Re: Installing Debian
Hi John,
John Lynch wrote:
> I just read the Debian installation manual. And most of it went over my
> head. I have never used a Linux OS before, and I don't know THAT much about
> computers, however I am learning.
Debian is a wonderful Linux distribution, but it far from the easiest to
install for newbies. What made you choose to try Debian over something
like Mandrake Linux?
> So, I am asking if someone wouldn't mind giving me EASY to understand
> instructions, in "easy english" as someone I know always says.
You're asking a lot here! It would be better for you to ask about the
sections of the installation instructions that you didn't understand. If
anyone is going to give you 'easy to understand' instructions in reply,
they might as well just rewrite the instruction manual instead.
> Want My computer To Be Able To Do Wish List:
>
> * I want it to have a dual boot system with Debian and Windows XP.
> * I want Windows XP to be the default OS so all my parents have to do to
> make the computer work is hit the power button and wait for it to load up
> (they know even less about computers then me!!!).
These are both reasonable and should be pretty easy to setup.
> * I want to be able to go onto the internet in both Windows XP and Debian (I
> have cable so I'm hooked onto the net 24/7, except when I turn off my
> computer or Telstra is down)
To get Linux to connect using Telstra cable, you'll need the 'bpalogin'
program - http://bpalogin.sourceforge.net/, and you'll need to setup
DHCP. You will also need to setup a firewall.
> * I want to be able to access files from my Windows partition when I'm in
> Linux, and vice verca (my understanding is I must partition my harddrive to
> have a dual boot system).
You can access files from your windows partition from Linux easily. Vice
versa is not so easy... although I seem to remember about the existance
of a windows program that let you read ext2 (a Linux filesystem) format
partitions. I'd recommend doing a google search.
> * I want to be able to access files from my other computer which is
> networked to the one I am going to run Debian on (I only have the 2
> computer's networked, the other computer currently runs Windows 98 and has a
> very small harddrive of 6gig!!!!!!).
This is possible using the smbfs tools and samba.
> * I want to be able to run Debian on my computer that runs Windows 98, but
> only have it installed on my other Computer which runs Windows XP, so no
> memory is taken up on my Windows 98 computer (I don't know if this is
> possible, from what I read in the installation manual it is possible,
> however this would just be a benefit, if it is MUCH too difficult to do then
> I won't set it up like this, I might in the future when I know more about
> computers).
Er... I guess this could be possible, but it's hardly something someone
with no Linux experience should attempt. What in the installation manual
suggests that it is possible? You'd basically be setting up a dumb (X)
terminal.
> * I don't want to loose ANYTHING that is on my computer, without the need of
> backing it up or else I'm a dead man (I will be backing it up regardless,
> but that is for worst case scenario).
This can't be guaranteed. You just have to be careful, and have backups
(and common sense). (Also, it's 'lose' not 'loose'. 'Loose' is the
opposite of 'tight'.)
> * I also want to be able to run writing programs, databases, etc, e-mail
> programs, internet browser programs and coding programs (such as C++, perl,
> my understanding is they come free with Debian. I only know JavaScript, HTML
> and Cascading Style Sheets, I dont count the last 2 as languages, but I want
> to learn more).
You just have to install the relevant programs once your system is
working.
> * Create mutiple users (again this isn't neccessary, just in case someone in
> my family ever wants to use Debian which I doubt)
Linux is a multiuser system, just as Unix is.
> * Set a password that you have to type in to login (I am not sure about this
> though because if for some reason my dad or mum go into Debian and don't
> know the password, will this cause the entire thing to not work, or will it
> just prevent them from access to certain folders, or will it just restart
> the computer using Windows XP? again this isn't neccessary, but this is a
> wish list)
This is the way Linux works by default. You can't access the system
without a valid username and password. You can probably reboot the
machine using Ctrl-Alt-Delete on the console though (which would allow
the system to boot to WinXP).
> NOW here's my understanding of how to get all of those things done,
> unfortunately this will be shorter then my wish list.
>
> Installing Debian Steps:
>
> * Defrag the computer (so everything gets all grouped together instead of
> spread out, this is neccessary so nothing is lost when u partition the
> harddrive).
This is a necessary step before non-destructive partitioning anyway. See
my next comment.
> * Partition the harddrive into 3 seperate parts (1 for Windows XP and the
> bulk of the memory, 1 for the Debian OS and 1 for the files. I am not sure
> where programs, such as Debians version of Word, would go in all this, I
> also don't know what programs to use that are free and work in Windows XP).
To partition the harddrive without destroying your WinXP partition,
you'll need to use something like partition magic (or fips, if you're
feeling adventurous). Otherwise you'll need to delete everything,
partition the drive and then reinstall Windows XP before installing
Linux.
> * Download Debian (I am not sure if there is an easy to download copy of
> Debian for newbies like me or not. If there isn't I have absolutely no idea
> which files to download or how to set them up. I don't want to have to buy
> the CDs).
The CD's can be downloaded, but they are also very cheap to buy. See
'http://www.everythinglinux.com.au', with which I have no affiliation
;), but I did buy my Debian Potato CD's from them (AUS $10 at the time).
You could try an internet install, but I doubt you'll be able to get
your system connected to Telstra Cable without a working system first,
so it's kind of a chicken-egg problem.
> * Install Debian through a medium of your choice (now is the really
> confusing part, I can do it via a CD of the files I burn into it, which
> sounds the hardest. Or I can do it via a floppy, which they kept telling me
> not to do. Or I can do it from the harddrive, I don't know where I would put
> it, whether in the Windows XP partition or one of the Debian partitions. Or
> through my other computer that runs Windows 98. I also have no idea how I
> would open up the debian installation program).
If you're going to burn files to a cd, at least download the cd image
and burn that, because it gives you a CD you can boot with, and won't
leave you missing files that you need to complete the installation.
If you look on http://www.debian.org, there's a link on the left called
"Debian on CD". Read that page for the available options.
> * Create the dual boot system at some stage somehow with a delay of 3
> seconds before it starts up Windows XP so I can make it run Debian instead.
> (Someone in a linux IRC told me about this).
Not difficult to setup, although no default Debian installation I've
done has ever setup the bootloader (LILO) for me like that automatically
-- I've always had to fix it later. This list can help with that,
although it might be hard to send email when your PC can't boot Windows
anymore :/. I'd get that Win98 box working with your cable modem too if
I were you.
Good luck!
Matthew
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