next prompt: partition disk
http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/ch-partitioning.en.html
/dev/hda ; lba/ lilo notice

next prompt: activate /dev/hda2 as swap partion next prompt: initialize a linux partition next prompt: need to initialize root

• I was going to choose reiserfs, it's supposed to be good with small files instead I chose ext2 because it's not a journaling filesystem (A journaling filesystem easts up 32mb with jourining info, I had no MB to spare)

next prompt: install kernel and driver mods "please select medium you will install system from" choices:
/dev/fd0 first floppy
/dev/fd1 second ?
mounted already mounted filesystem

I chose floppy /dev/fd0

next prompt: "Please place Rescue floppy in the first flopppy drive"

(Rescue is the first disk you put in, the 'boot' disk)

(NOTE: To see your install status [behind your nice ncurses screen front] you can go to a console, press ctrl-alt-f3 to see status install messages you can also get a 'shell' - very minimum at this point in ctrl-alt-f2)

I wanted to see which fd device was right, looks like both will work.

next prompt: "The drivers are being installed from the first floppy drive" next prompt: "Please insert driver disk #1" ( this is your third total disk, as of yet unused but should be 1 of 4 for you driver disks gives you a reading disk stauts bar 1 of 4 ( this is disk 1 of 4 in the drv14bf2.4 series of may etc)

next prompt: "Please insert driver disk #2" gives you a reading disk stauts bar 2 of 4

next prompt: "Please insertdriver disk #3" gives you a reading disk stauts bar 3 of 4

next prompt: "Please insert driver disk #4" gives you a reading disk stauts bar

(after complete I removed the floppy)

next prompt: "Installing Drivers from /target/drivers.tgz"

next prompt: "You've installed the operating system kernel and the modules. Please select "Next" to configure the device driver modules, "Alternate" if you have to configure any PCMCIA devices or "Alternate1" to install 3rd party modules"

Next prompt is for "configure device driver modules" (I usually choose to do PCMCIA, well on laptops of course)

• now some fun, i like to get pcmcia up and running asap (debian is a network based distro if ever there was one,... )

lets' see if it sees its nic.

debian PCMCA config
the following is a list of all drivers that can be configured automatically from within debian install sys,
choices
[*] pcmcia controller - default choice
[] serial devices
[] cd-rom devices

go with default

next prompt: "There are two major types of PCMCIA controlers, intel i82365sl-compatiablte and databook tcic-2 type. I chose i82365 : Intel

I don't really even know what the other one is,... controller opts, left balnk

core opts, balkcard mgr opts, blank

next prompt: displays the i82365 config opts you just specified confirmation correct?
yes

(let's check: ctrl-alt-f2 press enter enable console dmesg|more or dmesg|grep eth bottom is says eth0 MII slescted, media 100baseT Xircom, port 0x300, irq 3, hwaddr 00:80:c7:5C:ED:d8 great looks like our nics' been seen!)
/sbin/ifconfig gives nothing, well of course networking not yet set-up. mount
/dev/ram0 on / type ext2 (rw)
/proc on /proc type proc (rw)
/dev/hda1 on /target type ext2 (rw)

cat /etc/resolv.conf - does not exist yet

ok, let's proceed (ctrl-alt-f1 to get back to main menu) Next: "configure device driver modules"

(you can always do this later [at any time] with modconf (a great feature of debian, installing modules into the kernel, live style, with modconf. you then use /sbin/lsmod to view what is loaded and /sbin/modconf module to load specific modules, they of course have to be compiled (as modules) into the kernel at this point i'm just concerned with any pcmcia drivers, we can get fancy with usb and sound, etc later.

Didn't see the kernel/drivers/PCMCIA - i guess we already loaded all them, so I skipped this althogether, everything you need to basic run/boot is already in the default kernel.

