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Revision 23 as of 2005-10-18 16:09:43
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Revision 24 as of 2005-10-18 16:12:35
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If the graphical login doesn't come up correctly you'll probably need to run "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86" and manually choose the correct graphic card, or go with the VESA fallback driver.

This page is to keep a lists of things you need to do in order to install a basic debian-desktop. For more details see the subpages of ["DebianDesktop"].


Booting from a sarge install CD provide "linux26" at the bootprompt to install a 2.6 kernel and udev. Install the base-system to your needs.

When prompted by "tasksel" choose following task:

 * desktop-environment

(adduser #240855) Add additional user accounts you may need (with "adduser <NAME>"). Put yourself and other users you want in appropriate groups by iterating: "adduser <NAME> <GROUP>". You probably want to add users to the following groups: audio, floppy and maybe dip (connect to internet) or dialout (see /usr/share/doc/base-passwd/users-and-groups).

To create a new groups use "addgroup <GROUPNAME>". For example on your home PC maybe create a group "family", add the appropriate users to it. You can then make a family group directory. Do "mkdir /home/family" as root, give it to the group with "chown :family /home/family" and change its permissions "chmod 2770 /home/family" to make it a shared set-group-id directory. Finally change the default umask to 002 (unless libpam-umask is installed, this has to be set in /etc/profile and /etc/login.defs). This way groupmembers can work with each other's files in there.

(default package selection) Alternatively: To get X set up automatically install xdebconfigurator, run it and then dexconf to generate a valid ["XF86config"].

(localisation) You will need to run "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86" anyway if you want your local keyboard to work properly. (i.e. german keyboard settings: pc105, de, nodeadkeys)

(default package selection) Install and configure the CUPS printing system packages as described on ["DebianCUPS"].

Start /usr/lib/openoffice/spadmin as root "add printer" and import your printers setup from /etc/foomatic/cups.

(default package selection) "apt-get install libgnome2-perl" if you want the Gnome debconf frontend to actually work when you install packages. You may need to configure debconf to use "Gnome" frontend with "dpkg-reconfigure debconf".

(default package selection) Then start up synaptic and find, select and install the following packages:

  • udev
  • hotplug fstab updater script http://ccomb.free.fr/wiki/wakka.php?wiki=UsbMassStorageEnglish

  • xfonts-base-transcoded and xfonts-*dpi-transcoded (if you need localized fonts)
  • zip
  • unzip
  • x-ttcidfont-conf (needed for the next)
  • msttcorefonts (to display some webpages and documents correctly)
  • mc (midnight commander console filemanager)
  • gtk-led-askpass (lets ssh use a graphical password prompt window when run under X)


Now some configuring:

Set "umask 002" in /etc/profile AND /etc/login.defs to actually make use of the private user groups in debian. (KDE will need an additionall "umask 002" in startkde, check http://bugs.debian.org/250645)

The central settings for KDE in /etc/kde3 could also need some tweaking:

  • set CUPS as default printing system

  (Put the following into /etc/kde3/kdeprintrc)
  ["General"]
  PrintSystem=cups
  • If you like make $HOME to your Desktop for consistency.

   (Put the following into /etc/kde3/kdeglobals)
   ["Paths"]
   Desktop=$HOME
   Trash=$HOME/Trash/
  • In the same way if you have make your particular proxy, javascript and cookie policy etc. settings system defaults, too.

...and have fun! And if you encounter bugs search the net, if it is already known, find the appropriate package and file a bug against it, if it concerns debian just use the "reportbug" utility for that.