why might debian install require constant pressing of ENTER?

[CLIFFORD ILKAY]

On 01/07/09 01:12 PM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> On Wed, 1 Jul 2009, D. Hugh Redelmeier wrote:
> 
>> | From: D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh-pmF8o41NoarQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org>
>>
>> | I seem to vaguely remember there being occasions where my systems have
>> | perked up when I hit the keyboard.
>>
>> There is one case where this can be explained: when the system is
>> generating keys (eg. for IPSec or BIND or SSHD) it needs random
>> numbers.
>>
>> /dev/random will only yield bytes if the system thinks that it has
>> enough "entropy"; otherwise, a read will hang until enough entropy
>> has accumulated.  One source of entropy is keystroke timing and
>> another is mouse events.
> 
>   the *instant* i saw the aforementioned behaviour (cripplingly slow
> install unless i kept pressing ENTER or, in the case of a graphical
> install, moving the mouse), my absolutely first reaction was, "crap,
> it needs entropy for something."  seriously, i did think that but it
> just seemed weird because it needed that *constantly*.  i could see
> maybe occasionally having to pause but this was non-stop.  literally,
> this morning, installing debian 5.01 on my gateway laptop, i just put
> something heavy on the ENTER key and left it there, that's how absurd
> it was.
> 
>   does anyone have a solid explanation for this?  entropy sounds like
> a good guess, but i'm feeling it's still a guess.


Maybe you can borrow Colin McGregor's cat(s) while you're doing
installations. I recall Colin (I think) asking about how to keep his
cats from sleeping on one of his systems. Perhaps random cat movements
across your keyboard might expedite the Debian installation process. You
might have to rig some sort of cat toy on either side of the computer to
get them to walk back and forth across your keyboard and channel their
movements accordingly rather than just have them curl up and sleep on
the keyboard. Some trial and error might be necessary because, well, I'm
sure you've heard the expression "herding kittens".

By the way, do you think I might be able to get a patent on "Feline
Facilitated Entropy for Computer Systems"? This could be a good subject
for a Ph.D. thesis.
-- 
Regards,

Clifford Ilkay
Dinamis
1419-3266 Yonge St.
Toronto, ON
Canada  M4N 3P6

<http://dinamis.com>
+1 416-410-3326
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