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How to quickly install GNU/Linux Debian

We will see here how to install Debian with defaults parameters. We won't be lost with specific parameters. The goal here is to have a GNU/Linux operating system ready to go as quick as possible.

Configuration

  • OS : Debian 10

Download netinstall ISO

debian netinstall download page

Install on a Physical Computer

Create a boot media

  • From GNU/Linux you can use dd tool (⚠️ Set the correct USB device. Use fdisk -l. Here with /dev/sde USB device.) :
root@host:~# dd if=debian-10.5.0-amd64-netinst.iso of=/dev/sde bs=8M
  • Or even simpler : burn a cd
  • See your manufacturer boot options. For example for Dell stations press F12 during post boot.

Install to VMware

  • To boot from ISO media we need to edit Virtual Machine settings.
VMware vcsa 6.5 edit settings
  • From VM Options tab, expand Boot Options and check During the next boot....
VMware vcsa 6.5 edit settings
  • Now from VMware Remote Console go to, VMRC > Removable Devices > CD/DVD drive 1 > Connect to Disk Image File (iso)... and select the netinstall iso.
VMware Remote Console connecting ISO
  • Still from VMware Remote Console go to, VMRC > Power > Restart Guest
VMware Remote Console restarting guest
  • Select CDROM Drive and press enter
VMware EFI options

Install to Hyper-V

  • From the Virtual Machine go to File > Settings...
Hyper-V File menu

If missing add CD-ROM drive

  • Select SCSI Controller then DVD Drive and click on Add button
Hyper-V VM Settings menu ⚠️ in generation 2 Virtual Machine, don't forget to disable secure boot Hyper-V VM Settings menu

Mount ISO

  • Select DVD Drive then Image File and click on Browse button to mount the ISO file
Hyper-V VM Settings menu
  • Start the Virtual Machine

Installation

  • From the Debian Installer Menu we can proceed installation. Select Install.
debian netinstall UEFI Installer menu
  • Select a language :
debian netinstall select language
  • Select location :
debian netinstall select your location
  • Configure keyboard :
debian netinstall configure the keyboard
  • Configure the network, on a dhcp network just select your primary network interface :
debian netinstall configure the network debian netinstall dhcp network configuration
  • Configure hostname :
debian netinstall configure hostname
  • Configure domain :
debian netinstall configure domain name
  • Set up root password :
debian netinstall root password
  • Set up user :
debian netinstall set up user
  • Set up user password :
debian netinstall set up user password debian netinstall set up user password
  • Clock configuration :
debian netinstall clock configuration
  • Disk configuration :
debian netinstall disk configuration debian netinstall disk configuration debian netinstall disk configuration debian netinstall disk configuration
  • Configure Package manager :
debian netinstall configure package manager debian netinstall configure package manager debian netinstall configure package manager
  • Configuring popularity-contest :
debian netinstall configuring popularity-contest
  • Select softwares, I personnaly don't use desktop environment :
debian netinstall software selection
  • But if needed select a Debian desktop environment :
debian netinstall software selection
  • Proceed Installation :
debian netinstall finish installation
  • Reboot :

Without desktop environment

debian login prompt

With desktop environment

debian login prompt

First things to do

After installation, we have some things to do.

Set network configuration

  • Identify your network interface name :
root@host:~# ip link sh
debian show network interfaces names
  • edit /etc/network/interfaces :
auto ens192
iface ens192 inet static
	address 192.168.1.100
	netwmask 255.255.255.0
	gateway 192.168.1.254
	dns-nameserver 192.168.1.254
debian /etc/network/interface
  • Then reboot
root@host:~# systemctl reboot

Install VMware tools

  • If inside a VMWare virtual machine, install the open-vm-tools to improve performances
root@host:~# apt install open-vm-tools
debian install vmware tools
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