#993417 Installation failure on i386 system / Debian 11

Package:
installation-reports
Source:
installation-reports
Submitter:
Craig Norborg
Date:
2021-10-29 21:12:03 UTC
Severity:
normal
#993417#5
Date:
2021-09-01 00:05:25 UTC
From:
To:
Boot method: USB stick
Image version: https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/i386/iso-dvd/debian-11.0.0-i386-DVD-1.iso
Date: 8/31/21 5:50PM MST
Machine: Dell Dimension 8400
Processor: Pentium 4
Memory: 2Gb
Partitions: ?
Output of lspci -knn (or lspci -nn): ?

Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

Initial boot:           [ ]
Detect network card:    [ ]
Configure network:      [ ]
Detect media:           [ ]
Load installer modules: [ ]
Detect hard drives:     [ ]
Partition hard drives:  [ ]
Install base system:    [e ]
Clock/timezone setup:   [ ]
User/password setup:    [ ]
Install tasks:          [ ]
Install boot loader:    [e ]
Overall install:        [e ]

Comments/Problems: I played around and could see the error
"/install.i386/vmlinuz not found".  Saw this in multiple places.

<Description of the install, in prose, and any thoughts, comments
      and ideas you had during the initial install.>  I was trying to
bring up a friends old machine with a decent OS, so I downloaded the
latest debian DVD image and put it on a thumb drive.   Would not
install.  Tried both the full install (shown above) and the live
image, both had issues.

I then went and downloaded a copy of ubuntu 17.04, and it installed
fine, although it kind of sucks.   But, I'm assuming that if it would
install ok, that Debian should have installed if it wasn't for the
error.

I did get to a "boot:" prompt, but not getting anywhere, not sure what
commands I can or can't use.   Trying the install command shown above
I get the same error.
#993417#10
Date:
2021-09-01 00:29:05 UTC
From:
To:
Hi Craig,

Craig Norborg <craig@norb.org> (2021-08-31):

How did you deploy the downloaded image(s) to the thumb drive?


Cheers,
#993417#15
Date:
2021-09-01 00:35:47 UTC
From:
To:
Hi Craig,

I'm curious why the installation system is not finding things. Can you
explain exactly how you wrote the image to the USB drive please?
#993417#20
Date:
2021-09-01 00:51:40 UTC
From:
To:
I used software called "Rufus".   screen cap below of the options.  Same
exact drive when I did it with Ubuntu.

[image: image.png]
#993417#25
Date:
2021-09-05 13:20:53 UTC
From:
To:
Hi again Craig!

Hmmm, that surprises me - Rufus normally works very well with our
images. Out of curiosity, could you please try again using "dd" mode?
IIRC that's one of the advanced options.

This *might* possibly be a hardware issue with the USB drive, but
let's check the software options first.
#993417#30
Date:
2021-09-05 21:45:37 UTC
From:
To:
That appears to have done it, about halfway through installing right now.
 Will let you know if that changes.
#993417#35
Date:
2021-10-29 21:08:54 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

Craig Norborg <craig@norb.org> wrote (Sun, 5 Sep 2021 15:45:37 -0600):

No further complains, so assuming that using the "dd" method fixed this
issue.
With other words, a Rufus issue maybe?

We don't recommend Rufus at https://www.debian.org/CD/faq/#write-usb
or in the installation-guide, so maybe there is an issue with Rufus
regarding our installation images, and we are not aware of this issue,
because only few people use the "Rufus" method (with our images)?

Just a thought ...

Holger