Next: configure the network, - we'll find out now, "the network device seems to be pcmcia is that correct?" yes
"do you want to use dhpc/bootp to configure" yes
I was on a dhcp network, luckily,
"your network has been configured"

excellent, debian found and configured the network, lets go to console to verify

ping yahoo.com
PING yahoo.com (216.109.127.28): 56 data bytes 64 bytes from 216.109.127.28: icmp_seq=0 ttl=54 time=11.0 ms 64 bytes from 216.109.127.28: icmp_seq=1 ttl=54 time=11.2 ms - excellent

/sbin/ifconfig

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:xxxxxxxxxxxx
          inet addr:10.10.100.6  Bcast:10.10.255.255  Mask:255.255.0.0
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:23394 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:1
          TX packets:12 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collision2165838 (2.1 Mb)  TX bytes:2497 (2.4 kb)
          Interrupt:3 Base address:0x300

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:2099 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:2099 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 b)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)

great, that was very easy! (It does not often go this smoothly,... that is what happens when you have supported hardware, doing pre-work for supported hardware helps!)

Next: Install the Base system
- this is excellent, now that you have a network connection you are golden! Select Installation medium
Please select the medim you will use to install the system /de/fd0:
/dev/fd1:
network - yes, my favorite choice most up to date, no more floppys needed mounted:
nfs:

now having chosen network install method: Next: "select installation server"
given a default url of http://http.us.debian.org/debian proxy: none proxy port 8080
this is fine hit ok,
unless you are behind a proxy, etc (i.e. the url is good, you could also ping it in console to be sure)

now debian does it's thing and downloads packages and installs them. Next 'status' prompt: Installing Base system, please wait,... gives you a status bar of what is being installed (you can also always go to console to see)

(checking ctrl-alt-f2
$ which wget
/usr/bin/wget
I see that wget is already installed, great so i can easilly download stuff if need be)

let's see space;
df -h

Filesystem            Size    Used   Avail   Use% Mounted on
/dev/ram0             6.4M    3.5M   2.9M    55% /
/dev/hda1             287.8M  28.9M  244.0M  11% /target

yeah, still empty, base system not even complete yet

hmmmm, it seems to be hanging a little,...

netstat
nothing
/sbin/netstat
nothing
ping yahoo.com
PING yahoo.com (216.109.127.28): 56 data bytes 64 bytes from 216.109.127.28: icmp_seq=0 ttl=54 time=11.0 ms 64 bytes from 216.109.127.28: icmp_seq=1 ttl=54 time=11.2 ms well, ok at least we haven't lost network connection or anything,..

oh, ok, these is goes, it was jsut verifying base package system, probably md5sum, or something

I do only have 16mb memory !!!
$ dmesg|grep Mem
Memory: 16984/20672k available,...

(just screwing around interesting kernel command line dmesg|head Kernel command line: vga=normal noinitrd load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=1 ramdisk_size=16384 root=/dev/fd0 disksize=1.44 flavor=bf2.4 BOOT_IMAGE=linux.bin)

ok back to ncurses screen (ctrl-alt-f1) mail_x
make dev
man-db
manpages_1.39-1
mawk 1.3.38
mbr
modconf 0.2.43_all.deb
modutils_2.4.15-1_i386_all.deb
moung
nano_1.0.6-3_i386.deb
ncurses-bin_5.2.2002
etc, are some of the packages scrolling by,... retriving
http://http.debian.org/etc,...

damn I got called away for 20 mins,...
came back,
now, configuring base packages,... good takes awhile.

Next Prompt: "make system bootable"
"where should lilo be lilo be installed. Lilo can be installed eith into the MBR or into the /dev/hda1 boot block."

/dev/hda: Intall LILO in the MBR (use this if unsure) - I chose this one

Next: Securing LILO
NOTE: default LILO configuration is not secure enough again local attacks. read LILO docs after install ( basicly you can and should select a lilo password, no one wihtout this password can boot your system, it is stored in clear text in /etc/lilo.conf though so don't go to crazy with root type password schemes, people over your shoulder, etc, can read it)

Next: make a boot floppy
I usually do, just in case.

insert a floppy in drive
debian formats and installs kernel (compressed) and makes floppy bootable.

