Package: installation-reports
Boot method: KVM (virt-install) boot from ISO image
Image version: debian-stretch-DI-rc2-amd64-netinst.iso
Date: Tue Feb 7 12:49:26 EET 2017
Machine: KVM virtual host, with virtio, running under Debian 7.11 (stretch)
Processor: virtual, single core
Memory: 1 GB
Partitions:
Filesystem Type 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
udev devtmpfs 505680 0 505680 0% /dev
tmpfs tmpfs 102048 1668 100380 2% /run
/dev/vda1 ext4 23898960 549604 22112316 3% /
tmpfs tmpfs 510224 0 510224 0% /dev/shm
tmpfs tmpfs 5120 0 5120 0% /run/lock
tmpfs tmpfs 510224 0 510224 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
/dev/vda5 ext4 9545920 193768 8847528 3% /var
/dev/vda8 ext4 128014556 61464 121407224 1% /home
/dev/vda7 ext4 1888268 5748 1768552 1% /tmp
tmpfs tmpfs 102044 0 102044 0% /run/user/0
Output of lspci -knn (or lspci -nn):
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation 440FX - 82441FX PMC [Natoma]
[8086:1237] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Red Hat, Inc Qemu virtual machine [1af4:1100]
00:01.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 82371SB PIIX3 ISA [Natoma/Triton
II] [8086:7000]
Subsystem: Red Hat, Inc Qemu virtual machine [1af4:1100]
00:01.1 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82371SB PIIX3 IDE
[Natoma/Triton II] [8086:7010]
Subsystem: Red Hat, Inc Qemu virtual machine [1af4:1100]
Kernel driver in use: ata_piix
Kernel modules: ata_piix, ata_generic
00:01.2 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82371SB PIIX3 USB
[Natoma/Triton II] [8086:7020] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Red Hat, Inc QEMU Virtual Machine [1af4:1100]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
Kernel modules: uhci_hcd
00:01.3 Bridge [0680]: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI [8086:7113]
(rev 03)
Subsystem: Red Hat, Inc Qemu virtual machine [1af4:1100]
Kernel driver in use: piix4_smbus
Kernel modules: i2c_piix4
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Cirrus Logic GD 5446 [1013:00b8]
Subsystem: Red Hat, Inc QEMU Virtual Machine [1af4:1100]
Kernel driver in use: cirrus
Kernel modules: cirrusfb, cirrus
00:03.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Red Hat, Inc Virtio network device
[1af4:1000]
Subsystem: Red Hat, Inc Virtio network device [1af4:0001]
Kernel driver in use: virtio-pci
Kernel modules: virtio_pci
00:04.0 SCSI storage controller [0100]: Red Hat, Inc Virtio block device
[1af4:1001]
Subsystem: Red Hat, Inc Virtio block device [1af4:0002]
Kernel driver in use: virtio-pci
Kernel modules: virtio_pci
00:05.0 Unclassified device [00ff]: Red Hat, Inc Virtio memory balloon
[1af4:1002]
Subsystem: Red Hat, Inc Virtio memory balloon [1af4:0005]
Kernel driver in use: virtio-pci
Kernel modules: virtio_pci
Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Initial boot: [O]
Detect network card: [O]
Configure network: [O]
Detect CD: [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Detect hard drives: [O]
Partition hard drives: [O]
Install base system: [O]
Clock/timezone setup: [wishlist]
User/password setup: [O]
Install tasks: [wishlist]
Install boot loader: [O]
Overall install: [O]
Comments/Problems:
I normally use FAI to install Debian. In order to prepare a stretch
system for forthcoming upgrades, I installed a stretch instance under
a KVM virtual machine. I used the non-graphical advanced mode.
I did not initially realize that the timezone selection list is a hard
dependence on my location and had to go back to configure the locale.
While everything turned out smooth eventually, I recommend an extra
option in the timezone list which would lead to all available timezones.
This may be especially relevant when installing virtual machines in
remote locations via networking.
The bigger problem came when I got to the tasksel step. By accident
I selected "continue" before I had made my selections and the installer
proceeded to downloading 1500+ packages which I did not intend to install.
I have two suggestions here:
1) The system should ask for extra confirmation just like apt-get does:
"You are about to install 1508 packages, taking 345 megabytes of disk
space. Do you want to continue?"
Remember, we are in "advanced" mode, so the user should know what this
means.
2) The software installation screen should include an interrupt option,
at least for the initial time when packages are being downloaded and
interruption would not result in a half-installed unconfigured system.
I tried the normal keys (Esc, ctrl-C, ctrl-G) but they were ignored.
It would also be nice (given we are in "advanced" mode) if the lists
of packages behind, eg "standard system utilities" were available for
review before the user commits to the install.
In my situation, I just killed the virtual host and started all over.
The second time around, everything was very smooth and I got a bootable
minimal system (no options selected in tasksel) just fine.
--
Toomas Tamm
Estonia
