Install Debian with Raspberry Pi Desktop

Debian with Raspberry Pi Desktop.

Raspbian is the official operating system for all models of the Raspberry Pi PC. Debian is the base of Raspbian operating system. Pixel Desktop is the GUI of Raspbian. Pixel Desktop is very lightweight and offer fast performance. There is a Debian with Raspberry Pi Desktop is available for PC. Users can try it on desktop and laptop PC.

Here is the link to download the ISO file.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspberry-pi-desktop/

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MX Linux: an emerging Debian based distro

MX Linux default desktop

MX Linux is an emerging distro with a beautiful interface and with the stability of Debian. MX Linux sticks on with Debian Stable version. XFCE desktop with enhancements gives a cute look. Conky desktop system monitor enhances the beauty of the desktop.

MX Linux application launcher.

A lot of customizations on the desktop to tweak the system, look and feel. Left side panel adds the beauty of the desktop. The user can change the panel to the bottom or top of the desktop. Search for MX Tweak from Application Launcher and change the panel orientation.

MX Tweak tool.

The medium contains Live mode. The installer can start after getting inside Live mode. Debian lovers can try the Debian based beauty and power packed MX Linux.

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Sparky Linux for Debian lovers

SparkyLinux Minimal GUI Desktop.

Sparky Linux is a Debian derivative which concentrate on lightweight desktop experience with beautiful interface. "Sparky is fast, lightweight and fully customizable OS built around the Openbox window manager offering versions for different users and different tasks". Sparky available with 20 different desktops. They concentrate mainly on Desktop based on OpenBox window manager and LXDE. The desktop packed with beautiful icons and windows borders, such features enhace conventional Debian user interface.

SparkyLinux Minimal Desktop is very suitable for laptop and netbook computers with low hardware profile. Minimal Desktop of Sparky Linux preloaded with very few applications. So the users can install the desired applications. Minimal GUI will not eat the computer resources much and can give good performance. The stable version of SparkyLinux follows the Debian Stable edition. Stable version is suitable for production systems.

Reference

https://sparkylinux.org/about/

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Install VirtualBox 6 on Ubuntu/Debian

Download the packages
Visit VirtualBox PUEL edition website and download VirtualBox Extension Pack and .deb package.

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Remove old version of VirtualBox

sudo apt remove virtualbox*

Install the dependencies for VirtualBox
Apply the following command in a Terminal,

sudo apt-get -y install gcc make linux-headers-$(uname -r) dkms

Apply the command to install the VirtualBox package downloaded,

sudo dpkg -i virtualbox*.deb

If any error message shows while installation, apply following command,

sudo apt install -f

Install the VirtualBox Extension Pack

Double click on the extension pack (Green) downloaded.

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Enable auto login with Debian

By default Debian has no auto login. Every time user has to login. The user can disable it by using below steps.

Open following file,

mousepad /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/01_debian.conf

Add following lines to the bottom of the file,

[SeatDefaults]
autologin-user=username
autologin-user-timeout=0

Replace the user name in the second line.

Save and Close the file.

Reference
https://steemit.com/software/@kskarthik/how-to-enable-auto-login-in-lightdm

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Install HP LaserJet M1005 on Debian

Install following packages.

sudo apt-get install printer-driver-foo2zjs printer-driver-foo2zjs-common

Follow the steps in the below link to install HP Printer driver.

https://linuxhalwa.blogspot.com/2019/01/add-hp-printer-to-debian.html

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Add HP Printer to Debian (Semi Graphical Way)

HP provides Linux drivers for most of the laser and inkjet printers. If you want to buy a printer to work with Linux operating systems, buy HP printers. HP printer drivers available with Debian and Ubuntu repositories. So no need to download and install the drivers from the other places.

Installation of printer settings (Optional)

Debian XFCE desktop does not provide Printer settings. You can install it by apply following command;

sudo apt install system-config-printer 

Installation of HP driver packages using Synaptic

Synaptic is a package manager of Debian. Open Applications > System > Synaptic

Search for hplip,

Right-click and select the packages hplip, hplip-data, hplip-gui for installation. Other dependencies will download automatically while installation. Click on the Apply button to start the installation.

Check the version of hplip

Open a terminal and apply the following command to check the hlip version.

dpkg -l hplip

If you can see the version number of hplip, it means that the installation success.

Configure the printer

Connect the printer to the computer. Apply following command (without root).

hp-setup -i

Answer the questions. On the way, it asks for root password. Enter it.

After the installation process finished, check the printer added or not. 

Applications > System > Printer Settings
You can find that printer added to the system and printer icon appears. Right click on the printer and set it as the Default printer.

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Install the graphical interface to configure the printing system on Debian

By default Debian printer settings may be not available with Debian XFCE desktop. The user can install missing printer settings (GUI) in Debian by command line. 

Installation

sudo apt install system-config-printer

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Debian 9 (Stretch) Indian repository

Debian Indian repository can speed up the download speed while upgrade and installation of new packages. Indian users get the advantage of local Debian repository. Here is the Indian repository of Debian 9 (Stretch).

Add to sources.list

Open the sources.list using your favorite text editor,

su
leafpad /etc/apt/sources.list

Delete or comment out the existing repository details in the file. Copy and paste the following content into the file.

deb http://debianmirror.nkn.in/debian/ stretch main
deb-src http://debianmirror.nkn.in/debian/ stretch main

deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates main

deb http://debianmirror.nkn.in/debian/ stretch-updates main
deb-src http://debianmirror.nkn.in/debian/ stretch-updates main

Save and close the file.

