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hd-media kernel and initrd for non-free release

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TheTuxdude
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Joined: 2022-05-14 20:47

hd-media kernel and initrd for non-free release

#1 Post by TheTuxdude »

I am installing Debian 11.3 on my DELL Inspriron 5515 laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5500U with an on-die Ryzen GPU. The laptop also comes with an Atheros Wi-Fi card. This requires me to use the non-free image to even start the installation (otherwise the boot screen doesn't update after the initial GRUB messages).

I am of course able to use the non-free netinst iso flashed to my USB stick and install the OS successfully.

However, I normally have a multi-boot USB stick, and rely on the hd-media vmlinuz and initrd images to bootstrap, and start the installation by asking it to scan for iso at a given location. For the non-free version, are these hd-media kernel and initrd images available somewhere? I couldn't find by exploring the repo here - https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/.

Thanks!

p.H
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Re: hd-media kernel and initrd for non-free release

#2 Post by p.H »

TheTuxdude wrote: 2022-05-15 04:35 This requires me to use the non-free image to even start the installation (otherwise the boot screen doesn't update after the initial GRUB messages).
Really ? As far as I can see, official (free) and unofficial (including non-free firmware) ISO images contain the same vmlinuz and initrd.gz files, so I do not see why booting would be different nor why there would be a need for specific non-free hd-media vmlinuz or initrd.gz.

TheTuxdude
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Re: hd-media kernel and initrd for non-free release

#3 Post by TheTuxdude »

p.H wrote: 2022-05-17 18:07
TheTuxdude wrote: 2022-05-15 04:35 This requires me to use the non-free image to even start the installation (otherwise the boot screen doesn't update after the initial GRUB messages).
Really ? As far as I can see, official (free) and unofficial (including non-free firmware) ISO images contain the same vmlinuz and initrd.gz files, so I do not see why booting would be different nor why there would be a need for specific non-free hd-media vmlinuz or initrd.gz.
The firmware images in non-free are part of the initrd. That's how the kernel gets to load them at boot time. The vmlinuz might still be the same, but definitely requires rebuilding the initrd to account for this. I can confirm that I couldn't get the current hd-media vmlinuz/initrd to work with the non-free ISO on my laptop. Booting from a flashed USB (with the same non-free ISO) worked though.

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Re: hd-media kernel and initrd for non-free release

#4 Post by p.H »

TheTuxdude wrote: 2022-05-17 18:28 The firmware images in non-free are part of the initrd.
Not the debian-installer initrd's included in installation ISO images. I compared the initrd's in official and non-free installation images : they are the same.
TheTuxdude wrote: 2022-05-17 18:28 I couldn't get the current hd-media vmlinuz/initrd to work with the non-free ISO on my laptop. Booting from a flashed USB (with the same non-free ISO) worked though.
Which ISO image ? You reported in another topic that you successfully booted a live system. Of course a debian-installer initrd won't work with a live system.

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