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Revision 1 as of 2014-03-03 12:34:15
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Comment: Document workaround for lack of https preseeding.
Revision 2 as of 2014-03-25 11:56:52
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Comment: Add section on disk formatting.
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== disk formatting ==

Above preseeding silences most questions during install, but a few technical questions on how to wipe and prepare the target disk is not yet silenced:

  1. Select the partition method that includes '''encryption'''
  1. Select your laptop harddisk (typically the topmost one which is largest)
  1. Confirm with "Yes" to proceed with the partition
  1. Wait a looong time for disk preparation to finish (possibly 30 hours!)

Installation of DebianParl

Ideal

Ideally, installation goes like this:

  1. Select the system profile you want installed

    • e.g. desktop/email
  2. Download and prepare a Debian network installer for your hardware

    • e.g. AMD64netinstmini.iso

  3. Install Debian with selected system profile:
    • Connect the computer to ethernet
    • Boot your computer with the prepared installer
      • e.g. put in USB stick, turn power on, hold down F12, and select USB HDD

    • At the Debian installer menu, select Advanced optionsAutomated install

    • When asked for "preseeding", type in your selected system profile like this:
      • https://parl.debian.net/desktop/email/preseed.cfg

  4. Subscribe to the user mailinglist to get help (and perhaps help out yourself).

    • Consider subscribing twice - with both your institutional and some independent address.
  5. You are done! Welcome to Debian and DebianParl :-)

    • Consider adding yourself at the users page.

Preseeding

Unfortunately step 3 of above guide will fail (stable debian installer does not support secure https), so the following workaround is needed instead:

  • Download and save your selected system profile on a USB stick (a different one than the install media)
  • Boot your computer with the prepared installer
    • e.g. put in USB stick, turn power on, hold down F12, and select USB HDD

  • At the Debian installer menu, select Advanced optionsAutomated install

  • When asked for "preseeding", do this:
    1. put in secondary USB stick containing the profile
    2. switch to another console: while holding down the ALT key, press the F2 key
    3. activate the console: press ENTER
    4. show disk devices currently plugged in: type this command and press ENTER:

      ls /dev/sd*
    5. mount the device of the your USB stick (the last one in above list): type something like this and press ENTER:

      mount /dev/sdc1
    6. switch back to the install console: while holding down ALT, press F1
    7. Type this into the text field: file:///media/preseed.cfg

Other workarounds exist that are simpler to use, but more complex to prepare.

disk formatting

Above preseeding silences most questions during install, but a few technical questions on how to wipe and prepare the target disk is not yet silenced:

  1. Select the partition method that includes encryption

  2. Select your laptop harddisk (typically the topmost one which is largest)
  3. Confirm with "Yes" to proceed with the partition
  4. Wait a looong time for disk preparation to finish (possibly 30 hours!)