Novell & Open Source

[Eric Jensen]

In Suse 9.2 when going to normal install mode it searches for an install 
disk.  If no disk is found then a quick message pops up saying it is 
switching to manual mode.  Not to say it wont detect some NICs, but I've 
always had to specify mine.

I just spent the last 5 and a half hours babysitting a Suse install and 
I didn't even make it to the partitioning portion of the install.  For 
some reason it would crank for 30+  minutes after every single dialog 
box.  This is installing from a USB drive as well as HTTP.    My NIC/HD 
lights are always active so it is doing something, just not very well 
apparantly.  I've ran through the install process about 5 times today.  
Did a quick Slackware install from CD-ROM in less then an hour.  Having 
a hard time convincing myself that Suse's install procedure isn't a 
smoldering cauldron of liquid garbage right now.  Sounds like they have 
an impressive distro, sure wish they would let me install it.  I'll 
probably have to bring in my own DVD-ROM drive tomorrow and give the DVD 
ISO a try that way.  Also bringing in Ubuntu and FC3 as back-up.  The 
hardware detection and dual monitor lovin' that Suse claims to have is 
the only thing keeping my interest right now.  Ability to install is a 
pretty neat feature as well though, so we'll see.

Eric Jensen

Jason Jones wrote:

>
>>> The normal mode (install from CD/DVD) would have picked up your NIC 
>>> card fine.  The FTP/HTTP/NFS installs are all considered manual mode 
>>> installation, and the manual mode install leaves it all up to you to 
>>> figure out.
>>>   
>>
>>
>> Wonderful. So there are two sets of code in there, one for "normal"
>> mode, and the other for "manual" mode. That's rather inelegant.
>>
>> They also have a different definition of "normal" than I do: I do all
>> my installations across the network. It's faster, especially if you
>> take into account time spent burning CD-ROMs.
>>
>> Thanks for the explanation.
>>  
>>
> I have to disagree.  I've installed SUSE, NLD, and SLES all various 
> times (because my employment sometimes requires me to) and each time I 
> install, I choose HTTP or FTP, and my NIC is automatically set up.  
> I'm not sure how you had your settings, but setting it up by pressing 
> F-3 and choosing a medium other than CD or DVD does *not* mean "go to 
> manual mode".
>
> Just FYI.
>
> --Jason
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