User:Eleanorg/Thematic1.1/4 Oct Install Party

//Install Party 4 Oct 2011

//Installing debian: step-by-step

Put a CD in the drive. //Note: you can boot from a USB, but you'll have to make a bootable USB yourself from the downloaded .iso / .img files from debian.org

Insert CD & reboot. You should see the Debian boot screen.

Debian boot screen - pretty logo and the following options: ? Install, graphical install, advanced options, help > Select 'install' - this will be purely text-based, using keyboard only

? Options to select your location - for timezone, keyboard layout etc. > Select your country and preferred keyboard layout from the lists.

Wait for it to load. Make sure you have sure you have a network cable plugged in, or you'll get an error saying the network configuration failed.

? Configure the network (give a hostname) > Choose a name for your computer, eg 'mylaptop'

? Domain name > Leave blank (default for your current network) & continue

? Root password > Enter password for root user and continue

? Username > Enter name of daily user - it suggests your fullname, as its used by some software (eg Git).

? Set up users and passwords > Enter username for your daily user (not root), and a password

? Partition > Choose whether to partition (use whole machine, or create partition). Select ' use entire disk'

? Partition disks - select disc to partition > Select the right block device to partition sda - first disc recognised sdb - second disc recognised To wipe whole machine, select first option

? Partition disks - chose partitioning scheme Options: all files in one partition, separate /home partition, separate /home, /usr, /var... etc /home partition is useful for recovery if disc dies, as first partition is most likely to die and /home may still be recoverable > This is advanced, so just select first option - 'all files in one partition'

? Partition disks - overview of currently configured partitions Look at 'ext4' this is the filesystem. Other types of filesystems are jFS, xFS (good for servers), reiserFS (was good but abandoned by developer after he killed his wife) Look at 'swap' - this is like a buffer of empty space for when your RAM is full. (In this situation, your machine can either fill swap (making machine very slow), or crash.) Here you can chose whether to use swap or not - it's recommended to use it, and it's configured like that by default.

Note: Logical Volume Manager (LVM) will be mentioned at various points. It's a complex installation manager, not recommended for new users

? Confirm > A couple of screens asking you whether to continue and write changes. Say yes, yes.

'Installing the base system' > Wait for it to install, takes a few minutes

? Install the base system - choose kernal to install Options will depend on your machine, but you should see a list including the following options: linux-image-3.0.0-1-486 - manually set, will stay the same until you update it. (3.0 is a relatively new, but stable, version of the kernal. 2 was the previous one.) linux-image-686-pae - will automatically grab the newest version when whenever it's updated (usually every couple of weeks). < The best choice.

486 version is designed to work on older machines 686 version works on newer machines, more optimised.

> So select linux-image-686-pae

? Configure the package mirror - choose country Choose a country that will have the fastest connection to a Debian mirror. Your chosen mirror will be used whenever you update, so good to choose a fast mirror > There are various tricks to find a fast mirror, but one in your own country is a good choice

? Configure the package mirror - select a mirror > Ubuntu has only one mirror per country, but as Debian is a community project there will be a few to choose from. If unsure, select randomly. surfnet.nl is a good one in the Netherlands.

? proxy > ok to leave blank and continue

? Configure popularity contest > Say 'yes' or 'no' to participating in the Debian user survey - this helps Debian monitor use of its software. It sends a list of all software you install from Debian repositories to the Debian project.

? Software selection Gives you some choices for default software to be installed, so you don't have to do everything yourself afterwards. It's a list of 'metapackages' - a collection of useful stuff grouped by category. Downside is that you'll get a bunch of stuff you may never use. To avoid bloat and start from scratch, deselect everything (starred items are selected, select/deselect using the space bar).

? Install grub boot loader on a hard disk - install GRUB boot loader to the master boot record? > If you're installing from a CD this is simple, just say 'yes'. From a USB may entail additional steps - select 'yes' but seek help if you have problems. On a Mac, God only knows.

? Finish the installation > Message telling you it's time to reboot into your new system. Yay! Eject your installation disc/USB (so it won't try to boot from that) and say 'continue'. It should reboot automatically.

///// Installing software

//Installation tools

dpkg - just unpackages stuff that's already on the disk higher level GUIs like synaptic pakcage manager execute lower level basic commands like dpkg

// Debian software is developed thru 3 stages: unstable, testing, and stable. You can chose which source to use - unstable gets you the newest stuff, stable gets you older but more reliable stuff. Another pool, 'experimental', is for stuff that hasn't yet made it into 'unstable'.

cd /usr/bin to see what's currently installed. tSoftware installed using a package manager (eg Synaptic) it will be put here. /usr/local/bin is where the binaries live. You won't see any files listed here. Put software here if you're gonna compile it manually from the binary.

