[Bio-Linux] Re: (no subject) (Siddharth Ray)

[John Parkinson]

> At present, anyone installing on non-standard hardware will encounter
> kudzu - Red Hat's hardware detection system. Assuming that one answers
> yes to each question (I didn't find this, shall I remove the config.?, and
> I found this, shall I configure it?) then all the changes in hardware
> will be dealt with efficiently.
> Kudzu won't: 
> 1. Write a new XF86Config file.
> 2. Run fdisk/mkfs/vi fstab for you.

Sure, but this is what I was wondering if scripts could be created for.

> >which if non-standard drops the user into single user
> >non-graphics mode so that the appropriate configuration executables can
> >be run. 
> 
> By default, the machine boots to run level 3, so X will not run. One
> can then log in as manager and run xfree86 --configure as well as
> the usual setup script, fdisk etc.

Our recent experience saw the machine try to load the graphics login
page unsuccessfully and then gave a text login screen. Login to the
manager account was then not possible due to some error which appeared
and disappeared so quickly we never found out what it was - I assumed it
was something to do with a startup login script which conflicted with
the hardware (X-server ??)........

> >As it stands at the moment, it is very difficult to get to
> >single-user mode, 
> 
> By design, because it is not necessary to do so in order to set the machine
> up.

.....hence the need to drop into single user mode in none standard
machines.

> >which means you get stuck with an unconfigured blank
> >screen.
> 
> In some of the older releases this may have been the case, but before
> handing it all over to Dan I changed things so that run level 3 is the
> default. Thus, the machine will always be usable no matter how odd
> the hardware you install it on.

We tried our last install three weeks ago, was this one of the older
releases ?

> >Before this happens the installation can tell the user what they need to
> >do and if this fails then point the user to the appropriate Linux forum.
> 
> What the user needs to do is install on appropriate hardware ;-)

It certainly makes things easier :-)

John