Re: [Rule-list] Okay, i'm ready to get started

[Martin Stricker]

Chris Rose wrote:

> i seem to recall that there's a template for listing system specs, and
> i was hoping there'd be a template for test results.

http://mail.freesoftware.fsf.org/mailman/listinfo/rule-list Look into
the archives for a message from Benoit Mortier from Sun, 24 Feb 2002
01:14:13 +0100 with the subject "[Rule-list] To all Testers : Final form
for testing pc".
Notes:
PC  OF  computer name of owner name
FORM FACTOR : Desktop/Tower/Laptop
Mail the completed form to Benoit Mortier privately, *not* to the list!
Benoit then will send you an ID number for your computer which you
please include in all test reports.

Chuck, since Marco is down with flu, could you please add the test
computer registration form to the website? I know I can do it myself,
but I haven't coped yet with the task of getting SSH and CVS working on
Win2k...

There is no testing form yet, I'm working on one (first to be discussed
with Benoit). Just report to the list and add this information: PC ID,
CPU speed, physical RAM size, the exact version numbers of the floppies
you are using (the boot floppies currently are at 0.7.0, while the
updates.tar is at 0.7.1), and the boot command line you used. Then tell
us how the install went, how long it took and anything you consider
beeing of interest. Especially include any error message or warning you
might get! Better more than less information!

> Any of the above will be helpful, as well as links to whatever it
> takes to get this thing up and running on a system that can't boot
> from a CD (but does have one)

You need to boot from pcmcia.img and have the pcmciadd.img at hand as
driver disk. Also you need to unpack the updates(version).tar onto an
ext3-formatted floppie. And of course the official Red Hat Linux 7.2
install CDs. Then at the boot prompt use
linux dd updates mem=xM
where x is the amount of RAM you allow the kernel to use. Previous tests
indicate that an install with 12 MB should work, but with 11 MB might
fail. There is a cheat available to turn on swap early, but that is not
currently available if you boot with pcmcia.img!

So I ask you to test installing with
a) no mem= at all (using all your memory) to compare to.
b) mem=12M - this should work
c) mem=11M - this might crash
Go lower with mem if 11 MB work. When you find a point where the
installer works heavily you might want to switch to VT2 [Alt][F2] and
type free which tells you how much memory is available. If you do so,
please include all the numbers from free in the test report message. It
migt take a minute or two until a letter you typed actually gets on the
screen... You can return to the install terminal with [Alt][F1].

I'm working on some install documentation, I'll post it to the list. I'm
down with flu like Marco, so I have plenty of time...

Best regards,
Martin Stricker
-- 
Homepage: http://www.martin-stricker.de/
Red Hat Linux for low memory: http://www.freesoftware.fsf.org/rule/
Registered Linux user #210635: http://counter.li.org/