cant configure s390 installation

[Shimon Lebowitz]

Hi,
I ran the base install of Debian using
NFS. The CD image was mounted on my PC
(on a virtual CDROM generated by Daemon-tools).

After the install, and a reboot, I was told to run
/usr/sbin/base-config
First I remounted the CD image, with:
mount -t nfs -o ro 10.1.20.40:/cdpc /mnt/PC-cd

and then ran the base-config command.

Here is some console output, with comments (starting ***) by me.
I apologize for the length of the posting.


linux01:/# mount -t nfs -o ro 10.1.20.40:/cdpc /mnt/PC-cd
linux01:/# mount
/dev/dasd/0193/part1 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
10.1.20.40:/cdpc on /mnt/PC-cd type nfs (ro,addr=10.1.20.40)
linux01:/# /usr/sbin/base-config

*** the base-config program displayed the following questions
*** and below each is my answer, marked with ">>"

Pick the geographic area in which you live.

Asia
Jerusalem

Shall I enable md5 passwords?

Yes

Shall I enable shadow passwords?

Yes

*** At this point an error message was displayed, in the background
*** line-mode screen, which disappeared when the next panel was
*** painted. I have no idea if this was important.

Apt Configuration
Apt can access the Debian archive in a variety of ways. Choose the
access method apt should use. For example if you have a Debian cd,
select "cdrom", while if you plan to install via a Debian mirror,
choose "ftp" or "http".

filesystem

Use non-free software?

No
/mnt/PC-cd

Apt Configuration
Failed to access the Debian archive

When I tried to access the debian archive using the information you
provided, apt gave the following error. I will run through the
questions again, try to correct the error.

Failed to fetch file:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main/binary-
s390/Packages
File not found W: Couldn't stat source package list file: stable/main
Packages
(/var/lib/apt/lists/_mnt_PC-cd_dists_stable_main_binary-
s390_Packages)
- stat (2 No such file or directory) W: You may want to run apt-get
update to correct these problems E: Some index files failed to
download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

*** It then went back to the "choose the method" panel.

*** I wanted to see why it has trouble fetching that file,
*** so I went to look for it:

linux01:/# cd /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main/binary-s390
bash: cd: /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main/binary-s390: Not a directory
linux01:/# cd /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main
bash: cd: /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main: Not a directory
linux01:/# cd /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable
bash: cd: /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable: Not a directory
linux01:/# cd /mnt/PC-cd/dists
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists#

*** hmmm.. lots of missing directories here!

linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists# ls -al
total 10
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Sep 22 2004 .
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root 8192 Sep 22 2004 ..
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 266 Dec 2 2003 TRANS.TBL
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 frozen
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 stable
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 testing
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 unstable
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 woody

*** Aha! there IS a "stable", but it's a file, not a directory.
*** and there is also a "woody" directory.....
*** Let's see what is in /woody

linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists# cd woody
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody# ls -al
total 906
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 .
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Sep 22 2004 ..
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 3652610 Nov 20 2003 Contents-s390.gz
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 644 Dec 2 2003 Release
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 250 Dec 2 2003 TRANS.TBL
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 contrib
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 main
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 non-US

*** Oh! /woody has a "main" in it!

linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody# cd main
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody/main# ls -al
total 13
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 .
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 ..
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 153 Dec 2 2003 TRANS.TBL
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 binary-s390
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 disks-s390
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 source
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody/main# cd binary-s390
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody/main/binary-s390# ls -al
total 280
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 .
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 ..
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 878588 Dec 2 2003 Packages
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 239849 Dec 2 2003 Packages.gz
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 95 Dec 2 2003 Release
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 152 Dec 2 2003 TRANS.TBL

*************
It turns out that the hierarchy the config program wanted,
"/mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main/binary-s390", really exists as:
"/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody/main/binary-s390".

So, what do I do now, to configure my s390 Debian system???

Thank you for your help!
Shimon
--
************************************************************************
Shimon Lebowitz mailto:***@iname.com
VM System Programmer mailto:***@poboxes.com
Israel Police National HQ. http://www.poboxes.com/shimonpgp
Jerusalem, Israel phone: [phone] fax: [phone]
************************************************************************

[Lennart Sorensen]

Post by Shimon Lebowitz
Hi,
I ran the base install of Debian using
NFS. The CD image was mounted on my PC
(on a virtual CDROM generated by Daemon-tools).