Next:
It's time to start your new Debian GNU/Linux system. Select "next" to reboot your machine and complete the remainin configuration. If your system has troubles booting, you may have to fall back to your cumtom boot disk or rescue disk (see documentation)

(make sure you take out floppy or cd's before rebooting,... :)

if all goes well
system will reboot
tons of messages will fly past you as it boots, all readable later (at any time) by typing
dmesg|less ( or dmesg|more)
at the propmt
now you should get: "Congratulations, you have successfully installed debian!!!"

now the real fun begins, the most important thing to know about debian is you can install anything at any time by using 'apt-get install' as root, or better yet use sudo.

now you do the timezone stuff:
I'll leave that to you
prompt shows system time and asks if your clock is set to GMT, mine ususally isn't I am GMT - 5 (EST)

password setup
Next prompt: shall i enable md5 passwords ? yes
Next prompt: shadow passwords?
yes

Next prompt: root password
choose something good [a-zA-Z0-9~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|":?><{}|[]\] use many of these, like a word or name or phrase you use but with symbols intermixed

(also in general never log in as root) so don't forget password, I never log in as root, so it could be easy to forget my root password, I use sudo)

Next prompt: create reg user
this is the one you use most, (again the user for root access with sudo)

Next prompt: do you wnat ot use PPP?
no, I dont usually use dial up, not nowadays

Next prompt: (important)
"choose the method apt should use to access the Debian archive:" (almost always use http or ftp [as ong as you have a network conneciton] ,again you can always change this later by editing /etc/lilo.conf by hand, but it's convenient to set-up right the first time, untill you are used to it) I chose http and ftp

Next prompt: use non-us software?
yes

Next prompt: non-free ? - I know it's debian, but there are some good non-free apps, like java,

'sable ' still isn't very fast or stable,... yes

Next prompt: contrib ?
yes

Next prompt: select contry
United states

Next prompt: mirror to use?
ftp ftp.us.debian.org - default from our install, htis is fine it's fast and usually avaible, excpept whte they had security breeqach, for a day of so Next prompt: proxy info?
blank

now, the installer tests apt sources, (goes to site and retrivces the package lists to see packages available, for the apt local databases,..)

Next prompt: add another apt source?
I usually do (i may run netselect to see the closest mirror to me but this one is the closest)

so I wont for now, always can later (edit /etc/apt/sources.list)

next: use security updates form security.debian.org ALWAYS YES

(again , testing apt sources)

(Side Note: I forgot to list the time I started this install, damn,... but i think it was around 12:30 or so, it's 4 now, I had to step away from time to time, so minus some time for that, but it's also 16mb 486, so what do you want?)

Next propmt:
"At this point you debian system is very minimal, composed of ust enough software to bootstrap a complete sysetm. You should probably add some additional software to your system now, to tune it to your needs. One way to select additional software to instal is with the tasksel program, etc, etc, ...
Next prompt: Run taskel?
yes (although, I won't choose much)
I just choose
[*] laptop system in this case,
i'm not a big fan of tasksel, i prefer apt-get or aptitude, dselect in a pinch.

(I forgot to mention, a short time after creating a user i logged into another console to have some fun ctrl-alt-f2[f3-f4-f5-f6 {f7-f8-f9-f10-f11-f12} are all reserved for x screen displays])

so here's our progess df -h

Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/hda1             288M  96M  177M  36% /

hmmm, our final 'dream' goal is to try to run basic x on this, for the heck of it :)

our first primary goal is actually complete, linux is installed and working, with network support.(This is already usable working system with many uses)

our second primary goal is almost complete, have our favorite apps, installed and working. (Then this is a usable working system, for us)

Next prompt: run dselect?
-hmmm, I never really got the hang of this one (dselect), not very intutive, honestly i've never given it a chance, othere tools are available, I should spend the time to learn this well though, as a debian user.

for now
'no'

now it prints our Reading package lists, building dependcy tree, the NEW following packages will be installed

lots of packages follow,...
anacron, apmd, bc, biff, binutils, bison, cpp gcc, lipperl5.6, m5, make, libssl, patch, xfree-common, toshutils, mtools, mutt, ncurses-term, etc

(I love debian cause of it's sparseness, and package base, although, I don't like that xfree-common is part of base (or post base) install/required, I would not want any X componets on a server, you can remove this of course 'apt-get remove xfree-common')

Need to get 42.7MB of archives. after unpacking 117MB will be used do you want to continue?
yes
wow 117mb
177 - 117
60mb, not much left,...

