[sf-lug] debian base system (initially without X11) install progress (or lack there of!) report

[Alex Kleider]

On 2018-12-10 14:20, Rick Moen wrote:

> 
> ...that person's approach was insanely overcomplicated, and I think
> he/she was more than a little confused.

I read your arguments and now 'get it'.


> 
>> All went smoothly but after reboot, the system had neither ethernet
>> or wifi connectivity.
> 
> I don't know exactly what this means, Alex, because unfortunately 
> you're
> making the very common mistake of stating your interpretation rather
> than the raw symptoms.  And that makes it nearly impossible for people
> to help you.
> 
> I can hazard a guess, though, that following the instructions of the
> confused linuxquestions.org user maybe resulted in a system where 
> needed
> firmware BLOBs were present somewhere under /lib/firmware but the Linux
> runtime system was for some reason unaware that it needed to refer to
> them.
> 
> The /var/log/messages file should record at startup time any known
> network interfaces getting initialised and any needed firmware BLOBs
> getting loaded.  Does it?  '/sbin/ifconfig -a' should list the known
> network interfaces irrespective of whether they've been assigned IP
> addresses.  Does it list them?

/sbin/ifconfig -a   >> "No such file or directory"
Didn't we already establish that ifconfig has been deprecated in favor 
of ip?

/var/log/messages reveals that "Direct firmware load for 
iwlwifi-5000-x.ucode failed with error -2" where x is 1...5 even thought 
2 and 5 are believed to have been properly installed.

> 
> As I said in How to Ask Questions the Smart Way, treat diagnosticians
> like they're from Missouri, whose motto is 'Show me.'  Show the
> diagnostician the raw data -- not just your interpretations.
> 
> 
> Maybe you should have followed my advice and switched to the unofficial
> Debian installer ISOs that merge in the non-free firmware packages.
> Then, you wouldn't have had any of these problems in the first place,
> and not be working hard at solving them.

I missed that part of all the advice you've given me.  I didn't know 
such a thing existed but how that I do, have already begun the down 
load.  Will use the non free iso for sure.

> 
> 
> But you did _not_ follow my suggestion (that you quoted just above
> 'regrettably not' about fetching the .deb, copying it over to the 
> Debian
> system using a flash drive, and installing it using 'dpkg -i'.  You did
> the linuxquestions.org user's peculiar drill, instead.

It was only because I did it before getting the advice.

> 
> 
> What's wrong with just not having the problem of missing non-free
> firmware packages?  ;->

About to give it a go!

Thanks again, a bunch.
alex