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diff --git a/en/boot-installer/parameters.xml b/en/boot-installer/parameters.xml new file mode 100644 index 000000000..90188ad34 --- /dev/null +++ b/en/boot-installer/parameters.xml @@ -0,0 +1,351 @@ +<!-- retain these comments for translator revision tracking --> +<!-- $Id$ --> + + <sect1 id="boot-parms"><title>Boot Parameters</title> +<para> + +Boot parameters are Linux kernel parameters which are generally used +to make sure that peripherals are dealt with properly. For the most +part, the kernel can auto-detect information about your peripherals. +However, in some cases you'll have to help the kernel a bit. + +</para><para> + +If this is the first time you're booting the system, try the default +boot parameters (i.e., don't try setting parameters) and see if it works +correctly. It probably will. If not, you can reboot later and look for +any special parameters that inform the system about your hardware. + +</para><para> + +Information on many boot parameters can be found in the +<ulink url="http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/BootPrompt-HOWTO.html"> Linux +BootPrompt HOWTO</ulink>, including tips for obscure hardware. This +section contains only a sketch of the most salient parameters. Some +common gotchas are included below in +<xref linkend="boot-troubleshooting"/>. + +</para><para> + +When the kernel boots, a message + +<informalexample><screen> +Memory:<replaceable>avail</replaceable>k/<replaceable>total</replaceable>k available +</screen></informalexample> + +should be emitted early in the process. +<replaceable>total</replaceable> should match the total amount of RAM, +in kilobytes. If this doesn't match the actual amount of RAM you have +installed, you need to use the +<userinput>mem=<replaceable>ram</replaceable></userinput> parameter, +where <replaceable>ram</replaceable> is set to the amount of memory, +suffixed with <quote>k</quote> for kilobytes, or <quote>m</quote> for +megabytes. For example, both <userinput>mem=65536k</userinput> and +<userinput>mem=64m</userinput> mean 64MB of RAM. + +</para><para condition="supports-serial-console"> + +If you are booting with a serial console, generally the kernel will +autodetect +this<phrase arch="mipsel"> (although not on DECstations)</phrase>. +If you have a videocard (framebuffer) and a keyboard also attached to +the computer which you wish to boot via serial console, you may have +to pass the +<userinput>console=<replaceable>device</replaceable></userinput> +argument to the kernel, where <replaceable>device</replaceable> is +your serial device, which is usually something like +<filename>ttyS0</filename>. + +</para><para arch="sparc"> + +For &arch-title; the serial devices are <filename>ttya</filename> or +<filename>ttyb</filename>. +Alternatively, set the <envar>input-device</envar> and +<envar>output-device</envar> OpenPROM variables to +<filename>ttya</filename>. + +</para> + + + <sect2 id="installer-args"><title>Debian Installer Parameters</title> +<para> + +The installation system recognizes a few additional boot parameters<footnote> + +<para> + +Note that the kernel accepts a maximum of 8 command line options and +8 environment options (including any options added by default for the +installer). If these numbers are exceeded, 2.4 kernels will drop any +excess options and 2.6 kernels will panic. +<phrase condition="etch">With kernel 2.6.9 or newer, you can use 32 +command line options and 32 environment options.</phrase> + +</para> + +</footnote> which may be useful. + +</para> + +<variablelist> +<varlistentry> +<term>debconf/priority</term> +<listitem><para> + +This parameter sets the lowest priority of messages to be displayed. + +</para><para> + +The default installation uses <userinput>debconf/priority=high</userinput>. +This means that both high and critical priority messages are shown, but medium +and low priority messages are skipped. +If problems are encountered, the installer adjusts the priority as needed. + +</para><para> + +If you add <userinput>debconf/priority=medium</userinput> as boot parameter, you +will be shown the installation menu and gain more control over the installation. +When <userinput>debconf/priority=low</userinput> is used, all messages are shown +(this is equivalent to the <emphasis>expert</emphasis> boot method). +With <userinput>debconf/priority=critical</userinput>, the installation system +will display only critical messages and try to do the right thing without fuss. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + + +<varlistentry> +<term>DEBIAN_FRONTEND</term> +<listitem><para> + +This boot parameter controls the type of user interface used for the +installer. The current possible parameter settings are: + +<itemizedlist> +<listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=text</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=newt</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=slang</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=ncurses</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=bogl</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=gtk</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=corba</userinput></para> +</listitem> +</itemizedlist> + +The default front end is <userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=newt</userinput>. +<userinput>DEBIAN_FRONTEND=text</userinput> may be preferable for +serial console installs. Generally only the +<userinput>newt</userinput> frontend is available on default install +media, so this is not very useful right now. