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## Auto-converted by kwiki2moinmoin v2005-10-07
DebianInstaller
----
## page was renamed from DebianInstallerGUI
#language en
= Installing Debian Using A GUI =
||<tablestyle="vertical-align:top":> {{attachment:installgui-parititiondisk-small.gif}} || After much hard work, the d-i team [[http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2005/11/msg01289.html|announced]] that the upcoming Debian release, Etch, boasts a new graphical (GTK+) frontend which allows installing Debian in many new, previously unsupported, languages.||
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= Installing Debian Using A GUI =
The last attempt to make a GUI for DebianInstaller, which was inactive for a long time but is now once again being worked on, involves adding a GTK frontend to d-i. Demo images have been produced of a working installer using this new frontend.
The graphical installer has been widely tested and is available for i386, AMD64 and PowerPC and the regular [[http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/|CD images]] for i386 and amd64 include an option to boot the graphical installer by booting with {{{installgui}}}.
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[https://debian.polito.it/downloads/d-i_gtk_snapshots/ A typical debian installation process, performed in english] Also available is a small (~10MB) miniiso image, which allows you to boot the graphical installer by just pressing {{{ENTER}}} at the boot prompt and is very useful for testing/debugging purposes. This image can be found under "other images"; look for {{{netboot/gtk/mini.iso}}}
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[https://debian.polito.it/downloads/d-i_gtk_snapshots_nonlatin/ Some screenshots of non latin alphabets] For the powerpc architecture currently only the gtk-miniiso images are available (and are also available as part of official releases under "Other images"):
 * [[http://people.debian.org/~wouter/d-i/powerpc/daily/powerpc/netboot/gtk/|powerpc images]] [[http://people.debian.org/~wouter/d-i/powerpc/daily/powerpc64//netboot/gtk/|powerpc64 images]]
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While this frontend seems to work since complete and working debian installation can be currently performed, help is still needed in polishing and prettifying the frontend and providing fonts needed for non latin languages.
We need a font package that cover most of the unicode character set, while not being tto big.
For an overview of open issues and things we'd like to see done after Etch is released, see [[DebianInstaller/GUIToDo]].
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If you want to give a try to the graphical installer, you can download an experimental Etch [https://debian.polito.it/downloads/debian-testing-i386-20050918-GTK-netinst.iso netinst image] that boots up using the graphical frontend as default option. If you're interested in building yourself a debian-installer with GUI or just want to dive into its internals, please have a look at the [[DebianInstaller/GUIBuild]] page.
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Status as of Sep 17, 05: [http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2005/09/msg00507.html Posted on debian-boot mail list.] Few more notes at d-i [http://people.debian.org/~bubulle/d-i/irc-meeting-20050917/minutes meeting minutes.] If you want to build your own udebs, have a look at [[BuildingUDebs]].
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If you're interested in building an experimental debian-installer with GUI please have a look at ["DebianInstallerGUIBuild"] page. == Reviews ==

Here is a list of articles/review about the graphical installer which appeared around the web:

 * [[http://osdir.com/Article7765.phtml|OSDir.com]]
 * [[http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=05/11/17/1825228|linux.com]]
 * [[http://www.yepthatsme.com/2006/07/08/debian-graphical-installer-excellent-work-guys/|Barry Hawkins' blog]]
 * [[http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/83025/index.html|lxer.com]]

== Partitioning tool ==

As part of a university (?) graduation project, Xavier Oswald has started work on a partitioning tool (based on gparted) that could replace partman in the graphical installer. This work is currently unfinished. Last known status is given in this [[http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2006/06/msg01358.html|mail]].

== Desktop ==
For common work, see DebianDesktop .

== Trivia ==

It used to be a common misconception that the graphical installer is X11 based: it is based on [[http://www.directfb.org/wiki/index.php/Projects:GTK_on_DirectFB|DirectFB and GTK+]].

Update: That's true until Lenny (included), but a switch to X11 has been performed during February/March 2010; later daily builds and upcoming releases should be X11-based accordingly.

== FAQ ==
 How to retrieve the screenshot :: Read [[ScreenShots#debian-installer-gui|ScreenShots]]' Debian-installer section.

== Debugging ==
If there's anything wrong with X, feel free to contact the [[XStrikeForce]].

If X doesn't react at start-up: input might be broken. To debug this under Qemu, move to the control window: {{{ctrl-alt-2}}}. Then type that there: {{{alt-sysrq-r[enter]}}} then {{{ctrl-alt-f2[enter]}}}, then back to the main window: {{{ctrl-alt-1}}}. Grepping for {{{input}}} and/or {{{evdev}}} in {{{/var/log/Xorg.0.log}}} should give some hits. If nothing shows up, try {{{udevadm info --export-db|grep ID_INPUT}}}. If that doesn't work either, {{{input_id}}} might be broken ([[http://bugs.debian.org/580129|#580129]]). To check this, {{{head /lib/udev/input_id}}} or look at the contents of a downloaded/unpacked {{{udev-gtk-udeb}}} package, e.g. using {{{objdump}}}, {{{nm}}}, etc.

Installing Debian Using A GUI

installgui-parititiondisk-small.gif

After much hard work, the d-i team announced that the upcoming Debian release, Etch, boasts a new graphical (GTK+) frontend which allows installing Debian in many new, previously unsupported, languages.

The graphical installer has been widely tested and is available for i386, AMD64 and PowerPC and the regular CD images for i386 and amd64 include an option to boot the graphical installer by booting with installgui.

Also available is a small (~10MB) miniiso image, which allows you to boot the graphical installer by just pressing ENTER at the boot prompt and is very useful for testing/debugging purposes. This image can be found under "other images"; look for netboot/gtk/mini.iso

For the powerpc architecture currently only the gtk-miniiso images are available (and are also available as part of official releases under "Other images"):

For an overview of open issues and things we'd like to see done after Etch is released, see DebianInstaller/GUIToDo.

If you're interested in building yourself a debian-installer with GUI or just want to dive into its internals, please have a look at the DebianInstaller/GUIBuild page.

If you want to build your own udebs, have a look at BuildingUDebs.

Reviews

Here is a list of articles/review about the graphical installer which appeared around the web:

Partitioning tool

As part of a university (?) graduation project, Xavier Oswald has started work on a partitioning tool (based on gparted) that could replace partman in the graphical installer. This work is currently unfinished. Last known status is given in this mail.

Desktop

For common work, see DebianDesktop .

Trivia

It used to be a common misconception that the graphical installer is X11 based: it is based on DirectFB and GTK+.

Update: That's true until Lenny (included), but a switch to X11 has been performed during February/March 2010; later daily builds and upcoming releases should be X11-based accordingly.

FAQ

How to retrieve the screenshot

Read ScreenShots' Debian-installer section.

Debugging

If there's anything wrong with X, feel free to contact the XStrikeForce.

If X doesn't react at start-up: input might be broken. To debug this under Qemu, move to the control window: ctrl-alt-2. Then type that there: alt-sysrq-r[enter] then ctrl-alt-f2[enter], then back to the main window: ctrl-alt-1. Grepping for input and/or evdev in /var/log/Xorg.0.log should give some hits. If nothing shows up, try udevadm info --export-db|grep ID_INPUT. If that doesn't work either, input_id might be broken (#580129). To check this, head /lib/udev/input_id or look at the contents of a downloaded/unpacked udev-gtk-udeb package, e.g. using objdump, nm, etc.