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Diffstat (limited to 'eu/boot-installer/parameters.xml')
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diff --git a/eu/boot-installer/parameters.xml b/eu/boot-installer/parameters.xml new file mode 100644 index 000000000..b8a9c9784 --- /dev/null +++ b/eu/boot-installer/parameters.xml @@ -0,0 +1,277 @@ +<!-- retain these comments for translator revision tracking --> +<!-- original version: 14359 untranslated --> + + <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 arguments) 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 ``k'' for kilobytes, or ``m'' for megabytes. For +example, both <userinput>mem=65536k</userinput> and +<userinput>mem=64m</userinput> mean 64MB of RAM. + +</para><para> + +If your monitor is only capable of black-and-white, use the +<userinput>mono</userinput> boot argument. Otherwise, your +installation will use color, which is the default. + +</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 Arguments</title> +<para> + +The installation system recognizes a few boot arguments which may be +useful. + +</para> + +<variablelist> +<varlistentry> +<term>DEBCONF_PRIORITY</term> +<listitem><para> + +This parameter settings will set the highest 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>DEBCONF_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>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=noninteractive</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=text</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=newt</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=slang</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=ncurses</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=bogl</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=gtk</userinput></para> +</listitem><listitem> +<para><userinput>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=corba</userinput></para> +</listitem> +</itemizedlist> + +The default front end is <userinput>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=newt</userinput>. +<userinput>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=text</userinput> may be preferable for +serial console installs. Other frontends but +<userinput>newt</userinput> are not available on default install +media, so this is not very useful right now. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + + +<varlistentry> +<term>BOOT_DEBUG</term> +<listitem><para> + +Passing this boot parameter will cause the boot to be more verbosely +logged. + +<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 floppys 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></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 +chage 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 misbehaviour. + +</para></listitem> +</varlistentry> + +</variablelist> + </sect2> + </sect1> + |