sysinst(8) is a simple menu driven installer.
sysinst(8) configures in the following.

1. Executing sysinst(8)

2. Choosing partitioning

3. Choosing the boot partition (i386 only)

4. Executing mke2fs(8) or mkswap(8) for the partitions

5. Selecting distribution sets (base, etc, comp, man, src, kern, contrib)

6. Choosing the installation media (Network or CDROM device)

We call 'Network installation' when Network is chosen and 'CDROM installation' when CDROM is chosen' in the following.

7.Configuring network (Network installation only)

7.1 Whether DHCP is used or not (i386 only)

7.2 Configuring network interfaces (DHCP is unused under i386 only)

7.3 Configuring FTP Server

8. Unpacking distribution sets

9. Writing the boot block (i386 only)

10. Creating device files and so on

11. Saving configuration of network interfaces (DHCP is unused under i386 only)

12. Deleting temporary files (Network installation only)

13. Changing the root password

14. Sysinst(8)'s will

0.1. Ways to input in the menu

There are four ways in each menu.

• Typing 'y' or 'n'
  
  ex.) Yes or No [y/N] ?
  Type 'y' or 'n'.
  If you type [RETURN] key only, the capital letter (no in ex.) is selected.
• Selecting the number
  
  ex.) Enter number [0-4 or x] :
  Typing the number (0-4 in ex.) indicated in the range '[]' or 'x'.
  If 'x' is typed, the next menu is followed.
• Selecting the alphabet or "x" to exit the menu
  
  ex.) Enter command [a,b,c,d or x] :
  Typing the alphabet (a, b, c, or d in ex.) indicated in the range '[]' or 'x'.
  If 'x' is typed, the next menu is followed.
• Typing strings
  
  ex.) Type in any character :
  Type any strings.
  Type any strings to return to the previous menu.

0.2. Further details

For further details of sysinst(8) readsrc/distrib/utils/sysinst.c.
If you compile sysinst.c with -DDEBUG, sysinst(8) works with nothing and you follow commands given to popen() or system().

Type 'sysinst' to execute sysinst(8) at the shell prompt.
Press 'y' to continue installation.

Available partitions defined by fdisk(8) are detected and the menu to select the file system to install.
In the example below /dev/hda1, /dev/hda2 whose the type of the file system is ext2 and /dev/hda3 which is swap are detected.
Select the number in the first column (0-2 in ex.) to go to the menu to edit parameters for each partition or 'x' to exit this menu.
Which partition is to be installed in or used as swap partition is indicated in the column, 'Use'.
Ext2 or ext3 partition (/dev/hda1 in ex.) and swap partition detected first are chosen and the other is not chosen.
The mount point of ext2 or ext3 partition (/dev/hda1 in ex.) detected first is specified as the root ('/').
You may go to the next menu with pressing 'x' unless changing.
We describe the example that the mount point of /dev/hda2 is /home.
Press '1' to go the menu to edit parameters for /dev/hda2.

If you choose '1' (/dev/hda2), the title changes from 'Setup Filesyatem' to 'Setup /dev/hda2', '>' which indicates choosing at the top of line is displayed in the following.
Press 'a' to select /dev/hda2 to be installed.

'*' which indicates choosing at column, 'Use' of /dev/hda2 is displayed.
If you type 'm', the prompt ('Enter mount point :') demanded to input the mount point.
Type '/home'.

'/home' is displayed in the column, 'Mount Point' of /dev/hda2.
Press 'x' to exit the menu to edit parameters for /dev/hda2.

The operation to specify /home to the mount point of /dev/hda2 is completed.
Press 'x' to go to the next menu.

Choose the partition to write the boot block.
This menu is displayed in i386 only.
If it is necessary to change, press 't', if not, do 'x'.

Whether you execute mke2fs(8) and mkswap(8) or not. If you have executed mke2fs(8) and mkswap(8) interactively, press 'n' to skip.

After execution mke2fs(8) and mkswap(8) are completed, the menu to select distribution sets is displayed. You should to select Generic Kernel, Base, and System (/etc). About Compiler, Cross Compiler, Manuals, Contributions, and Source you may select if necessary.
Contributions is prepared to create and check Web based configuration tool in FlashROM of OpenBlockS series but not for i386. Although thttpd etc. are included in Contributions, they are only for Web based configuration tool and you should not use for Web server.
Cross Compiler is prepared to compile in i386 distribution sets for OpenBlockS series but not for OpenBlockS.
Press the number (0-4) to toggle 'yes' or 'no' and press 'x' to go to the next menu.

The installation media (device) to be able to choose are displayed.
Press 't' to choose a media if there are more than two media.

The menu for network configuration is displayed only for network installtion. For OpenBlockS series the menu for network interfaces configuration described in 7.1 and 7.2 are not displayed since it is supposed to configure network interfaces before executiong sysinst(8).

To use DHCP to configure network interface. This menu is displayed in i386 only.
If you press 'y', dhclient(8) is executed and parameters for network interface are got from DHCP Server.

To configure network interfaces. If you press the number (0-6), the prompt for the papameter is displayed.
Press '0' to configure Hostname.

Press '1' to configure Domainname.

Configure parameters numbered with 2-6.
If all configuration is completed, press 'x' to go to the next menu.

To configure FTP Sever to download distribution sets.
If you download from ftp://ftp.plathome.co.jp, configure '5. Login Password'(E-mail address) and '3. FTP Proxy' if necessary.
If you download from your own FTP Server, configure '0. FTP server', '1. Remote pathname', and '4. Login name' as well as '5. Login Password' for the FTP Server. The FTP Server is not necessary to be Anonymous FTP Server but note pathname for '1. Remote pathname' is relative directory against Login directory.
Since ftp(1) of SSD/Linux interprets '@' as a delimiter between user account and server name, sysinit(8) replaces '@' by '%' in a password.
Since in Anonymous FTP a password is only access information in log, it does not matter that user%host.domain is replaced by user@host.domain. Since authentication failure occurs for real account, you must not include '@' in a password for real account.

Specify FTP proxy in the format, ftp://PROXY_HOST:PORT/. Configure in the following for example proxy.sub.mydomain as hostname of FTP Proxy and 8080 as port number.

ftp://proxy.sub.mydomain:8080/

'2. Local pathname' is a directory to save distribution sets downloaded temporarily. It is not necessary to change /usr/INST usually.

To unpack distribution sets.
For network installation distribution sets are fetched from FTP server with parameters configured before unpacking.

For CDROM installation it is displayed in the following.

To write the boot block to the boot partition configured in 3.
This menu is displayed in i386 only.
Press 'y' to write the boot block.

Creation of the device files etc. are done. It is not necessary to input.

To save configuration for network interfaces configured in 7.2 to /etc installed.

To delete archives of distribution sets downloaded from FTP server in 7.
Press 'y' if it is not necessary to save (use agein).

Change a password for root.

After changing the password of root, the installation is completed.
sysinst(8) wills yot 'Good luck...'.