You need to be logged in as root to install software whoami - prints who you're logged in as su - switch user (by default, will switch to root user. enter root password) which aptitude - will tell you where 'aptitude' lives aptitude - will launch the aptitude software installer inside the shell: Ctrl + t goes to the menu Esc Exits the menu Alt + F1 Takes you to the other, original shell session Alt + F2 Takes you back into aptitude / opens search box for software packages. OR go to menu > Views > List flat packages, and type 'l' to search - may get better results Type search term & OK. Matching packages will be listed. n next in list (or down arrow) Enter Shows details of selected package including Depends (dependencies - name plus version. >= 3.0 means 'version 3.0 or later'). Ctrl + t Marks for installation - it will change colour/be marked with a symbol q quit, go back to main window u updates (installs all waiting updates) g installs packages marked for installation q quit aptitude

when you've marked all desiAred packages type 'g'. It will list all the marked packages. If you're sure you want to go ahead, type 'g' again to install

//ADVANCED CUSTOMISATION OF APTITUDE Each piece of software has an associated list of 'depends', 'suggests' and 'recommends'. Depends are essential, Suggests are optional enhancers or accompaniments, Recommends not necessary. All three groups are installed by default in aptitude when installing a piece of software. You can configure aptitude to never install recommends to avoid bloat. To customise aptitude:

cd /etc (this is where settings files live) cd apt (within /etc) - a load of configuration files are in the apt folder, controlling how aptitude works. cd apt.conf.d (you're now in the apt.conf.d folder)

make a new file in this folder (pico aptitudeconfig) that tells aptitude not to install recommends: (working directory is apt.conf.d) nano aptitudeconfig (opens a new file, 'aptitudeconfig', with nano editor. (doesn't matter what you call it - numbered files tell system in what order to run them, but this file doesn't need a number))

The file simply needs to read: APT::Install-Recommends "false";

Ctrl + o to save Ctrl + x to exit

//intstalling from the ground up

Xorg is a basic layer under graphical interface. Install using aptitude, then run by typing 'X'. Gives you basic environment with just a terminal and a mouse. On its own it doesn't do much. Now, you need a window manager.

(Errors: I mark 'xorg' and 'xorg-core-docs' for installation. When I type g to install, get error: "Please insert the disc labeled "Debian GNU/Linus 6.0.2/1 _Squeeze_ - Official i368 CD Binary-1 20110626-15:45" into the drive "/media/cdrom/" - choice of continue or abort. If I choose abort, files download & install but get message that some didn't download correctly.)

> window managers no desktop, but lets you open windows. you can install a package giving you a system tray if you like - eg 'trayer' evilwm - extremely minimal window manager, just one layer above command line interface dwm - similar to evilwm awesome - another minimal window manager. By defeault if one terminal is open, it uses the whole screen, then splits the screen as more windows are open. Also has a float mode, and you can have a system tray if you like. very customisable. it's derived from dwm, an older manager that is only customisable by editing the .config file openbox

>desktop managers/environments has a 'root window', or desktop, that is always there in the background. always comes with a window manager Gnome is a popular one, but bloated as it's designed to work in every situation for any user xfce - a bit lighter than gnome (used on PureDyne OS) lxde - very minimal, works on older machines

make file in home directory called .Xsession in the file type the name of the desktop/window manager you want it to run. (I think you just have to put 'exec nameofwindowmanager' in this file)

//configuring third-party repositories edit file /etc/apt/sources.list and insert lines with your chosen added repositories (search online for the URLS) for example, to add multimedia repository for non-free gakky goodness, you'll insert a line like this:

deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org squeeze main non-free

Anything from this repository will be listed in Aptitude with a 'U' meaning untrusted. To get rid of this warning, install the key of the repository.q

++g

//Switching to unstable - to get funky new stuff

cd /etc/apt nano sources.list (opens file 'sources.list' so you can edit it- this lists the repositories where you can download software from.) Edit the lines replacing lenny with 'sid' - this is the unstable flavour of debian.

'main' at the end of each line means the main repository. add 'contrib non-free' before 'main' on each line to also get non-free software. After saving this file (Ctrl + o) and closing (Ctrl + X), run apt-get update. This will update your system according to your new sources list. Reboot - command is simply 'reboot'

//Cool software

lynx is an old text-based browser within the terminal G http://google.com - opens google.com