Rupert Heesom writes:
I will shortly be trying to install Debian 64 onto a dual-opteron machine. I also want to install support for an Nvidia graphics card and the Gnome desktop. I've seen instructions here about handling the NVidiagraphics.What I don't understand so far is whether the netinst CD downloads the necessary files for nvidia support and (optionally) the Gnome (or KDE) desktop. Does the net install CD only install the kernel/progs/IA32 chroot etc and leave you to install anything further such as workstation desktop etc?
+++++++++++++++++++++++ Hi, I have used the netinst CD several times recently. I would recommend just getting the base system installed first and then working on the many options after the netinst is done. The first step after booting the netinst CD and getting the partitions and network configured and a small part of the CD packages installed is the reboot. Remove the CD as instructed and then reboot to finish the basic Debian. The Installer will continue after rebooting without the CD and begin to download many additional packages from the internet until the Debian can function at a minimal level. The very last step is to either install optional packages or quit and install them later. The options include a choice called the Desktop and I think that installs Gnome. There are also options for File Server, DNS Server and also a choice of Manual Package Selection. Or you can make no choice and just finish. Then everything is ready to be customized in any way imaginable at any time thereafter. Have fun. The installer worries about everything else. P.S The sid gcc is version 3.3.5 and I think sarge is the same. I have both sid and sarge installed. Use the matching netinst as you choose. The real choice is "pure64" == sid or "debian-pure64" == sarge. Even pure64 for sarge will turn out to be sid. That is just trivia. Sid is a good distribution anyway. Edit the sources.list during installation as you choose: deb http://debian-amd64.alioth.debian.org/pure64 sid maindeb http://debian-amd64.alioth.debian.org/debian-pure64 sarge main
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