DSL install failure, no err messages.

Forum: HD Install
Topic: DSL install failure, no err messages.
started by: jaydag71

Posted by jaydag71 on Aug. 18 2006,16:41

I have a DELL OptiplexGX110, pent3 @598mHz that runs WinXP on 75% of total HD's, meaning there is two pysical HD partitioned into two each, so four parts. Three of those are for WinXP, the last partition on the second drive I made with Partition Magic to Ext3 with a 350MB Swap, a bit over 1GB total partition.

I wanted to install DSL as fully to a Debian system as possible, am somewhat new to Linux so still have a lot to figure out. Firstly I tried booting into the live CD enviroment, but was plagued with buggy symptoms like the background not showing properly, desktop icons missing, weird mouse behaviour, etc. (PS I am using a Wacom Graphire2 as my main mouse setup!![USB]) I would get these symptoms untill I lifted up the mouse and set it back down on the tablet, then everything would go back to the way it should have looked in the first place!? Anyways, I go down to the Apps>tools>instal to HD option, runs the script and enter my target HD and let the script run though, but nothing comes of it there after! As far as I can tell the needed files never were copied to disk!

I tried to back out and do the install through the boot prompt, but still get the same result. I also tried the frugal install afterwards just to see what the scoop, and that just didn't work at all. So, I am a bit bummed out, I can run from CD although it is buggy. I have not been able to use any network features like my Wlan because it just doesn't detect any card, although everything runs great under Windows.

So, is the issue maybe with the Partition Magic partitions and perhaps I should be trying again using FDISK? Or is there something more serious that may need to be addressed? This is the first terminal I have run DSL sucesfully under so far, and my impression so far is really not that good. I also have some older laptops and stuff I tried to install to, but just got no where, I ended up having to use the Syslinux version but never got anywhere with that either!

Before I go and invest more time into this, is DSL able to be used as a full fledged development enviroment? Would this require downloading and installing many more packages? Does DSL as shipped have gcc and other basic dev tools already (can't find em..). Does DSL support RPM file formats or would that involve installing further software as well? I got my distro from a magazine and never really did much research into what the distro contained before trying to use it...