What is Daemon-tools and is this machine running Windows or some kind of
unix?

Post by Shimon Lebowitz
After the install, and a reboot, I was told to run
/usr/sbin/base-config
mount -t nfs -o ro 10.1.20.40:/cdpc /mnt/PC-cd
and then ran the base-config command.
Here is some console output, with comments (starting ***) by me.
I apologize for the length of the posting.
linux01:/# mount -t nfs -o ro 10.1.20.40:/cdpc /mnt/PC-cd
linux01:/# mount
/dev/dasd/0193/part1 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
10.1.20.40:/cdpc on /mnt/PC-cd type nfs (ro,addr=10.1.20.40)
linux01:/# /usr/sbin/base-config
*** the base-config program displayed the following questions
*** and below each is my answer, marked with ">>"
Pick the geographic area in which you live.

Asia
Jerusalem

Shall I enable md5 passwords?

Yes

Shall I enable shadow passwords?

Yes

*** At this point an error message was displayed, in the background
*** line-mode screen, which disappeared when the next panel was
*** painted. I have no idea if this was important.
Apt Configuration
Apt can access the Debian archive in a variety of ways. Choose the
access method apt should use. For example if you have a Debian cd,
select "cdrom", while if you plan to install via a Debian mirror,
choose "ftp" or "http".

filesystem

Use non-free software?

No
/mnt/PC-cd

Apt Configuration
Failed to access the Debian archive
When I tried to access the debian archive using the information you
provided, apt gave the following error. I will run through the
questions again, try to correct the error.
Failed to fetch file:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main/binary-
s390/Packages
File not found W: Couldn't stat source package list file: stable/main
Packages
(/var/lib/apt/lists/_mnt_PC-cd_dists_stable_main_binary-
s390_Packages)
- stat (2 No such file or directory) W: You may want to run apt-get
update to correct these problems E: Some index files failed to
download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.
*** It then went back to the "choose the method" panel.
*** I wanted to see why it has trouble fetching that file,
linux01:/# cd /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main/binary-s390
bash: cd: /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main/binary-s390: Not a directory
linux01:/# cd /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main
bash: cd: /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable/main: Not a directory
linux01:/# cd /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable
bash: cd: /mnt/PC-cd/dists/stable: Not a directory
linux01:/# cd /mnt/PC-cd/dists
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists#
*** hmmm.. lots of missing directories here!
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists# ls -al
total 10
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Sep 22 2004 .
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root 8192 Sep 22 2004 ..
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 266 Dec 2 2003 TRANS.TBL
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 frozen
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 stable
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 testing
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 unstable
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 woody
*** Aha! there IS a "stable", but it's a file, not a directory.
*** and there is also a "woody" directory.....
*** Let's see what is in /woody

Ah, I guess you must be running a defective OS (probably windows) that
doesn't understand the concept of symlinks, which is what stable,
testing, frozen and usntable are. You must have working symlinks on the
nfs share for the installer to work.

Post by Shimon Lebowitz
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists# cd woody
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody# ls -al
total 906
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 .
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Sep 22 2004 ..
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 3652610 Nov 20 2003 Contents-s390.gz
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 644 Dec 2 2003 Release
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 250 Dec 2 2003 TRANS.TBL
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 contrib
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 main
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 non-US
*** Oh! /woody has a "main" in it!
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody# cd main
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody/main# ls -al
total 13
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 .
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 ..
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 153 Dec 2 2003 TRANS.TBL
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 binary-s390
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 disks-s390
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 source
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody/main# cd binary-s390
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody/main/binary-s390# ls -al
total 280
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 .
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 ..
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 878588 Dec 2 2003 Packages
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 239849 Dec 2 2003 Packages.gz
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 95 Dec 2 2003 Release
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 152 Dec 2 2003 TRANS.TBL
*************
It turns out that the hierarchy the config program wanted,
"/mnt/PC-cd/dists/woody/main/binary-s390".
So, what do I do now, to configure my s390 Debian system???

Use a real OS (a unix one) to host the CD for NFS since you need a valid
unix filesystem for the installer to access over NFS. What a Windows PC is
likely to simulate will not be good enough.

