The dynamite : NEW VL INSTALLATION ================================== VL 5.0 is the beginning of the new install system, designed according to the community pool: * Keep it as simple as VL 4.0, Users love it. * Add Better navigation * Add Package selection * Add Separate Partitions * More informative about the steps Morover, there are some fundamental improvements: * The process is separated into INSTALL ad CONFIGURE. INSTALL copy the distro from media to the harddisk, CONFIGURE sets the new installed distro so it can be booted and run properly. * The INSTALL program is generic. It can install any version of VL because the install information is stored within the /veclinux and /packages (not within the installer itself). * The CONFIGURE program is distro provided. The installer do the INSTALL, then continue the CONFIGURATION by chrooting to the new installed distro and executing a script called (/sbin/config-stage1). Thus, each distro may have different configuration without changing the installer program. * Now the biggest trick. The CONFIGURATION has 2 stages. Stage 1 is during the installation, stage 2 is after rebooting. User can choose to do full configuration during stage 1, or skip to do it later on stage 2. The advantages are: # Users can avoid hung doing autosetup on stage1. # The installer can use other kernel than the installed distro. This feature allows the installer using small kernel 2.4.x while the installed distro uses HUGE kernel 2.6.x Here is the wallthrough: * NEW: Better navigation # Wizard like. # Use ESC key for BACK. Sorry, the old dialog cannot show extra button. * NEW : Opening menu # Opening menu allows user to set keymap or bypass it. # Privides quick repair LILO, vey handy if your VL partition is borked somehow # Then go for normal INSTALL * NEW: Keymap # The keymap process is the same, but it remembers the selection for the installed VL (old setup asks keymap twice). * NEW : LILO repair # The program find a VL Linux partition (that has vliloconf in it) # Mount and chroot into that partition then run vliloconf * REPLACED : Parted-Magic # Well, the previous parted was so scary, so I replace it with a simpler one. # List resizeable partitions (windows/ext2). Somebody provides reiserfs resizer pls. # Resize the selected partiton. That's all. User must continue with cfdisk to make new partitions. * IMPROVED: FDISK # Just add friendlier message * NEW : Generic Install # The setup autofind any media (IDE/SACI/SATA/CDROM) # The setup able to use naked /veclinux on it, or (hear ya hear ya) ISO file. I guess the ISO method will be the top choice soon. # Read /veclinux/SETUP.CONF for information (distro name, version, HD requirements, bulk files). * NEW: Install Intro # As requested, a hint of whats is going to happen. Sorry, I can't make it on the side (like RH, or Mandrake). * IMPROVED: Checking bulk files # Users can select the bulk files for checking * IMPROVED: Select swap # Can select multiple swap partitions. * IMPROVED: Select root partitions # Use menu to select partition, no more manual typing # DUMMY item for safety * SAME : Select root file system type # 3 FS to choose (reiser, ext3, ext2) * NEW: Select /home partiton # Can add a separate /home now # DUMMY item for safety * NEW: Select /home file system type # 3 FS and 3 KEEPs to choose * IMPROVED: Bulk selections # The key of VL easy and quick install get easier # can select the bulks to install using checklist # Bulk info (name, size, description) is listed in /veclinux/SETUP.CONF * NEW: Packages selections # Can select additional packages now # The packages are stored under /packages with tree structure according to library dependency # The packages must be listed in /packages/PKGLIST.TXT * NEW: Unattended install # User are asked for confirmation, then go ... come back 15 minutes later # All selected bulks and packages will be installed # The install should be faster since the gauge is using DF (disk free) method now, not DU (disk usage) anymore. # Staying user is entertained with the the "Flying CREDIT". But sorry zarniwoop, your name is never showed up on my Pentium IV ;-). * NEW: Separated Configuration # INSTALL and CONFIGURATION is clearly separated now. # Configuration is done by the script of the installed distro (/sbin/config-stage1). So it is very flexible. * NEW: config-stage1 # This script performs the configuration during the installation. # The main things is to install LILO then go to configure. * STRIPPED DOWN: LILO CONFIG # Only SIMPLE method is provide, no more expert thing (who use it anyway ?) # MBR is the recomended way now # Able to pick windows as well as other Linux partitions (I think this is the lilo-expert killer) * NEW: CONFIGURE # Can choose : AUTOSETUP, BACKUP, BACKAUTO, or SKIP # AUTOSETUP = our always reliable HW detection # BACKUP = get the configuration from backup files The backup files is supposed to be at /home/backupsys. Remember, user can mount the /home now. New VL has a backupsys utility that save system configuration everyday. # BACKAUTO = get backup but continue hardware detection Usefull if you want old setup (network, users, etc) but moving to another computers. # SKIP = skip configuration for now, will be continued after reboot on config-stage2. * NEW: BACKUP CONFIGURE # Can choose backup volumes from /home/backupsys/* # Can choose individual files to restore. If everything is restored, BACKUP alone can completelly reconfigure the system (the required system files are shown). However, autosetup is still recomended. * REOGANIZED: AUTOSETUP # Autosetup can be done during install (config-stage1) or after rebooting (config-stage2). # Autosetup comprises of * detects the hardwares and make /etc/sysconfig/vector record * Detect kernel version and enable devfs / udef accordingly * Detect PCMCIA and enable it at once so network/modem can be enabled * Setup CDROM, modem (not winmodem), network card. # After autosetup, continue with network configuration # Configure X-Window # Configure ALSA # Configure Time-zone # Change root password and add a new user * CLASSIC : REBOOT # Nothing fancy, install will reboot after finished. * NEW: config-stage2 # This script performs the configuration after rebooting. # If config-stage1 has done everything, this scrip is simply a congratulation. # If not, it does the AUTOSETUP, and or BACKUP * FINISH That is it for the setup. All funny animals (chicken, puppy, turtle) are not harmed during the upgrading of this install system.