Hi guys,

I downloaded the latest debian etch binary 1 cd and proceeded to install. First it failed to configure my network(though the card is easily detected) which sarge did with aplomb. Then to my horror there is no custom disk partitioning tool(but Sarge had this). All i get is an automatic partitioning tool which warns me all disks will be formatted and used blah blah... I tried it even in the expert install mode but same result.

If this holds true for all etch installations, are the developers out of their freakin minds? WTF are they thinking? TBH i don't see any difference between Debian and Microsoft(the monopoly king). Atleast Microsoft allows other OS's to reside with it. Get Bent Debian.

Can somebody comment?? Is it possible to make a custom partition install?

Thanks

PS: Don't advise me to install Sarge blah blah blah... ive seen it and it sucks with outdated software. Thats why i got the etch download.

What's wrong with using "apt-get dist-upgrade" to upgrade from Sarge to Etch??

I can do that mate but i need to know about this etch itch. Thanks

Ok after a bit of googling, i found this page.
http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/en.i386/apas03.html

He mentions a manual partition from the menu. Which menu? I dont see any manual menu!!

Etch is the distribution; testing is the repository. Etch is different because it has a newer installer and the 2.6.15 version of the kernel is installed by default. My installation of Etch was very successful.

Nothing wrong here. I installed etch about 5 days ago, it found all of my hardware and configured them properly. I did partition my disk through the menu. That would be the menu when it is asking about the partitions, how you want to use each partition.

1: Yes. You'll have to stick with Sarge until Etch is released as Stable, I'm afraid, because Etch is currently insane. It is completely out of its mind. It's full of circular dependencies, catch-22s, conflicts, and instabilities. The software-DSM considers it completely psychotic and filled with anti-social behaviour. The programmers on the Debian User mailing list are equally deranged, and in complete denial of their child's disturbed state. When asked, they will become agitated, saying deranged things like "only programmers can use updated software -- regular users should be happy with old outdated software; so use Sarge." To conclude, Debian Etch is nuts.

Mepis Linux is awesome and you can get almost anything to work with it easy. Warren even switched the Mepis core from Debian to Ubuntu because of the etch issues.

I am happy with Etch, can you tell me what is broken? Maybe I just haven't run the programs that are broken. I haven't had any problems with dependencies. I did have to install some for some apps that I like and needed, but that was easy with apt-get. The only problem I have had so far is for some reason SuperTux has stopped playing sound.

I have installed Etch for various reasons a half dozen times in the last couple months. I have seen other people complaining about things like missing dependencies (which I don't believe), and no manual partitioner ... I've never seen it. I always partition manually, and for every install I downloaded a new netinstal disk.

I guess I was just lucky.

This annoys me. People complain that debian is to slow. When they try to speed up then they complain about something else.

Any problems to be had can be avoided by reading. If you run apt-get dist-upgrade and it says "removing 100 packages" well then answer no.

Switching to a different base for that reason is an insult to ones users. And switching from etch to dapper (or whatever it is called) which is in testing itself makes no sense either.

Expressions of dissent or dissatisfaction are difficult to do about something that is collectively created, because people take ownership of it, and take things personally. I use Debian Sarge, and a while ago tried to upgrade to Etch. udev required a higher kernel image, but the newer kernel image required udev (a circular dependency). Various other problems too. So, I decided that Etch was currently insane, and that it's best to wait for it to be released when it's stable. Sarge is good enough for now, and I've been able to get some newer programs in other ways (ie, using alien for OOo, installing from source and selectively installing packages from testing and unstable when need be, creating a preferences file for upgrades, etc).

When I went on the user mailing list (which normally is very helpful) there were a great number of people who suggested that my difficulties with Etch were due to my own shortcomings, and not because it was insane. There were a lot of issues with udev for a while, though. And anyway, a user should be free to complain of issues like circular dependencies without facing a bunch of judgemental snobby horseshit from toothless programmers.

Please note, I have sent a cheque to SPI, to donate to Debian (they really should allow international users to donate online, though). But, I will feel free to express dissent or dissatisfaction when I feel it. An important principle of Debian is freedom, I believe.

PS, I could care less what MepisMan does. I tried Mepis, and when I found I could not do a dist-upgrade without breaking it, I deposited it in the trashbin. It's not for me, I felt.
PPS, it's too bad that Libranet tanked. It was user friendly, and close enough to Debian to do proper upgrades with.

I remember that, too. It was a long time ago (six months, maybe more). I fixed the problem by getting both the newer kernel and udev from unstable. That's one of the very few problems I've met in all the time I've been using Debian testing (that is, since Sarge was released). But, then again, I don't use kde or gnome which can be pain in the rear -- or so I've heard.
There's a better way: backports.org. Check it out.

http://backports.org/

1. In regards to circular dependency, if you are trying to update to etch realize that you will occasionally run into mis-matches in dependencies as one program is approved to Testing prior to its dependencies. Usually this clears up within a day. I've only seen this once or twice. Personally I use both unstable and testing repositories and pin to testing "apt-get -t testing upgrade", and seldom run into dependency issues.
2. What specific error did you get? I have had to "apt-get -f install" during an upgrade to complete the upgrade. Did you run "apt-get update" prior to doing your upgrade? How about posting you sources.list?
3. You do have to be careful when you update == if a major package upgrade (X, KDE, Gnome) just hits the "street" you may want to wait to do that upgrade.
4. I have never installed from the Binary CD, but with the netinst CD I have not experienced any problems with either hardware/LAN detection or partitioning. "Manual edit partition table" is the menu selection you want. If you have wideband connectivity you may want to use the netinst CD instead of the binaries. I have Debian installed next to WinXP, Elive and Ubuntu, so your inuendo that Debian doesn't install next to other OS's is plain wrong.
5. Debian is not Fedora Core and apt isn't YUM (your screenshot & system description), you are not going to get Anaconda for installation. Make sure that you aren't assuming that because it worked in FC that it works automatically in Debian. There are diffences.

I have upgraded loads of time from Sarge to Etch and I never had any major problems with upgrade. Also I have downloaded the etch CD image also with the newer installer and it too worked fine.

Incase if one needs a better control during a frest etch installation one can type 'expert' at the boot prompt and you will have the menu which will show the Partitioner tool.