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Screenshots of a Debian Gnu/Linux installation

These are the shots of an easy Debian Gnu/Linux installation in VirtualBox.
It is originally created for the beginners guide of oswaldkelsoo. You can find it here:
beginners guide
Thanks and credits go to oswaldkelsoo and hazel, who both helped with it.
It is a single OS installation with one hard-disk.

Structure

Put the CD in the CD-Rom, make sure your PC is able to boot from CD and go for it:
choose install - textual or graphical. These screen-shots are of a textual install.

one_boot-menu

1)Personal settings

You will be asked about the locales first, (which language, region, keyboard-layout, etc).
The screen shots are self-explanatory:

language

country

keymap

The installer will read the content of the installation media and load some extra components. This will be done automatically:

additional

2)Network settings

The installer will try to auto-configure your network connection with dhcp.
If it works you will be informed and you can accept it, then proceed pulling in newer
packages from a Debian server (network-mirror).

If it fails and you can choose not to configure it for now and do it after the installation is complete. In this case the packages will be pulled from the CD/DVD media. In this situation you will not select a network-mirror.

configure_network

You will now be asked about your host name and domain.
If you have a single user environment you may make these names up.
Otherwise you need to ask the your system administrator:

host

domain

3)Partitioning

Now comes a very important part of the installation process: the partitioning.
In this example we will assume you have a single hard drive and no other OS.
We will let the installer do the work.

Choose guided and to use the entire disk



Choose which partition you want to make use of.
Here I only have one, so the choice is easy.
Usually you can distinguish the different partitions by their size or by the name.
(as you can see you are able to install a stock Debian system on a very small partition)

partition_disks

Two choices are reasonable for the following question:
either choose to put all files in one partition or make use of a separate /home partition.
Though the installer recommends the first option, I prefer a separate /home partition.
This separates your personal data from the system files.
The final option is more difficult to deal with. Don't do it unless you know exactly why
and how to deal with such situations.

partitioning scheme

the installer shows you how the result would look:

partitioning_overview

This is a very important part: it's the point of no return.
after you have said: "yes, do it", all data which were on the disk will be gone.
Think twice.

last_exit

After the partitioning is finished the installer starts to install the base system
Again it is done automatically. You may have a short break.

base_system

4) Root and user passwords

Its time to set up the information for the system:
first you need to enter a root password.
(Write it down and keep it safe; once you know and won't forget it, delete the piece of paper)

root_passwd

You need to re-enter the password, to confirm you typed it correctly:

reenter_root_passwd

now you have got to enter your real name:

user_full_name

Now you have got to enter a user-name, the name with which you will login into the system:

user_login_name

Again you need to enter a password, this time one for the user.
Don't use the same password as for root. It's a bad idea.
Again you have to re-enter it to avoid typos:

user_passwd

reenter_user_passwd

5) Further settings for the installation

You will be asked if you want to scan another CD or another installation media.
This is in case you require packages from the other 20 or so CD's. Unless you need
a specific package from one of these later CD's and have no or a poor internet connection,
you'll only require the 1st CD.
Choose no:

another_cd_?

Do you want to make use of a network mirror?
This only works if you already have the network up and running.
If you don't have the network up you MUST choose NO.
If you got it up, but it's slow or whatever, you may choose no too.
The installation CD contains everything you need to finish the installation.

network_mirror_?

As I had the network up and running (as VirtualBox connects to the net with dhcp)
I had to tell the installer which mirror (Debian-server) to use.
Choose one that is geographically near to your location. This usually ensures faster download speeds.

archive_mirror_country

archive_mirror

Again the installer starts the next step automatically (either after you have told him which mirror to use
or after you told him not to make use of a network mirror for this installation):

select_and_install

You will be asked if you want to take part in the package survey.
As what packages are part of the first Debian-CD`s depends upon this survey
saying yes is a very good idea

package_survey

6) Desktop Environment / Tasksel

Again an important step where you should take the time to check twice:
Tasksel.
Usually you will want a Desktop environment and the standard system.
The Desktop environment is sometimes not activated, as the cursor is on top of it its not that easy to see.
Make sure it is activated.
If you don't select it you will get a system without any graphical environment at all.
You will have to install it manually.

tasksel

Now that will take a while, depending on how fast your system and network is.
Have a short break.

7 ) Grub and Finish

When it is done.
You will be asked if you want grub, the boot-loader.
Usually you will need it and you want it to be installed to mbr. Just accept the defaults if you don`t know:

grub

Shortly after that you are done.
Make sure to remove the CD and reboot the PC, and enjoy your new Debian system.

reboot

DONE



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