Anaconda Install attempt 2/5/05

[Jim Cornette]

When attempting to install via FTP from a mirror on two different 
computers, I ended up experiencing several problems with the attempt.

box 1: (HP laptop)
1. The GUI would Lockup eventually while trying to install. All of the 
installed linux versions were detected and I was able to select the 
version that I wanted to upgrade or pick a clean install. The radeon 
card that I have in the computer is a bit tricky and crashes with mode 
changes or switching to a terminal via ctl-alt-Fn. This is most likely a 
problem with the radeon driver and X.
2. When trying to install via text mode, the LVM installation is not 
detected or listed in the text based installer. When I proceeded with 
attempting a new installation, I noticed the lvm versions in disk druid. 
I proceeded with an installation on a USB hard disk and eneded up 
getting a long delay when the partitions were setup, then being 
formatted. The problem with the long delay was present on two different 
computers and seemed to be related to inode creation. It stuck around at 
15/134 for a long time on the second machine that the installation was 
attempted on. This might be related to hardware, but a mention in case 
it is some data corruption during formatting.
I stopped the attempts at installing on the laptop and moved the disk to 
the desktop.

box 2: (Desktop w/ 370SSM motherboard, Intel 815 chipset.)
1. The GUI process seems to be successful. This is with the Intel 815 
video card that had trouble in the installer earlier. I did have the 
same problem with the inode 15/134 delay. Since the disk was easy to 
access physically, I checked for any strange sounds coming from the 
disk, no hunting was found. It eventually made it past the inode 
creation hang and proceeded to format the other 2 partitions. 
Eventually, the installer crashed with a message that a severe problem 
was found with /dev/sda2, which was a 20 gig partition delegated for a 
future /home partition. A reboot was needed.
2. On the second attempt with  installation, I decided to leave off the 
/dev/sda2 partition and only use the remaining partitions for a /boot a 
/ and a swap partiton. I then worked my way through disk druid and did 
not format the partitions again. The terminal during the install attempt 
in the failed attempt above made it past the formatting of the 
partitions. I'll check the /root directory for logs related to anaconda 
and the install progress when booting into an installation that 
recognizes the USB disk. This FC2/FC3/rawhide does not recognize the usb 
drive, it never has. The other installations do, but I am not in one of 
those installations currently.

Overall, the installer seemed to be a lot swifter in action on both 
computers that it was tested on. With the dep conflicts in rawhide 
currently, I did not expect a complete installation yet from rawhide.

Jim