 are unnecessary as the installer will find the firmware itself anyway. If you can find iwlwifi-2030-5.ucode, by all means copy it onto the stick as well as iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode. The latter is at least 8 years old, and can probably do all that -5 ever could. Typically the installer will try loading each version in reverse order (newest first). (It's IWLWIFI, or course.) Cheers, David.
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:28:33 +, Brian wrote: Indeed. However, the problem (unless I am misunderstanding) is that the firmware is not even being found on the non-free netinstall, which is the whole point of having that image available. Yes, the firmware not even being found on certain stages of installation process, it will be found later and available after install but it quite late since I need to "tick" certain package to be install over network. -- Email : Robbi Nespu PGP fingerprint : D311 B5FF EEE6 0BE8 9C91 FA9E 0C81 FA30 3B3A 80BA PGP key : https://keybase.io/robbinespu/pgp_keys.asc
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Wed, 24 Feb 2021 11:14:59 -0500, John Boxall wrote: Alternatively, you can extract the firmware files to a different USB stick and put them in the root of that one, insert both and the installer will find the files when you boot the original USB stick. To bad, this machine only have 1 working USB port. Plan to fix the other 2 USB port too but currently I can't cross district travel since "lock-down 2.0" in Malaysia. The USB port are faulty causes by USB fans.. -- Email : Robbi Nespu PGP fingerprint : D311 B5FF EEE6 0BE8 9C91 FA9E 0C81 FA30 3B3A 80BA PGP key : https://keybase.io/robbinespu/pgp_keys.asc
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:07:09 +, Brian wrote: his is from memory; I haven't done it for some time. 1. The USB stick you boot from will have empty space or a secomd partition. There only one partition but there is lot of empty space 2. Extract the firmware files from the .deb and put them on the stick. It doesn't matter where I put right (on root location)? or need to have special directory? 3. Boot and change to console 2: ALT-F2. 4. Mount the partition holding the firmware on /mnt. This is tricky part as I mentioned, I only have one partition. Where I can find my USB device location? try with `dh` command but that command not working/available 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the firmware there. 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. You suggestion look like the most closest one, just need to find the perfect way how to accomplish it -- Email : Robbi Nespu PGP fingerprint : D311 B5FF EEE6 0BE8 9C91 FA9E 0C81 FA30 3B3A 80BA PGP key : https://keybase.io/robbinespu/pgp_keys.asc
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:39:16 -0500 Kenneth Parker wrote: When I had a situation like that, my workaround was to install without the Network (but with the netinst CD), stopping at the "minimal system". It actually gives you a bootable system. And then, use the external media to get WiFi working, and go from there. I also thinking to go this way but there could be another better solution to load the firmware at the beginning of installation (which is the most prefer solution) since I have ucode precompiled binary from Intel with me, let use it but I don't know how modify the installer or how to re-create the installer. -- Email : Robbi Nespu PGP fingerprint : D311 B5FF EEE6 0BE8 9C91 FA9E 0C81 FA30 3B3A 80BA PGP key : https://keybase.io/robbinespu/pgp_keys.asc
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 11:14:59 -0500, John Boxall wrote: > > > On 2021-02-24 11:07 a.m., Brian wrote: > > On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 22:51:05 +0800, Robbi Nespu wrote: > > > > [...] > > > > > TLDR; I want firmware-iwlwifi already loaded and working during Debian > > > installation phase, not after install. > > > > This is from memory; I haven't done it for some time. > > > > 1. The USB stick you boot from will have empty space or a secomd > > partition. > > > > 2. Extract the firmware files from the .deb and put them on the > > stick. > > > > 3. Boot and change to console 2: ALT-F2. > > > > 4. Mount the partition holding the firmware on /mnt. > > > > 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the > > firmware there. > > > > 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. > > > > Alternatively, you can extract the firmware files to a different USB stick > and put them in the root of that one, insert both and the installer will > find the files when you boot the original USB stick. Indeed. However, the problem (unless I am misunderstanding) is that the firmware is not even being found on the non-free netinstall, which is the whole point of having that image available. -- Brian.
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On 2021-02-24 11:07 a.m., Brian wrote: On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 22:51:05 +0800, Robbi Nespu wrote: [...] TLDR; I want firmware-iwlwifi already loaded and working during Debian installation phase, not after install. This is from memory; I haven't done it for some time. 1. The USB stick you boot from will have empty space or a secomd partition. 2. Extract the firmware files from the .deb and put them on the stick. 3. Boot and change to console 2: ALT-F2. 4. Mount the partition holding the firmware on /mnt. 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the firmware there. 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. Alternatively, you can extract the firmware files to a different USB stick and put them in the root of that one, insert both and the installer will find the files when you boot the original USB stick. -- Regards, John Boxall
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Wed 24 Feb 2021 at 22:51:05 +0800, Robbi Nespu wrote: [...] > TLDR; I want firmware-iwlwifi already loaded and working during Debian > installation phase, not after install. This is from memory; I haven't done it for some time. 1. The USB stick you boot from will have empty space or a secomd partition. 2. Extract the firmware files from the .deb and put them on the stick. 3. Boot and change to console 2: ALT-F2. 4. Mount the partition holding the firmware on /mnt. 5. Create /lib/firmware: mkdir /lib/firmware and transfer the firmware there. 6. ALT-F1 to go back to d-i. d-i should now find the firmware. -- Brian.
