Install (plain) Debian (sarge release) via grml: Assuming you want to install Debian to sda1: mkfs.ext3 /dev/sda1 # make an ext3 filesystem on /dev/sda1 mount -o rw,suid,dev /dev/sda1 /mnt/test # now mount the new partition debootstrap sarge /mnt/test ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian # get main packages from a debian-mirror chroot /mnt/test /bin/bash # let's chroot into the new system mount -t devpts none /dev/pts # ...otherwise running base-config might fail ("Terminated" or "openpty failed") mount -t proc none /proc # make sure we also have a mounted /proc base-config # now configure some main settings vi /etc/mkinitrd/mkinitrd.conf # adjust $ROOT (to /dev/sda1) for your new partition, autodetection will fail in chroot cd /dev ; ./MAKEDEV generic # make sure we have all necessary devices for lilo apt-get install lilo linux-image-2.6.12-1-386 # install lilo and a kernel which fits your needs cp /usr/share/doc/lilo/examples/conf.sample /etc/lilo.conf # let's use a template vi /etc/lilo.conf && lilo # adjust the file for your needs and run lilo afterwards umount /proc ; umount /dev/pts # we do not need them any more exit # now leave chroot cp /etc/hosts /etc/fstab /mnt/test/etc/ # you might want to take the existing files... cp /etc/network/interfaces /mnt/test/etc/network/ # ...from the running grml system for your new system umount /mnt/test && reboot # unmount partition and reboot... Notice: you can get this tip via running 'grml-tips sarge' on grml >=0.8. -- Michael Prokop , Fri Aug 11 16:38:47 CEST 2006