Is it REALLY a HD Install?

Forum: HD Install
Topic: Is it REALLY a HD Install?
started by: PacShady

Posted by PacShady on 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

Posted by mikshaw on 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.

Posted by PacShady on 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

Posted by roberts on 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.

Posted by kaal on Dec. 31 2006,19:26

Is this a laptop? Does it have dedicated video memory?

The missing 4mb could be reserved for video memory.

Posted by PacShady on Jan. 01 2007,14:19

Good point. No it's not a laptop, but it is an old computer with an old video card, so it might be calling on video memory.

Thanks for the answers everyone.

'Shady

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Jan. 01 2007,16:10

Not sure if this applies to the traditional HD-Install, but here's what I found out before...
DSL's kernel is set up for a 3:1 userspace to kernelspace memory ratio. So if you were looking at userspace memory, you'd see less than your actual total.

Posted by mach085 on Jan. 02 2007,17:36

mm.. i also have the same problem about 4MB memory..

for note, i am using laptop with dedicated video memory, my ram is 64MB,
usually detect 65536KB ( 64 X 1024 ). but in dsl my memory only detects 61xxx KB.