why might debian install require constant pressing of ENTER?

[Robert P. J. Day]

On Wed, 1 Jul 2009, D. Hugh Redelmeier wrote:

> > From: Robert P. J. Day <rpjday-L09J2beyid0N/H6P543EQg at public.gmane.org>
>
> > when installing debian 5.01 on one of my gateway mx7120 laptops,
> > almost invariably, the install runs fine partway through all the
> > SW install, then slows to a crawl for each package -- a situation
> > i can rectify by simply holding down the ENTER key.
>
> Does it have to be ENTER?  Does SPACE work?  How about SHIFT?

  good question -- i didn't check.  this was with the non-graphical
install.  i recall, a while back, during a graphical install, i could
get the same effect by moving the mouse constantly.  after a while,
that lost its amusement value.

> I seem to vaguely remember there being occasions where my systems
> have perked up when I hit the keyboard.  My thought was that there
> was a lost interrupt and the next interrupt kind of got it going
> again. Very fuzzy memory.
>
> Consider playing with APIC-related kernel parameters if this is the
> case.

  i'll give that a shot.  i know others who have seen the same thing.
i can't believe this is a common problem since others would have been
complaining about it as well, so i'm guessing it's tied to the HW on
this system somehow.

rday

p.s.  i've seen this behaviour only during install.  once the system
is up and running, it seems fine.  and, yes, i have working BCM4318
wireless.  :-)

--

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Robert P. J. Day                               Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA

        Linux Consulting, Training and Annoying Kernel Pedantry.

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