Hi, I'm trying to install Debian Unstable (Etch), but I'm unable to get over the first hurdle. The CD loads, giving me the Debian logo and 'boot:', but when I press enter I just get the error: unable to locate /install/2.6/linux (or words to that effect). When I locate the initrd.gz file, I start it and get the error, corrupt or invalid kernel image, and if I load vmlinuz, I get a kernel panic: unable to mount root filesystem at block 8,1. I noticed that when I typed vmlinuz, I only got 'vmlinuz' loading, not initrd.gz as well.

Does anybody have any ideas on how I could get the NetInstall CD working. There shouldn't be anything wrong with the disk because I've burnt 3 disks, including 2 different daily builds, and surley the disk should work otherwise they wouldn't have even released.

So, anyone have any clues, or anyone else experienced this problem.

Any info would be fantastic, Buck start

download a different version? and etch isn't unstable... it's testing.. unstable is always sid because he likes to break things..

I have downloaded a different version. I didn't realise sid is ALWAYS unstable, I thought it was just a release name. Anyway, which one uses the x.org instead of Xfree86, and which one would u recommend?

Cheers, Buck

xfree. xorg is in Sid. It breaks. I can testify it broke one of my boxes.
But so does Sid. It has become really unstable again

well, that is what the name implies, anyway, still struggling with this CD

well, if you do want debian.. i would recommend going with the sarge-based net-inst disc. You can always tweak your apt repos to unstable or testing as you see fit later and get some more current softwares... Honestly, I don't use debian much.. it's a good OS... i like the tools, but it has always seemed very slow for me.. but that is probably because it's still compiled for i386.. which is fine..

I love my FreeBSD, Arch, and Slackware though.. (not trying to start a flame war at all!) But if you still can't get deb. to work... you may want to give Slackware a try... FreeBSD and Arch Linux are great.. but Arch is not recommended for Linux newbies.. I'm rambling.. good luck with deb. Let us know how you do.

I'm currently running debian sarge i386 (and about to get the x86_64 version). So what repositories do I need to convert it to unstable

# nano /etc/apt/sources.list

change sarge to sid.

But, beware, sid is really freakin unstable right now. GCC4, xorg, gnome,kde....lot's of broken dependencies.

ok, what about testing (etch)

change sarge to etch