Install Debian

How to install Debian 10

Debian 10 Code Named "Buster" is the latest release of Debian GNU/Linux. Debian 10 was officially released in July 2019. Debian is a very popular desktop distribution known for being very stable. Many popular operating systems are based on Debian, most notably Ubuntu. Debian 10 comes with a full office suite "Libre Office" version 6.1.5.2, Firefox web browser GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program). Additional software can easily be installed from the package manager. To download and install Debian 10, simply follow the instructional guide below.

Installing Debian 10 GNU/Linux

Debian can be downloaded from the following link: Download Debian 10.09

Once you have downloaded your chosen "iso" image of Debian, you will need to burn this image to a DVD. For software that can do this, you can search for "dvd iso burning software" in the search box provided above. Your computer may already have CD/DVD burning software already installed such as "Brasero, K3B, Nero, CDBurnerXP or Roxio". Once you have burned your chosen "iso" image of Debian to your Media, you will need to place your DVD disc into the DVD drive of the target system and reboot your system. As your computer system reboots, you will need to press the appropriate key to access your system's BIOS settings. On many systems this key will be "F8", "F11" or "F12". Most systems will display a message indicating which key needs to be pressed. Once you have access to your system's BIOS settings, you will need to modify the boot order of your system to boot from CD/DVD first. Once this change has been made, you can now reboot your system and follow the installation guide below. If you are installing into a Virtual Environment, simply copy the downloaded "iso" image to the relevant location provided by your software.

Debian 10 GNU/Linux Installer Menu

To start your installation of Debian 10, highlight the "Install" or "Graphical Install" option from the menu and then press enter. Your installation will now start. In this example I have chosen the "Graphical Install" option..

Select Language

Choose the Language you would like to use during the installation process. In the example I have chosen "English". Once you have made your selection, click "Continue".

Select your location

At this screen, you need to select your location. The selected location will be used to set your local time zone. This information can be changed later if necessary after installation.

Configure the keyboard

Choose your keyboard settings. In the example, "British English" has been selected.

Configure hostname

At this screen you must give your computer a unique name that will identify it on your network (hostname). Any name can be used here as long as it is unique to your network. In the example I have used "debian".

Select a domain name

This option allows you to specify a domain name. In the example, I have used the domain name "landoflinux.com". If this is a home network, you can use any name.

Create a root password

From this screen you must specify the root password that you wish to use for your system. After you have supplied your root password, you will be asked to confirm this password before continuing.

Create User Account

Here you must supply the name of a new user account to use with your system. This will be your main account when you login. Additional users can be added after the installation.

Add User Name

Here you must supply the username. This will be your main account when you login. Additional users can be added after the installation.

Setup Password for new account

Here you will need to specify the password to be used with your new account.

Partition Disks

Select a Disk partitioning scheme to be used with your installation. In the example, I have chosen to go with the option "Guided - use entire disk and setup LVM". If you wish to manually configure your own disk configuration, choose the "manual" option from the menu. If you do not wish to use the "LVM" option, you may select the "Guided - use entire disk" option instead. If you are using a Virtual environment or setting up a server, it is recommended to use "LVM".

Confirm your choice

From this menu, highlight the disk that is going to be partitioned and press "Continue". In this example, I have only one disk assigned to my system.

Partition with separate filesystems

Your disk can be partitioned using several options available. Choose the option that is best for you. If you are unsure, then go with the option "All files in one partition". In the example, I have chosen to go with a separate partition for /home, /var and /tmp.

Confirm Partitioning

Select "Yes" to confirm changes can be made to your disk.

Amount of Disk to use

Select the amount of storage that can be used for your Partitioning. If you are using an entire disk, then that value will be automatically shown. Click "Continue".

Write Changes to Disk

To continue and partition your disks, select the option "Yes", to write changes to disk.

Installing the Base

Installing core packages. No further action is need at this screen.

Configuring the Package Manager

At this screen you can select to use a network mirror to download additional software and future updates. It is recommended you choose this option.

Select Mirror Location

Select you nearest location from the list. This is normally the country you are located in. In this example, "United Kingdom" has been chosen.

Select a Debian Archive Mirror

At this screen you must choose an archive mirror. Generally deb.debian.org is a good choice.

Configure a Proxy Server

If you need to configure your system to use a Proxy server to connect to the outside world, then this can be specified here.

Configuring Popularity Contest

If you choose to participate in this automated survey, details of your package statistics will be sent to the developers. Simply choose between "yes" to allow or "No" to not take part in the survey.

Software Selection

So far only the core components of the system have been installed. To tune the system to your needs you can choose to install one or more of the components listed. I have chosen to install a graphical environment using the "MATE" desktop. I have also chosen to install the "SSH Server" option. Once you have made any additional choices, click "Continue". Your additional software will now be installed. Progress will be indicated on the screen.

Downloading and Installing Files

No further action is required at this screen. Your files are being download and installed. Progress is indicated.

Install the Bootloader

To install the GRUB boot loader to the MBR (Master Boot Record), select "yes".

Install Bootloader on Hard Disk

The disk you are installing your bootloader will be displayed. On my installation, the disk was identified as "/dev/vda. This may be different on your installation.

Install Complete

Congratulations, your installation is now complete. You will need to reboot your system. Please ensure you have removed any installation media (DVDs/CDs) from your drive before continuing. Your system will now reboot and you will be taken to the login screen where you can login using your account and password you created earlier.

To login into your new Debian 10 system, please provide your user you created in the previous steps. You will also need to type your password that you created for this account too.

Debian 10 MATE Desktop

To access your applications, click on the icon in the upper right of the screen.