Subject: Re: new install - msg#00083

Joakim Roubert wrote:
Hi!

Does the stable version support direct ext3 install?

And another thing; I have the onboard 10 MBit network device on my AlphaStation 200 4/166, but also a 100 MBit PCI-card which I really use. Although, I just tested the stable install floppy, and it only "found" eth0 DE 10 MBit network.

Now, is it possible to insert a module for my 100 MBit card (3Com 3c905C-TX) later, or do I have to replace the standard install kernel with a custom one?

/Jokke tmw.
···
http://www.efd.lth.se/~d97jro/



My info is a little dated (late last spring), but here are my experiences:

1. The ext3 option is offered at install time on the 2.4.18-bf4 kernels, but I don't think it is offered on the 2.2.XX kernels. This might have changed with the Woody 3.0r1 release...dunno. It is definately this way on the i386 installs I have done recently. Of course you can always setup ext3 AFTER the install... I had to do it this way because of #2 below.

2. Some Alphas using SCSI as the main HD, and the CIA rev 1 chipset will not boot the 2.4.18-bf4 kernel, but will boot ok on the 2.2.XX kernel. Mine did this. Bottom line...if your Alpha boots the 2.4.18-bf4 kernel, then you will be OK! You will know this fairly quickly when you insert the appropriate "rescue" disk to start the install. Mine would hang during the scsi controller detection phase.

3. I have a 3c905-TX here along with my "built-in" Tulip NIC. I had to insert the 3c59x.o module during the section of the install on modules in order to get it recognized. You can always do it later, of course, but if you need it for the install (network install??) then you will have to d/l all of the driver disks in addition to the rescue and root floppies. All of this should be on a CD, if you have that, but I still had to use the floppies to get the install going initially since I could never figure out how to get milo + Alphabios to recognize my CD reader to start the install. I did a complete "network install" here from just he 'rescue" and "root" floppies + the built-in NIC + the 2.2.XX kernel then upgraded everything after I got the basic install going...new kernel, 3c905-TX NIC, and ext3.

One final tip... take a peek at the "config" file for your kernel that you are using and see what has been included. This should tell you if it has ext3 support and also which NIC drivers it will "autodetect" during installation.

Cheers,
-Don Spoon-