iB::Topic::Is it REALLY a HD Install?

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Topic: Is it REALLY a HD Install?

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PacShady

Group: Members
Posts: 7
Joined: Dec. 2006

Posted: Dec. 30 2006,13:52

Hey all

Trying to set up DSL on an old compy I have for use as a server, but I'm a bit concerned about something I've noticed.

I ran what I thought was the full hard drive install, ie. dsl-hdinstall, since I really don't want to be mucking about with Frugalism and having to watch where I install stuff in case it disappears and having to backup/restore every boot etc. I just want a small, basic, Debian-based hard drive install that I can play around with like a regular Linux install.

However, when I reboot from installing I notice a couple of things. Firstly, the option "frugal" is being passed by GRUB. This suggests that it installed as a frugal install and NOT as a full hard drive install like I intended. Secondly, when X loads, and the details on the system are on the background, it claims I have 28MB of RAM available instead of the 32 that are installed, suggesting to me that a 4MB RAM Disk has probably been made. Deleting the "frugal" option at boot seems to confirm this, as a couple of errors relating to /ramdisk appear during startup after this option is removed.

Is it true that the HD Install I've done has indeed installed Frugally instead of properly like I thought it was supposed to? Will I have nightmares trying to make a robust system that doesn't need to be set up every boot to do what I want it to? And if so, how do I DO a real DSL install, and in the event that I can't, is there another alternative to DSL that I can use to run on such a small, old, crappy computer?

'Shady

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mikshaw

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Posts: 4856
Joined: July 2004

Posted: Dec. 30 2006,14:36

Do you have a /ramdisk directory?
Do you have a /KNOPPIX directory?

If you don't have these directories, you do not have a frugal install.

The ramdisk issue makes me think you might be right. However, dsl-hdinstall does not install frugal.

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PacShady

Group: Members
Posts: 7
Joined: Dec. 2006

Posted: Dec. 30 2006,14:52

Well I'm not finding those directories at all, so I hope you're right. However, that still doesn't explain why I'm missing 4MB of usable RAM, nor does it explain why the 'frugal' option is being passed at boot. I know that setting my network card to use a static IP address isn't persistent (fortunately I can compensate for that by setting a fixed lease using the DHCP in my firewall). But it appears that files slapped in the /opt directory ARE persistent, so HOPEFULLY it'll do what I need, and I've been able to get ssh to work at startup so that makes things easier.

'Shady

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roberts

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Posts: 4983
Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: Dec. 30 2006,16:34

frugal is a throw-away for a traditional hard drive install, just as toram is.
However, a dhcp request is a hard coded default, you can see such message while booting. If using a static IP then the option nohdcp should be passed.