Apply following commands to update the repository information.

apt update
apt upgrade

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Debian Hybrid images

I was playing with Debian 8 (Jessie) & 9 (Stretch) last few days. I tried Debian installation to revive my 7 years old laptop. Also, need to upgrade Linux and Koha in our university server.

My search for Debian images always ends at installer iso files. Installer iso of Debian available with fewer desktops; LXDE and XFCE. LXDE and XFCE belong to the lightweight desktop category. So the desktop's look thin with a poor shabby look!!.

My favourite Linux desktop is MATE. It gives a nostalgic classic look of GNOME 2. I always download and install with the help of Debian XFCE installer CD. Then install MATE desktop and remove XFCE. This practice took time and requires more patience. Little risk also in the work. Chance for the loss of lightdm display manager while removing XFCE. Linux will boot into text mode without a display manager.

What is Debian Hybrid image?
Finally, I found that Debian has hybrid iso images with a range of desktops including MATE. Debian Hybrid iso image contains both installer and live mode. "The live images come in several "flavours" providing a choice of desktop environments (GNOME, KDE, LXDE, Xfce, Cinnamon and MATE). Many users will find these initial package selections suitable".

Download
Linux newbies can find Debian MATE hybrid iso image more comfortable.  Here is the download link to hybrid image of Debian 8;

https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/

Debian MATE loaded with few goodies and faster than Ubuntu MATE. It also gives a gentle look desktop. Debian MATE duo can perform fast with laptop, desktop and servers.

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Install MATE desktop on Debian

Ambiant-MATE theme on Debian 8 (Jessie).

It tried to install MATE Desktop on Debian 8 (Jessie) and Debian 9 (Stretch). I installed Debian XFCE from CD. Visit Debian Download page to get CD. XFCE desktop is not beautiful. So I decided to install Ubuntu MATE Desktop. Then installed Ubunt MATE Theme. Ubuntu MATE theme is very shiny.

1. Installation of MATE desktop on Debian

Here is the command to install standard MATE Desktop.You can try minimal desktop also. Visit MATE Desktop installation page.

su
apt-get install mate-desktop-environment

2. Download Ubuntu MATE theme packages
Apply following lines one by one in the command terminal.

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/u/ubuntu-mate-artwork/ubuntu-mate-themes_16.04.6_all.deb

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/main/h/humanity-icon-theme/humanity-icon-theme_0.6.10_all.deb

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/u/ubuntu-mate-artwork/ubuntu-mate-icon-themes_16.04.6_all.deb

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/main/u/ubuntu-themes/ubuntu-mono_14.04+16.04.20160415-0ubuntu1_all.deb

3. Download wallpaper packages

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/u/ubuntu-mate-artwork/ubuntu-mate-wallpapers-common_16.04.6_all.deb

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/u/ubuntu-mate-artwork/ubuntu-mate-wallpapers-xenial_16.04.6_all.deb

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/u/ubuntu-mate-artwork/ubuntu-mate-wallpapers_16.04.6_all.deb

4. Install the packages

dpkg -i *.deb

5. Logout and change desktop to MATE

6. Change to Ubuntu MATE theme

System > Preferences > Appearance

Select ambiant-MATE theme.

7. Remove XFCE (Optional)
XFCE desktop can be remove after the installation of MATE.

su

apt-get purge xfconf xfce4-utils xfwm4 xfce4-session thunar xfdesktop4 exo-utils xfce4-panel xfce4-terminal

apt-get autoremove

Install MATE Network manager,

apt-get install network-manager-gnome

Make sure lightdm installed.

apt-get install lightdm

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Install Debian 9 Stretch (Screenshots)

Debian 9, release name 'Stretch' released on June 17, 2017. ISO images are available at https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/
Here I am used Debian 9 with XFCE Desktop.

Download and burn the iso file in a CD/DVD/pen drive. Change the boot option of the PC and boot into Debin DVD.

Graphical install is good for newbies.

Select your language.

Choose your country. 

Here is the keyboard selection. American English keyboard is popular.

You can choose a different host name.

If you don't know the domain, leave it blank.

Enter root password and write down in a paper and keep it secret!!

Enter a new username.

Password for the username.

Partition of hard disk.

Partition section, be careful. If you devote one PC for Linux, choose 'Use entire disk' option. This will erase all your hard disk including your default operating system.

All files in one partition ideal for Linux newbies. 

If select Yes, all packages download from the Internet. It takes a lot of time to finish the installation.

With this step, installation finished.

Log in using the normal username and password created at the time of installation. You can't log in using root username.

Select "Use default config".

Debian 9 Linux installation video

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How to add Debian software repository

Software repository does not add when we install Debian Linux from CD/DVD without Internet connection. You can't update the Debian Linux without software repository. But you can add software repository later. Find a repository near your area. Download from remote server take long time to download updates.

You can find Debian software repository near your area by visiting Debian Source List Generator. 

In my experience, repositories from India is slow and so I make use Debian repositories from Japan. 

Add repository address to Debian

Open Applications > Accessories > Terminal 

Open sources file and add repository address.

su

leafpad /etc/apt/sources.list

Copy paste the lines to the file. Here is the repository from Japan,

deb http://ftp.jp.debian.org/debian/ wheezy main
deb-src http://ftp.jp.debian.org/debian/ wheezy main

deb http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main

# wheezy-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
deb http://ftp.jp.debian.org/debian/ wheezy-updates main
deb-src http://ftp.jp.debian.org/debian/ wheezy-updates main

Save and close the file. Update the sources list.

apt-get update

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Debian Squeeze released

After two years waiting Debian version 6.0 released last week.
The code name of the project is Squeeze.
The name of the version borrowed from the name of characters in the film "Toy Story". Debian web site is redesigned with the release of new version.

Home page is www.debian.org

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