Len Sorensen

[Shimon Lebowitz]

Len,

Post by Lennart Sorensen
What is Daemon-tools and is this machine running Windows or some kind of
unix?

Daemon-tools is a package on Windows that creates
emulated CDROM drives. Think of it as similar to
"mount -t iso9660 someimage.iso /mnt/virtualCD"
(I hope I said that right, I am not so linuxified yet).

Post by Lennart Sorensen

Post by Shimon Lebowitz
linux01:/mnt/PC-cd/dists# ls -al
total 10
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Sep 22 2004 .
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root 8192 Sep 22 2004 ..
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 266 Dec 2 2003 TRANS.TBL
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 frozen
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 stable
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 testing
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 0 Dec 2 2003 unstable
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8192 Dec 2 2003 woody
*** Aha! there IS a "stable", but it's a file, not a directory.
*** and there is also a "woody" directory.....
*** Let's see what is in /woody

Ah, I guess you must be running a defective OS (probably windows) that
doesn't understand the concept of symlinks, which is what stable,
testing, frozen and usntable are. You must have working symlinks on the
nfs share for the installer to work.

While I would be happy to agree that Windows is not the
be-all and end-all of PC operating systems, I think it is a
bit unnecessary to start saying things like "defective OS"
here. It is neither friendly (to me, not Gates) nor useful.

Thank you for pointing out that it is impossible to use
the Debian CD without a working unix style host.

There went any plans I might have had of installing it.

Post by Lennart Sorensen

Post by Shimon Lebowitz
So, what do I do now, to configure my s390 Debian system???

Use a real OS (a unix one) to host the CD for NFS since you need a valid
unix filesystem for the installer to access over NFS. What a Windows PC is
likely to simulate will not be good enough.

Well, more derogatory comments about Windows won't get
me anywhere, while building a CD usable on the 90% of
the PCs in the world might have. Oh well..

AH!! Wait a sec.. I just had an idea!

What if I ftp my ISO image file of the Debian CD from
Windows into my old s390 SuSE 7, mount it there
(with that "mount" I wrote at the beginning of this email),
and use SuSE as my NFS server to install Debian...
Does that sound like it would work?

Thanks (really!)
Shimon

[Lennart Sorensen]

Post by Shimon Lebowitz
Daemon-tools is a package on Windows that creates
emulated CDROM drives. Think of it as similar to
"mount -t iso9660 someimage.iso /mnt/virtualCD"
(I hope I said that right, I am not so linuxified yet).

Well good idea, unfortunately yeah the debian cd uses symlinks for good
reasons (it would be way to big or need nonstandard cd extensions to not
do so). Of course it has to use rockridge extensions to do symlinks
which I think only unix systems support in general.

Post by Shimon Lebowitz
While I would be happy to agree that Windows is not the
be-all and end-all of PC operating systems, I think it is a
bit unnecessary to start saying things like "defective OS"
here. It is neither friendly (to me, not Gates) nor useful.

Windows is VERY bad at exchanging data with any other system. Hence
samba and other tools for everyone else to exchange data with windows.
Unfortunately in this case that isn't good enough, since the NFS
provided by your tool can't add symlinks to the cd since windows doesn't
know about the rockridge extensions (although writing support for that
in the case of CDs would actually not be that hard in a program like you
have, assuming somebody wanted to).

Post by Shimon Lebowitz
Thank you for pointing out that it is impossible to use
the Debian CD without a working unix style host.
There went any plans I might have had of installing it.

Short of installing linux on a PC first I guess. :)

Post by Shimon Lebowitz
Well, more derogatory comments about Windows won't get
me anywhere, while building a CD usable on the 90% of
the PCs in the world might have. Oh well..
AH!! Wait a sec.. I just had an idea!
What if I ftp my ISO image file of the Debian CD from
Windows into my old s390 SuSE 7, mount it there
(with that "mount" I wrote at the beginning of this email),
and use SuSE as my NFS server to install Debian...
Does that sound like it would work?

You could loopback mount the iso and nfs export it and it should work
perfectly yes.

But yeah any system that can't read rockridge cds and hence do symlinks
and export those to the installer will not work. Your previous linux
install certainly should work. Good luck with the rest of the install.

Len Sorensen