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<!-- retain these comments for translator revision tracking -->
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<!-- $Id: parameters.xml,v 1.5 2003/11/17 19:04:39 joeyh Exp $ -->
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<sect1 id="boot-parms"><title>Boot Parameters</title>
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<para>
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Boot parameters are Linux kernel parameters which are generally used
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to make sure that peripherals are dealt with properly. For the most
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part, the kernel can auto-detect information about your peripherals.
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However, in some cases you'll have to help the kernel a bit.
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</para><para>
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If this is the first time you're booting the system, try the default
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boot parameters (i.e., don't try setting arguments) and see if it works
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correctly. It probably will. If not, you can reboot later and look for
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any special parameters that inform the system about your hardware.
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</para><para>
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Information on many boot parameters can be found in the
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<ulink url="http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/BootPrompt-HOWTO.html"> Linux
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BootPrompt HOWTO</ulink>, including tips for obscure hardware. This
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section contains only a sketch of the most salient parameters. Some
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common gotchas are included below in
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<xref linkend="boot-troubleshooting"/>.
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</para><para>
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When the kernel boots, a message
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<informalexample><screen>
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Memory:<replaceable>avail</replaceable>k/<replaceable>total</replaceable>k available
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</screen></informalexample>
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should be emitted early in the process.
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<replaceable>total</replaceable> should match the total amount of RAM,
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in kilobytes. If this doesn't match the actual amount of RAM you have
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installed, you need to use the
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<userinput>mem=<replaceable>ram</replaceable></userinput> parameter,
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where <replaceable>ram</replaceable> is set to the amount of memory,
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suffixed with ``k'' for kilobytes, or ``m'' for megabytes. For
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example, both <userinput>mem=65536k</userinput> and
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<userinput>mem=64m</userinput> mean 64MB of RAM.
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</para><para>
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If your monitor is only capable of black-and-white, use the
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<userinput>mono</userinput> boot argument. Otherwise, your
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installation will use color, which is the default.
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</para><para condition="supports-serial-console">
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If you are booting with a serial console, generally the kernel will
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autodetect this
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<phrase arch="mipsel">(although not on DECstations)</phrase>
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If you have a videocard (framebuffer) and a keyboard also attached to
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the computer which you wish to boot via serial console, you may have
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to pass the
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<userinput>console=<replaceable>device</replaceable></userinput>
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argument to the kernel, where <replaceable>device</replaceable> is
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your serial device, which is usually something like
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<filename>ttyS0</filename>.
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</para><para arch="sparc">
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For &arch-title; the serial devices are <filename>ttya<filename> or
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<filename>ttyb</filename>.
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Alternatively, set the <envar>input-device</envar> and
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<envar>output-device</envar> OpenPROM variables to
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<filename>ttya</filename>.
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</para>
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<sect2 id="installer-args"><title>Debian Installer Arguments</title>
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<para>
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The installation system recognizes a few boot arguments which may be
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useful.
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</para>
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<variablelist>
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<varlistentry>
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<term>DEBCONF_PRIORITY</term>
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<listitem><para>
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These parameter settings will similarly set the highest priority of
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messages to be displayed.
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</para><para>
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With DEBCONF_PRIORITY=critical, the installation system will display
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only critical messages and try to do the right thing without fuss. If
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problems are encountered, the installer adjusts the priority as
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needed.
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</para><para>
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If DEBCONF_PRIORITY=high (the default setting), both high and critical
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priority messages are shown, but medium and low priority messages are
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skipped. When DEBCONF_PRIORITY=low is used, all messages are shown.
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</para></listitem>
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</varlistentry>
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<variablelist>
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<varlistentry>
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<term>DEBCONF_FRONTEND</term>
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<listitem><para>
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This boot parameter controls the type of user interface used for the
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installer. The current possible parameter settings are:
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<itemizedlist>
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<item>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=noninteractive</item>
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<item>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=text</item>
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<item>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=newt</item>
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<item>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=slang</item>
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<item>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=ncurses</item>
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<item>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=bogl</item>
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<item>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=gtk</item>
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<item>DEBCONF_FRONTEND=corba</item>
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</itemizedlist>
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The default front end is DEBCONF_FRONTEND=newt. DEBCONF_FRONTEND=text
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may be preferable for serial console installs.
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</para></listitem>
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</varlistentry>
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</variablelist>
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<variablelist>
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<varlistentry>
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<term>BOOT_DEBUG</term>
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<listitem><para>
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Passing this boot parameter will cause the boot to be more verbosely
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logged.
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<variablelist>
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<varlistentry>
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<term>BOOT_DEBUG=0</term>
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<listitem><para>This is the default.</para></listitem>
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</varlistentry>
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<varlistentry>
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<term>BOOT_DEBUG=1</term>
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<listitem><para>More verbose than usual.</para></listitem>
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</varlistentry>
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<varlistentry>
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<term>BOOT_DEBUG=2</term>
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<listitem><para>Lots of debugging information.</para></listitem>
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</varlistentry>
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<varlistentry>
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<term>BOOT_DEBUG=3</term>
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<listitem><para>
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Shells are run at various points in the boot process to allow detailed
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debugging. Exit the shell to continue the boot.
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</para></listitem>
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</varlistentry>
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</variablelist>
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</para></listitem>
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</varlistentry>
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<varlistentry>
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<term>INSTALL_MEDIA_DEV</term>
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<listitem><para>
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The value of the parameter is the path to the device to load the
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Debian installer from. For example,
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<userinput>INSTALL_MEDIA_DEV=/dev/floppy/0</userinput>
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</para><para>
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The boot floppy, which normally scans all floppys and USB storage
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devices it can to find the root floppy, can be overridden by this
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parameter to only look at the one device.
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</para></listitem>
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</varlistentry>
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<varlistentry>
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<term>nofb</term>
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<listitem><para>
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Some architectures use the kernel framebuffer to offer installation in
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a number of languages. If framebuffer causes a problem on your system
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you can use this option to disable the feature. Problem symptoms are
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error messages about bterm or bogl, a blank screen, or a freeze within
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a few minutes after starting the install.
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</para><para arch="i386">
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The <userinput>video=vga16:off</userinput> argument may also be used
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to disable the framebuffer. Such problems have been reported on a Dell
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Inspiron with Mobile Radeon card.
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</para><para arch="m68k">
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Such problems have been reported on the Amiga 1200 and SE/30.
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</para><para arch="hppa">
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Such problems have been reported on hppa.
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</para></listitem>
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</varlistentry>
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</variablelist>
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</sect2>
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</sect1>
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