I'm glad that I've been able to switch to Linux. Really, I loathe the thought of having to use that other OS and I don't.

I'm mulling over the Debian move though. Why is it not possible to devise an OS that can be updated and to which you can add third party software?

I've just downloaded Firefox 1.5.0.3 straight from Mozilla and installed it without a problem. I'm using OpenOffice 2.0.2, downloaded from OpenOffice. Version 2.0.3, I gather, will be out soon. I've got Adobe Reader from Adobe, Player from Player. That, I think, is how it should be but, evidently, that is not so with Debian and Debian-based distros.

Why should I be tied to Debian or any OS supplier for all my software? Bundling is one thing I really detest about the OS which shall not be named.

What I'd really like is an OS that works the way it professes to work and lets me get on with doing what I want to do, which isn't searching the WWW, forums and HowTos, hunting and then trying to decipher man pages, just so that I can get things to work. I cannot even start that process, it seems, until the Debian developers have got the software I want working for Debian.

All these are available for Debian via apt-get, although you may need to add some non-official repositories to your sources.list.

However, it seems to me that Debian is not the ideal distro for you. I'd recommend purchasing Linspire and subscribing to its Click'N'Run service. Xandros is another distro that might be to your taste. Have you tried Mandriva? Or SUSE? Maybe Mepis would be what you want? Or Ubuntu? There are plenty of distros out there and I'm sure you'll find one that's right for you.

One of Debian's fundamental ideas is its commitment to free software. If you don't share this commitment, you will never understand why Debian doesn't want to become like commercial distros. Don't make yourself unhappy by using a distro that disagrees with your values and needs.

Guys,

Ok Ok cheer up. Why are u flaming one another? All i wanted was to install etch. Please there's no point in it. The end thing is those who can, will use debian, those who can't will move on. So stop it.

Now my problem still holds. I'll show it with screenshots.

Ok 1st step.
1)Main menu
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/8666/mainmenu8my.jpg

2) Error in network config
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/9...orkfail4zp.jpg

3) Back to Main menu

4) Automatically partition ??
http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/20/partdisk2yi.jpg
I selected <no>

5) Error in partitioning
http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/3...skerror3qd.jpg

6) Back to main menu.

Now for u experts out ther, where is the manual menu?? This applies for both expert and non-expert mode of install.

Hope u see my point
Cheers

when you chose the automatic partition, did you see a link for a manual partition below it?

Nope. When i choose automatic partition, it straight away asks me the screenshot no 4. If i decline it, its screenshot no 5 and back to main menu.

You're not the first one who has told on this forum that the etch beta 2 release of debian-installer lacks the manual partitioning option. This problem seems to depend on the hardware you use -- I, for example, have used debian-installer (etch beta 2) for installing Debian successfully on two computers and the option for manual partition has appeared in both cases.

Unfortunately there's not much that we can do here at linuxquestions.org to solve your problem. If you want this problem fixed before Etch is officially released, you should consider filing a bug report against the etch beta 2 release of debian-installer and include some information about the hardware you use when the problem appears. There's a template available that you can use for reporting bugs against debian-installer.

http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/...tml#submit-bug
http://www.debian.org/Bugs/Reporting

I've used both the beta2 and the daily cvs installer ... with no apparent difference. You might try the daily cvs installer and see if it works differently for you. You are using the official Debian installer and not someone else's, right? Your screens just look somehow different than the ones I see. I suppose that could be hardware related, as well.

Parrot, thanks for the info i aprreciate it. But what the * does that have to do with hardware? what are the * developers thinking with their * heads? Partitioning dependent on hardware? Thats the crappiest * code of linux ive seen from the developers. Installation is a very basic and first step towards debian for new * users like me. If thers such a * issue here itself, then i dunno what to do. No * wonder i don't hear many debian users.

Well thats my * rant.

Thanks mate

What do u mean different rickh? Can u explain please?

I don't understand. You said you choose "automatic partition". If you wanted to do a manual partition, why did you choose "automatic partition"?

I've been installing Debian Etch on several computers lately. No matter what the hardware, I've always chosen "manual partitioning"--the bottom option below the automatic options (for each hard drive). I've had no issues.

Check out the 1st screenshot and tell me where is the manual partition option..

I'm not familiar with installing using that "main menu". When I install it just gives one set of options after another. When I do it, the option for manual partitioning occurs immediately after it detects the disks.

You should never see that main menu unless at some point in the process, you select, "Go Back". I do not believe you are using a current Etch installer. It looks to me like it may be a Sarge installer. You are missing numerous steps in the Main Menu list. Get a current netinstal .iso here. You can't expect to get much help when you say you have an Etch installation disk, and you don't.

Furthermore, if you want help from me, you will please refrain from obscenity. Makes me assume you are a teen-ager who should be using Xandros or Linspire anyway, rather than Debian, which is the most widely used distro in the world, and designed for people who are as mature as the Debian System.

I've heard of others who've had this problem with the partitioner as well. They were using wireless devices in their set up. Maybe it has something to do with this? I'm only guessing. Myself, I'm sticking with Sarge until Etch is released as stable in November. Once bitten, twice shy (my last effort to upgrade failed).

21: Posting a bug report is a good suggestion.

18: Why? Because that's what we do.

28: Oh please, spare me the snobby lecture.

@rickh, im using the latest binary 1 Debian 32 etch cd. Ive got sarge too and have installed it with no problems. So i know the difference between sarge and etch. I can't do a net install coz my net is not up to it.

Well, if ur talkin about the rant, i can say it was just my state of mind at that time. TBH im just fond of debian and so hate it when issues like this come inbetween me and it. I ain't no teenager either. Besides i had the impression that americans are the most obscene people in the world (what with ur movies....)