On Sat 09 Oct 2021 at 11:21:54 +0200, Holger Wansing wrote: > Hi,
Hello Holger, Thank you for your consideration > Brian Potkin <claremont...@gmail.com> wrote (Sun, 3 Oct 2021 14:45:29 +0100): > > > You should be able to see to which device the USB stick was mapped > > > by running the command dmesg after inserting it. > > > > I would add lsblk, with a link to its manual page. > > > > You should be able to see to which device the USB stick was mapped > > by running the command lsblk before and after inserting it. The > > output of dmesg (as root) is another discovery method. > > Ok, applied (similar). Looks good. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > If you use the wrong device the result could be that all information > > > on for example a hard disk could be lost. > > > > Surely it would be quite surprising if all information was not lost? > > Why not continue the dire warning, particularly as the process is done > > as root? "would" instead of "could"? > > I would simplify that to > "If you use the wrong device the result could be that all > information on for example a hard disk is lost." Sorry, it appears I wasn't very clear. What I wrote was not intended as replacemet text but a short commentary on whether there is a possibility or a certainty of data being lost. Changing one word in your text and putting in a couple of commas: "If you use the wrong device the result will be that all information on, for example, a hard disk is lost." > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > Debian installation images for this architecture are created using > > > the “isohybrid”... > > > > I do not understand why "isohybrid" needs to be enclosed in double > > quotes. Two links: > > Ok, I replaced the quotes by a bold font. Better. > > https://joeyh.name/blog/entry/Debian_USB_install_from_hybrid_iso/ > > https://blog.einval.com/2011/01/07 > > > > I have forgotten whether the Guide policy allows referencing pages > > outside the Debian infrastructure. > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > If you have chosen the mini.iso to be written the USB stick, the > > > second partition doesn't have to be created, as - very nice - ... > > > > The original ("very nicely") is OK and better English (IMO). > > Ok, applied. Thanks. > Brian Potkin <claremont...@gmail.com> wrote (Sun, 3 Oct 2021 15:51:28 +0100): > > On Sat 02 Oct 2021 at 19:48:41 +0200, Holger Wansing wrote: > > > > [...] > > > > > I had some understanding issues, mostly in chapter > > > "Manually copying files to the USB stick — the flexible way" > > > > I have never really understood what is so special about syslinux and > > mbr.bin in the context of using hd-media. GRUB should always be at > > hand on a Linux machine. This is my flexible way: > > > > 1. dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb count=100 > > (Could be omitted). > > > > 2. cfdisk /dev/sdb (FAT). > > > > 3. mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb1 > > dosfslabel /dev/sdb1 LABEL. > > (Download dosfstools). > > > > 4. mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt > > grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sdb > > > > 5. cp vmlinuz /mnt/boot > > cp initrd.gz /mnt/boot > > > > 6. cp <installation_ISO> /mnt > > > > 7. # An example grub.cfg. > > menuentry 'Debian 11.0.0' { > > linux /boot/vmlinuz shared/ask_device=manual \ > > shared/enter_device=/dev/disk/by-label/LABEL > > initrd /boot/initrd.gz > > } > > > > 8. cp grub.cfg /mnt/boot/grub > > > > 9. Boot. > > > > More detail at https://wiki.debian.org/Installation+Archive+USBStick. > > To declare an interest - I wrote that page. > > I personally have no strict preference on syslinux. > However, the proposed alternative does not look much easier to me ... > (leaving only the pro, that syslinux does not need to be installed) > > > Other opinions? > > > > > Brian Potkin <claremont...@gmail.com> wrote (Sun, 3 Oct 2021 19:40:00 +0100): > > On Sat 02 Oct 2021 at 19:48:41 +0200, Holger Wansing wrote: > > > > [...] > > > > > - Because a long time has passed by since the last overhaul of this > > > chapter, > > > maybe there is some more, that could be changed, for example because of > > > changed/new technology or experience? > > > > Regarding 4.3.2. at > > > > > > https://people.debian.org/~holgerw/installation-guide_2021-10-02/amd64/ch04s03.html > > > > > > > An alternative way to set up your USB stick is to manually copy > > > the installer files,... > > > > This section has been about since the dawn of time :). It predates the > > advent of isohybrid technology and could be said to have served its > > purpose and be retired. An alternative would be to leave it there and > > introduce it as follows: > > > > Prior to isohybrid technology being used for all Debian ISOs, this way > > was the method used to boot from a USB device. It has been superseded > > by the technique in Section 4.3.1 [LINK] but has been left here for > > educational and historical purposes and in case it proves of use to a > > user. > > Basically I could follow that proposal, I have trimmed it a bit to: > > "Prior to isohybrid technology being used for &debian; installation images, > the > methods documented in the chapters below were used to prepare media for > booting from USB devices. > This has been superseded by the technique in <xref > linkend="usb-copy-isohybrid"/>, > but has been left here for educational and historical purposes and in case it > proves of use to a user." > > However, I am quite uncomfortable with the last sentence > "... and in case it proves of use to a user." > > Could we use some sort of easier English for this (better understanding)? > Proposal? "... and in case it proves of use to a user." could be ommited. I suppose the idea is included in "educational". There some plurals to attend to in your text: These have been superseded by the technique in <xref linkend="usb-copy-isohybrid"/>, but have been left here for educational and historical purposes and in case it proves of use to a user." > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > > ...(smaller setups are possible if you follow Section 4.3.3,... > > > > I wonder about this. The Debian 11 netinst ISO is 480M. GRUB plus the > > boot files are 33M. Would they fit on a 512M USB stick (which is not > > really 512M)? Partially tested to say "no". My rule of thumb is 1G. > > A 512MB stick is possible with netboot files. > The netboot files lead to a more minimal memory footprint (no need to copy > an ISO image to the stick), so I would leave that sentence in... > (Maybe that could be an argument for keeping this chapter at all!) Fair enough. Unlike the hd-media method, which I find vey useful, I haven't found the need this method. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > The link beginning > > > > http://http.us.debian.org/ > > > > should be > > > > http://deb.debian.org/ > > > > or > > > > https://deb.debian.org/ > > Hmm, that might be a point for a separate editing round, since there might > be some more occurrences of such links, which could be moved to > deb.debian.org. > Will look into this. > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > The Note exercised my mind. It has nothing to do with the being able to > > use this method but refers to an after effect. "major disadvantage" > > refers to this after effect. An alarming term. > > > > > Note that, although convenient and successful, this method does have a > > > drawback affecting how the size of the USB device is seen because it > > > sets its logical size to 1 GB, even if the capacity of the USB stick is > > > larger. You will need to repartition the USB stick and create new file > > > systems to get its full capacity back if you ever want to use it for > > > some different purpose. > > Basically I see your point, however from the reader's point of view, I think > the existing variant is easier to understand. > And since it's not strictly wrong, I would keep it as is. Not unreasonable. I had to use dd, cfdisk and mkfs.*. > A new diff is attached. > And I have updated the docs at > https://people.debian.org/~holgerw/installation-guide_2021-10-09/ I looked at both. Hope I haven't missed anything. Cheers, Brian.
