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I am trying to install Debian on my laptop.

First I tried to install using the debian-9.4.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso and recognized, it contains a lot of apps that I do not need, for example libre-office, games etc.

Then I tried the debian-9.4.0-amd64-netinst.iso. After the laptop is started I can only see a terminal, there is not GUI at all.

Which debian do I have to choose, to install without any office etc?

Update

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Rui F Ribeiro
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zero_coding
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3 Answers3

2

https://www.tecmint.com/fix-unable-to-locate-package-error-in-debian-9/

To start with, it seems you might need to fix your apt sources before you can start installing packages such as gnome-core. This is true even if you installed from the Debian 9 netinstall. I can only think this a bug in this version of the netinstall image. Sorry, this is Debian. Other distributions are available, which may be more popular and better tested.

you need to add the necessary Debian software repositories in your /etc/apt/sources.list file:

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

...

Then update the system packages list using the command below.

# apt update

You want something very similar to the instructions https://www.maketecheasier.com/build-lightweight-linux-for-low-end-laptop/

You should be able to use the DVD1 you already downloaded, instead of doing a netinstall, although immediately do an update. (Only DVD1 is bootable, the others are used as Repositories.)

Untick everything except the bottom one "standard system utilities".

After installing and logging in to the command line, it suggests apt-get install xorg sudo iceweasel pulseaudio

  • X.org is the backend graphical system used by all major desktop environments
  • sudo allows you to run individual commands as root
  • Iceweasel is Debian’s 100% free rebranding of Firefox
  • PulseAudio is one of the sound systems most commonly used in Linux [*]

@sourcejedi says:

  • You probably don't need need to explicitly install pulseaudio, because gnome-core depends on it.
  • With the current default apt configuration, gnome-core will indirectly install xserver-xorg anyway. It is a "recommended" dependency of the gdm3 package.
  • Debian now includes firefox-esr, so you don't need to install iceweasel instead.
  • gnome-core also includes gnome-software, so you can use GNOME Software to install Firefox afterwards anyway :-).
  • If you want sudo, you can install it, but you will also need to add your user to the sudo group. The alternative is just not to set any root password when the installer asks you, then it will set up sudo for your main user automatically and not enable the root account.

Then instead of the LXDE option, where it says apt-get install lxde, you should use: apt-get install gnome-core.

This should give you a basic Gnome desktop without games, office etc.

@sourcejedi says: I would have some concern that installing gnome-core will start gdm immediately, hiding your command line and any possible error messages. To be on the safe side, I recommend switching to TTY2 by pressing ctrl+alt+F2, before you install gnome-core. Then you would be able to switch back to TTY2 and check for errors.

sourcejedi
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  • @arochester answers should be fairly self-contained. Links are for attribution, or maybe if you want to outline the answer but maybe not cover every possible option :). I have edited in the commands you suggested. Then I added my own comment on them, partly because the iceweasel is a bit out of date. If you want to trim my comments down again, I have no objection :). – sourcejedi May 18 '18 at 11:28
  • I confused, what do I have to install now? I want only GNOME GUI and firefox. – zero_coding May 18 '18 at 11:31
  • @zero_coding The difference between X and GNOME, is that starting X on it's own gives you an empty screen with a mouse cursor and literally nothing else, not even an app menu :-). X does graphics. GNOME gives you an app menu, and some pre-installed apps including the app that lets you install more apps. Alternatives to GNOME are available, like the LXDE which is mentioned in https://www.maketecheasier.com/build-lightweight-linux-for-low-end-laptop/ – sourcejedi May 18 '18 at 11:31
  • @zero_coding gnome-core and firefox-esr. But you can install Firefox by searching in GNOME Software instead, if you like. It might save you having to remember the -esr part :-). – sourcejedi May 18 '18 at 11:32
  • @zero_coding: @muru suggested you could install only gdm and gnome-shell, but based on your question I personally would recommend gnome-core instead. This is the smallest option out of the packages which are explicitly mentioned on the official wiki page here: https://wiki.debian.org/Gnome Since you are new to Debian and it can get very annoying if you have to keep installing different packages to get your system working. – sourcejedi May 18 '18 at 11:47
  • I tried to install apt-get install gnome-coreand it says: unable to locate package gnome-core. What does it mean? – zero_coding May 18 '18 at 12:18
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    I found the solution https://www.tecmint.com/fix-unable-to-locate-package-error-in-debian-9/ – zero_coding May 18 '18 at 12:29
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From the Software selection , uncheck all packages, install the system then reboot. from the terminal edit your /etc/apt/apt.conf by adding the following line :

APT::Install-Recommends "0" ; APT::Install-Suggests "0" ;

to prevent apt from installing recommends and suggests packages when installing the gnome-core (GNOME Desktop Environment -- essential components) package. Then run:

apt install gnome-core

The list of the Recommends + Suggests packages for the gnome-core:

rec: anacron
    cron-like program that doesn't go by time
    also a virtual package provided by systemd-cron 

rec: libproxy1-plugin-networkmanager
    automatic proxy configuration management library (Network Manager plugin) 

rec: network-manager-gnome
    network management framework (GNOME frontend) 

sug: gnome
    Full GNOME Desktop Environment, with extra components

Reconfigure apt so that it does not install additional packages

GAD3R
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  • It should never be necessary to add a line APT::Install-Suggests "0" to a fresh install. If you have an old install - which is not the question - that you have configured in such a strange way, you might have a line APT::Install-Suggests "1" somewhere that you want to remove :-). – sourcejedi May 18 '18 at 12:24
  • @sourcejedi APT::Install-Suggests "1" doesn't exit in the apt.conf in a fresh install. – GAD3R May 18 '18 at 12:29
  • that's my point. APT::Install-Suggests "0" should not be necessary to add for this question or in really most other circumstances. If I was a new user, seeing it in this answer would make me worry that apt has some default which installs suggested packages and that I need to remember that. But I've never seen that. – sourcejedi May 18 '18 at 12:38
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In the Software selection screen, the "Debian desktop environment" might include too much for your purpose. To get a truly minimal installation, you should remove all the checkmarks from that screen. That way, you'll get a truly minimal installation - with no GUI.

The next step would then be to use the apt-get command to install the software you actually need. In situations when I need to carefully build a minimal Debian installation for some specific purpose, I've found it useful to begin with apt-get install aptitude.

aptitude is a menu-based package management utility that works on a terminal - no active GUI needed. With it, it is easy to check what any applicable-sounding metapackages would pull in as dependencies before actually installing them. It allows much more fine-grained package selection than the installer's Software selection screen.

telcoM
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