Install Debian from Scratch
In case you want to recover debian.
get the recovery cd.
install the linux in a minor partition and then go back and remedy your screw-ups.
But my computer crashed when there was a power surge.
So i had to clean install the system.
installed the basic debian potato which has kernel 2.2.20 (ugh)
now i have to find a way to install my network card(broadcom 4400) which is similar to
to nvidia card(i.e., not supported by kernels before 2.6) and once that is done
i download the linux source code driver for my network card
Install a Base Kernel
best way is to install debian with 2.4 kernel
this is done by typing bf24 (next the boot: prompt after you boot the system with your cd)
Recompile a custom Kernel
and before this make sure you download the current 2.4 kernel source
reconfigure your kernel using the config file of the current kernel which you can find
at the boot folder.
most probably menuconfig won’t work. so make sure that you open the .config file and edit
the modversion is yes and also config packet and filter are yes(this is very important
for the etherconf) and if something fails don’t worry just install pump(which is another
dhcp client) and connect to the internet and upgrade your system.
Make the network work
compile the kernel, install it and then reboot the system using the new kernel.
use the source code for the network card. compile and install the driver for the network card.
if you want to get the apt sources don’t worry. just type apt-setup and this will
bring up the list of available mirrors and all you have to do is choose and
the sources.list will be automatically created for you.
now install etherconf using apt-get
Upgrade your system
now you are almost ready to upgrade your computer through internet.
Now you have to install the 2.6 kernel and upgrade your distro to prepare for the 2.6 kernel.
there are so many things that i learned today
don’t ever mess with apt
especially the files /var/lib/dpkg/{available,status}.
they have the important informations such as the installed packages and their info. so if you
mess with them then you are lost(you may have to reinstall the entire os).
it looks like the dhclient required PACKET AND FILTER configured in the kernel. if something
fails during your apt-get just start the package pump.
Some points for X
startx belongs to xbase-clients
when the x fails to load with the error message that it couldn’t not find the configured
mouse /dev/input/mice and to your surprise that it magically disappeared, then all
you have to do is create those device files as follows
$mknod /dev/input/mice c 13 63
then restart the device. udev will cache all the device and will promptly create them
for you. i have to find out whether you need to reboot the system or not.
Pine Setup
incoming-folders={mail.softhome.net/pop3/user=tvar}inbox,
{mail.isp2.com/pop3/user=isp2username}inbox,
{mail.isp3.com/imap/user=isp3username}inbox
when pine complains
Can’t open folder ……inbox:invalid remote…
that means that pine is not compiled with ssl support.
so you have to install openssl before you compile pine. i.e., we need the include files
of the openssl for the pine.
download openssl and compile and install in your system