GNU/Linux Desktop Survival Guide
by Graham Williams |
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Kyral Install Log |
Standard install (see Section 4.5.3). Choose boot media with F12 on boot. Boot from DVD. MS/Windows Vista already installed so use the Debian GNU/Linux installer to reduce the NTFS partition size, but keep it, and re-partition the remainder (see below), ending up with a dual boot machine.
Install: lang=English, location=Australia, kb=American English, eth0, hostname=kyral, domain name=togaware.com.
We want to keep the Vista partitions for now, but free up disk space for Debian, so choose Manual partition. Select #3, Resize the partition (239.2 GB), New size 16 GB (leaves 223.2 GB for Debian), Guided - use the largest continuous free space, with a separate /home partition.
The partition automatically chosen was:
/ | 7.0G | sda5 |
---|---|---|
swap | 8.9G | sda6 |
/home | 207.4G | sda7 |
(Partitions formatting). Time zone=Sydney. (Setting up the clock).
Root passwd (entered twice), user account name and password. (Installing the base system). Configure the package manager, use a network mirror=Yes, Australia, Debian archive mirror=ftp.iinet.net.au, HTTP proxy left blank, (Configuring apt), popularity-contest=Yes, apt install with tasksel selection of Desktop Environment, Web Server, Print Server, DNS Server, File Server, Mail Server, SQL Database, and Standard System, (install 709 packages).
Configuring libc-client2002edebian: Continue without Maildir support=No. Samba workgroup=togaware. Use WINS settings from DHCP=No.
Grub automatically noticed Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader) and added an appropriate entry for booting (write to the master boot record=Yes).
Eject DVD, reboot and Gnome starts up, but resolution was 640x480 at 55Hz (optimum is 1680x1050 at 60Hz). I was informed of software updates available (several limux-image packages), so I installed them. Reboot again.
Ctrl-Alt-F1 to go to Console 1. Log in as root. Setup sudo so that we won't need to log into root to administer the system, and also so that all activity is administered:
# visudo kayon ALL=(ALL) ALL |
Get some basic applications happening, after logging in as a user:
$ sudo apt-get install wajig $ wajig install emacs |
Now edit /etc/dhcp3/dhclient.conf to ensure the modem (192.168.0.1) is not recorded as a DNS since it does not seem to act as one and hence each network access has a timeout delay:
$ sudo emacs /etc/dhcp3/dhclient.conf send host-name "kyral.togaware.com"; supersede domain-name-servers 203.0.178.191; |
Set up the hosts file appropriately:
$ sudo cp /etc/hosts /etc/hosts.orig $ sudo scp 192.168.0.2:/etc/hosts /etc/hosts |
Move to the unstable distribution by updating the /etc/apt/sources.list file and grabbing a couple of keys for a couple of extra signed archives:
$ sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.original $ sudo scp athene:/etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list $ gpg --keyserver keyring.debian.org --recv-key 1F41B907 $ gpg --armor --export 1F41B907 | sudo apt-key add - $ gpg --keyserver keyring.debian.org --recv-key C03C56DF $ gpg --armor --export C03C56DF | sudo apt-key add - $ wajig update $ wajig distupgrade $ wajig install emacs22 most |
We next upgrade the kernel, working towards compiling the nvidia drivers so we can get into a X11 session:
$ wajig install linux-image-2.6.22-3-amd64 |
Reboot the computer.
Install the binary nvidia drivers and kernel modules, and the screen will work at 1680x1050 resolution. This needs to be each time a new kernel is installed (090503), and is a pain caused by nvidia not providing an open source driver—avoid nvidia graphics chips!
$ wajig install module-assistant gcc nvidia-kernel-common $ sudo m-a update $ sudo m-a prepare $ sudo m-a auto-install nvidia |
The old, slightly more manual way:
$ wajig install nvidia-kernel-source $ cd /usr/src $ sudo tar xzvf nvidia-kernel-source.tar.gz $ wajig install linux-headers-2.6.22-3-amd64 $ export KSRC=/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.22-3-amd64 $ export KVERS=2.6.22-3-amd64 $ cd modules/nvidia-kernel/ $ sudo debian/rules binary_modules FAILED because using gcc 4.2 rather than 4.1 $ su # CC=/usr/bin/gcc-4.1 # debian/rules binary_modules # Ctrl-D $ wajig install nvidia-kernel-common $ wajig install ../nvidia-kernel-2.6.22-3-amd64_100.14.19-1_amd64.deb $ wajig install nvidia-glx $ wajig install nvidia-xconfig |
On restarting gdm there was no visible mouse pointer. After a reboot it was again visible. Remove gdm now, as I prefer to start up Gnome from a command line login.
$ wajig remove gdm |
Now mount /home from athene by editting /etc/fstab and add other users. (I am migrating from athene to kyral as the primary server for this network, so eventually /home will move to kyral.)
On reboot the boot sequence was freezing because I had a USB connection to a Neo mobile telephone that was seen as a network device. Unplugging the Neo allowed the boot to work.
On booting the netatalk startup took a long time. I don't use AppleTalk and so I removed the netatalk package and now booting is much quicker.
Configure exim4:
$ wajig reconfigure exim4-config |
Configure printing using cupsys. Simply visit http://localhost:631/ and Add Printer called psc2210. It is all very intuitive. From a remote host, we can connect to this printer by identifying it as lpd://kyral/psc2210. Had to add the following line to /etc/inetd.conf:
printer stream tcp nowait lp /usr/lib/cups/daemon/cups-lpd cups-lpd |
Install a bunch of useful applications:
$ wajig install debsecan $ wajig install gnubiff tomboy music-applet glipper netspeed $ wajig install revelation gworldclock xmms quodlibet contacts $ wajig install htop gxine fam planetpenguin-racer gnumeric auctex $ wajig install ntp rubber latex2html dvb-utils lftp lbdb $ wajig install backup-manager gaiksaurus ifpgui abiword xchat $ wajig install apt-listchanges apt-listbugs rsync ssh meld fping $ wajig install fetchmail clamav clamav-daemon subversion mozplugger $ wajig install r-recommended r-cran-rgtk2 r-cran-cairodevice $ wajig install lynx cvs lintian linda ogmrip $ wajig installrs mplayer flashplugin-nonfree |
Configure anacron to run at 1:30am rather than 7:30am by editing /etc/cron.d/anacron:
30 1 * * * root test -x /etc/init.d/anacron \ && /usr/sbin/invoke-rc.d anacron start >/dev/null |
Install an IMAP server suited for Maildir folders courier-imap (which removes uw-imapd). Choose the option to create a configuration directory (it was not the default, and it may not have been the right choice, but seems to work). Immediately, normal user logins were possible (see Section 24.21 for a telnet command line test of connecting). Added extra users using userdb to protect against my user account and password being compromised.
Install Apache and SSL. Apache2 installed easily. A little more effort got ssl working, after setting up certificate.
Install squirrelmail. Straight forward. Added
Alias /sq /usr/share/squirrelmail |
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c> <IfModule mod_ssl.c> <Location /sq> RewriteEngine on RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !^on$ [NC] RewriteRule . https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L] </Location> </IfModule> </IfModule> |