I am currently downloading the latest Disk 1 binary for testing from here. Says it'll take an hour or so. When I get it, I'll stick it in, and if the main menu looks like yours, I'll be back to apologize.

Are you using the process outlined here: http://wiki.debian.org/qemu to install Debian as a qemu Emulated system ?

Just curious, since up to this point you made it sound as through you were installing on actual hardware as a multiboot system.

Well, if you use the same software (debian-installer) on two different computers and in one case (on my computer, for example) it gives the manual partitioning option while in the other case (your computer) it doesn't, then it should be reasonable to suspect that this difference has something to do with hardware.

The debian installer uses a program called "parted" for partitioning hard drives. There might be a bug in the version of parted that debian-installer etch beta2 uses, or there might be a bug in the debian-installer script that calls parted. Whatever the problem is, it's apparent that it only affects some computers while on others (my computers included) it gives the manual partitioning option just as expected.

If no-one reports this bug (giving also some information about the hardware on which it appears), then there's a good chance that the bug might go unnoticed by developers and it ends up into the final version of the installer.

This is what betas are for -- they give users a chance to test software and to report any bugs they can find before the final version is released.

I DL'd cd1 of etch and it won't even boot. Geez! The installer is looking for /install/2.6/vmlinuz, and browsing the disk shows vmlinuz in the /install directory.
I had forgotten what a hassle it is, and how long it takes if you can't use the net installer. I think they remake those .iso-s every week, but I don't know when thre'll be a new one out there.

Anyone know a work-around for that?

Don't worry its the same.I was actually installing the normal way. The reason i used qemu was to get the screenshots.

For the record: Someone at Debian noticed that the Etch set wouldn't boot, and changed it out in 2 days instead of a week. Thoughtful. In the meantime, I downloaded Disk 1 from .hu something or other. The location was linked on Debian's cd intaller page, with a disclaimer that it contained 'unofficial' Debian OS cd sets. They had been compiled by someone else, not Debian.

That 'unofficial' Disk1 showed the menu that the OP here and several other people have complained about ... No way to manually partition.

When I finally got a working official Debian disk (today), it included the menu selections I've come to know and love from the netinstal .iso. I thought perhaps that if I ran the installer without a network connection that would trigger a different menu, but it did not.

Bottom line, if you can't use netinstal, make sure you are getting the official Debian cd installation set.

+1 for me as well...

netinstall is the way to go! just did it with my system... love it! its even greater when your isp has a debian mirror and it takes no time at all to install hehe

Thank u rickh. Yep that unofficial thing,darn!!

Well where can i get the official one from? link??

PS: What does 'OP' mean ?? FHS i know LOL

Official Debian Etch CD sets. ... OP = Original Poster. I think that may be an LQ specific acronym.