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + + +<varlistentry> +<term>BOOT_DEBUG</term> +<listitem><para> + +Setting this boot parameter to 2 will cause the installer's boot process +to be verbosely logged. Setting it to 3 makes debug shells +available at strategic points in the boot process. (Exit the shells to +continue the boot process.) + +<variablelist> +<varlistentry> +<term><userinput>BOOT_DEBUG=0</userinput></term> +<listitem><para>This is the default.</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term><userinput>BOOT_DEBUG=1</userinput></term> +<listitem><para>More verbose than usual.</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term><userinput>BOOT_DEBUG=2</userinput></term> +<listitem><para>Lots of debugging information.</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term><userinput>BOOT_DEBUG=3</userinput></term> +<listitem><para> + +Shells are run at various points in the boot process to allow detailed +debugging. Exit the shell to continue the boot. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> +</variablelist> + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + + +<varlistentry> +<term>INSTALL_MEDIA_DEV</term> +<listitem><para> + +The value of the parameter is the path to the device to load the +Debian installer from. For example, +<userinput>INSTALL_MEDIA_DEV=/dev/floppy/0</userinput> + +</para><para> + +The boot floppy, which normally scans all floppies and USB storage +devices it can to find the root floppy, can be overridden by this +parameter to only look at the one device. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term>debian-installer/framebuffer</term> +<listitem><para> + +Some architectures use the kernel framebuffer to offer installation in +a number of languages. If framebuffer causes a problem on your system +you can disable the feature by the parameter +<userinput>debian-installer/framebuffer=false</userinput>. Problem +symptoms are error messages about bterm or bogl, a blank screen, or +a freeze within a few minutes after starting the install. + +</para><para arch="i386"> + +The <userinput>video=vga16:off</userinput> argument may also be used +to disable the framebuffer. Such problems have been reported on a Dell +Inspiron with Mobile Radeon card. + +</para><para arch="m68k"> + +Such problems have been reported on the Amiga 1200 and SE/30. + +</para><para arch="hppa"> + +Such problems have been reported on hppa. + +</para><note arch="sparc"><para> + +Because of display problems on some systems, framebuffer support is +<emphasis>disabled by default</emphasis> for &arch-title;. This can result +in ugly display on systems that do properly support the framebuffer, like +those with ATI graphical cards. +If you see display problems in the installer, you can try booting with +parameter <userinput>debian-installer/framebuffer=true</userinput>. + +</para></note></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term>debian-installer/probe/usb</term> +<listitem><para> + +Set to <userinput>false</userinput> to prevent probing for USB on +boot, if that causes problems. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term>netcfg/disable_dhcp</term> +<listitem><para> + +By default, the &d-i; automatically probes for network configuration +via DHCP. If the probe succeeds, you won't have a chance to review and +change the obtained settings. You can get to the manual network setup +only in case the DHCP probe fails. + +</para><para> + +If you have a DHCP server on your local network, but want to avoid it +because e.g. it gives wrong answers, you can use the parameter +<userinput>netcfg/disable_dhcp=true</userinput> to prevent configuring +the network with DHCP and to enter the information manually. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term>hw-detect/start_pcmcia</term> +<listitem><para> + +Set to <userinput>false</userinput> to prevent starting PCMCIA +services, if that causes problems. Some laptops are well known for +this misbehavior. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term>preseed/url</term> +<listitem><para> + +Specify the url to a preconfiguration file to download and use in +automating the install. See <xref linkend="automatic-install"/>. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term>preseed/file</term> +<listitem><para> + +Specify the path to a preconfiguration file to load to +automating the install. See <xref linkend="automatic-install"/>. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry condition="etch"> +<term>cdrom-detect/eject</term> +<listitem><para> + +By default, before rebooting, &d-i; automatically ejects the optical +media used during the installation. This can be unnecessary if the system +does not automatically boot off the CD. In some cases it may even be +undesirable, for example if the optical drive cannot reinsert the media +itself and the user is not there to do it manually. Many slot loading, +slim-line, and caddy style drives cannot reload media automatically. + +</para><para> + +Set to <userinput>false</userinput> to disable automatic ejection, and +be aware that you may need to ensure that the system does not +automatically boot from the optical drive after the initial +installation. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term>ramdisk_size</term> +<listitem><para> + +If you are using a 2.2.x kernel, you may need to set &ramdisksize;. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry condition="etch"> +<term>rescue/enable</term> +<listitem><para> + +Set to <userinput>true</userinput> to enter rescue mode rather than +performing a normal installation. See <xref linkend="rescue"/>. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +</variablelist> + </sect2> + </sect1> + |