Debian Squeeze for My Parents - Installation - Pt2

v 0.2.5

Now for the installation. ( refer also to my previous posts, particularly on Debian Iso's )

First item on the agenda was to defrag the WinXP partition.  This was not a very difficult operation, using the standard defrag tool in Windows.  Most of the files were at the front of the disk anyway, with only two insisting on remaining half-way down the partition.  Not a problem as I didn't plan on invading that part of the disk anyway.

Next, my favourite partitioning distro/tool - Parted Magic.  Whilst the Debian Installer partitions non-destructively, I like preparing the target partitions before-hand and then just assigning them during the installation.

Partitioning:

• For this installation, I used a very simple scheme - one 30 gig partition for the Filesystem and a 2 gig partition for Swap.  
• Ordinarily, I assign a partition for " /home ", which lets me re-install without destroying my data (it also lets you have multiple Linux installations for the same home partition).
• A further refinement is to assign separate partitions for " /tmp " and " /var " which provides both a safetynet in case, say, /var fills the disk and stops the system, and a security one, however I'll leave that to those more knowledgeable.

The Debian Installer is, I have found, extremely reliable.  Often I decide to try another distro and just end up returning to Debian for a reliable installation experience.  One thing to note - if you get lost or confused or whatever else, you just start again and you have lost nothing.  In fact, you have learnt something and that is a plus.

For those who don't know, Debian installs by default a Gnome desktop.  If you are really keen on KDE, XFCE or LXDE,  then you can install one of these as an alternative - there is an approapriate installation ISO available.

As pointed to in a previous post, I used a net-install iso with all non-free firmware included.  A very painless, straightforward installation.  After that, remove the installation media and boot into the Debian Squeeze desktop.  What can I say?  It really is a non-event.  Personally I dislike the default wallpaper, which is easily replaced in Gnome with a right-click to the desktop background.

If you follow through the "howtoforge" installation sequence, you will end up with a full and balanced array of software.  Two things stand out to me from all this though.  The installation of Google Chrome may not appear in the menu system - and may well need manually adding to the menu structure, or the addition of a launcher to the panel or desktop.  Also, the adobe-flash plugin does not download and install as advertised.

Configuration glitches in the next Post .

Later ....