Re: How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
On Wed, Feb 24, 2021, 10:09 AM Robbi Nespu wrote: > I have another laptop which dual boot with Fedora and Windows10, it is not > my primary laptop since 9 months ago and I haven't used it since then. I > plan to fully install Debian testing on this machine because this laptop > has dual graphic cards (optimus) and theoretically, with Debian 11 (or > newer), special configuration shouldn't be needed and offloading should be > available as soon as you've installed the proprietary drivers[1]. This > machine has a faulty LAN port and only 1 of 3 USB ports are usable. So I > can only use 1 USB per time and only WIFI for the network connection. > > Since Debian provides an unofficial netinst image for i386/amd64/powerpc > with the non-free firmware, I go and download the ISO[2] and make a > bootable USB installer. > > But when I during the installation process (on "detect network hardware" > phase), debian-installer dialog asked me to load 2 firmware which is > iwIwifi-2030-6.ucode and iwIwifi-2030-5.ucode .. I feel perplexed about > this. So I checked the USB, it already have the firmware but with deb > package format: > > /firmware/firmware-iwlwifi_20201218-3_all.deb > /pool/non-free/f/firmware-nonfree/firmware-iwlwifi_20201218-3_all.deb > > Seems this firmware load on the next stage which is after network setup > and after do the partitioning stuff. I wonder why, since this is netinst I > need network working from the during installation process, not after that. > > Question : > a) Is it possible to do self modification on the installation script so > the wifi chip will be available and working during the installation process > so I can pull the packages that I want during installation from Debian > mirror. If yes, how and if no, please suggest me some solutions that don't > need me to fix LAN port, buy cable and router (since I use wifi hotspot > from my phone) > When I had a situation like that, my workaround was to install without the Network (but with the netinst CD), stopping at the "minimal system". It actually gives you a bootable system. And then, use the external media to get WiFi working, and go from there. > > The precompile firmware are available here[3] and here[4] > > TLDR; I want firmware-iwlwifi already loaded and working during Debian > installation phase, not after install. > > [1] https://wiki.debian.org/NVIDIA%20Optimus#PRIMEOffload > [2] > http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/images-including-firmware/weekly-builds/amd64/iso-cd/firmware-testing-amd64-netinst.iso > [3] > https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/_media/en/users/drivers/iwlwifi-2030-ucode-18.168.6.1.tgz > [4] https://github.com/OpenELEC/iwlwifi-firmware/tree/master/firmware > Kenneth Parker > >
How to self-load non-freeware firmware on existing netinst ISO installer
I have another laptop which dual boot with Fedora and Windows10, it is not my primary laptop since 9 months ago and I haven't used it since then. I plan to fully install Debian testing on this machine because this laptop has dual graphic cards (optimus) and theoretically, with Debian 11 (or newer), special configuration shouldn't be needed and offloading should be available as soon as you've installed the proprietary drivers[1]. This machine has a faulty LAN port and only 1 of 3 USB ports are usable. So I can only use 1 USB per time and only WIFI for the network connection. Since Debian provides an unofficial netinst image for i386/amd64/powerpc with the non-free firmware, I go and download the ISO[2] and make a bootable USB installer. But when I during the installation process (on "detect network hardware" phase), debian-installer dialog asked me to load 2 firmware which is iwIwifi-2030-6.ucode and iwIwifi-2030-5.ucode .. I feel perplexed about this. So I checked the USB, it already have the firmware but with deb package format: /firmware/firmware-iwlwifi_20201218-3_all.deb /pool/non-free/f/firmware-nonfree/firmware-iwlwifi_20201218-3_all.deb Seems this firmware load on the next stage which is after network setup and after do the partitioning stuff. I wonder why, since this is netinst I need network working from the during installation process, not after that. Question : a) Is it possible to do self modification on the installation script so the wifi chip will be available and working during the installation process so I can pull the packages that I want during installation from Debian mirror. If yes, how and if no, please suggest me some solutions that don't need me to fix LAN port, buy cable and router (since I use wifi hotspot from my phone) The precompile firmware are available here[3] and here[4] TLDR; I want firmware-iwlwifi already loaded and working during Debian installation phase, not after install. [1] https://wiki.debian.org/NVIDIA%20Optimus#PRIMEOffload [2] http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/images-including-firmware/weekly-builds/amd64/iso-cd/firmware-testing-amd64-netinst.iso [3] https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/_media/en/users/drivers/iwlwifi-2030-ucode-18.168.6.1.tgz [4] https://github.com/OpenELEC/iwlwifi-firmware/tree/master/firmware