Next prompt: configuring binutils
Kernel link faliure info, (read it hit, 'ok')

Next prompt: configure less " add a mime hanlder for "applitact/*?" no (although, I often do)
next configuring locales
[*] en_US ISO-8859-1
[*] en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8

Next prompt: config locales
"which locale shouel be the defalt in the system envron ent?" Leave alone is default
ok

Next prompt: statd uses tcpwrpapers
ok

Next prompt: ssh allow ssh protocal 2 only? yes

do you want /usr/lib/ssh-keyget to be install SUID root? (if you do and want to change it later you can run: dpkg-reconfigure ssh) yes

Next prompt: "Do you want to run sshd server?" yes

Next prompt: config apmd
config files have moved.
ok

Next prompt: config irda-common
ok

Next prompt: do you want to enable irDA? No

now, it's installing , selecting previously dselected packages, etc,... unpacking libsshl0.96 (from .../libssl0.96_0.9.6c.woody.6_i386.deb) etc

(i just noticed the bios clock is dead, says date is Jan 1st 1990, hmm, not great but is working still , all packages (form tar) are complaing the date is in the future,...)

the whole time installing, the only prompt is "Setting up ibritish ispell dictionaries" "select the number of the default"
dictioary[1] american
ok

dont worry if it hangs on Creating SSH2 RSA and DSA keys, lots of math here, depends on processor speed,...

takes awhile,...

Next prompt: setting up netenv?
you can:
1) let me try to confiure you ra actual network connect as the default 2) ....... missed, forgot, Otherwise you have to enter the conf again during the next boot.
3) Disable netenv usage art boot time.

what would you like to do?(1/2/3) [1]
yes

sits on python2.1 (2.1.3-3.2) for awhile,... wow, longer than the ssh keys,...

Next prompt: Do you want to erase any previously deownloaded .deb files? yes
(cleans /var/db and free up some hard drive room, very important in this situation) Next prompt: I can auto setup mail system 'exim' Select number,

I did 4, (did't need mail, just notices and for cron jobs) also mail sent to me not root,
mail path is /var/mail or whatever, yes, ok

Next prompt: Have fun!
you may now login at prompt.
thank you for choosing debian! - thank you debian!

so here's system:
df -h

Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/hda1             288M  242M  31M  89% /

hmmm, ok, so now i know for sure
A very basic full install of debian takes 242MB, wow, not bad!,...

after cleaning var (from the question above) or apt-get clean $df -h

Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/hda1             288G  202M  71MM  74% /

even better!

first thing:
login
root

apt-get install sudo
visudo
your_user ALL:ALL ALL
# or ALL:ALL NOPASSWD:ALL,

now to do things, like install apps, etc type 'sudo apt-get install whatever' it will prompt you for your password, not roots, that's it

let's give some helpful system stats
# lspci
pcilib: Cannot open /proc/bus/pci
lspci: cannot find any working access method

hmmm,
$ls -lR /proc/bus/pci
ls: /proc/bus/pci : No Such file or directory

ok
cd /proc
find . -type f \( ! -name kcore \) -exec /bin/cat {} \; -exec ls {} \;>/tmp/proc_info_list

should give some usefull info

$ exit

$ login:
reg_user (that is the last time we should login as root, hopefully)

now for the final part of our final 'dream' platau for this box. 'X'

which startx
which locate
/usr/bin/locate
locate - no database set up yet of course

sudo find / -name "X*" -type d
/usr/share/terminfo/X
/usr/X11R6
/usr/X11R6/include/X11
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11
/etc/X11
/etc/X11/Xresources
/etc/X11/Xsession.d

hmmm, ok no X, maybe this wont fit, afterall

apt-cache search X|less

hmmm, gives almost all packages, for every apaphet letter well, still good to look over, nice thing about debian you can get ideas about what is out there, learn, etc
ok

sudo apt-get install x-window-system

needs 76.5mb

we now have 75mb available, well i can't think of stuff to remove, nothing big anyway let's go for it anyway,...

(some of the install stuff we can axe, like maybe printer server or something,... we see what happens,... i have seen /var go to -10mb once, reported by df, interesting, we have 288m used 288M 0 avail 100% used,... -yup crashed, no space left but that's fine, still downloaded most of packages,...

for xserver-xfree86 config
I chose vga server
8 bits color
yes to debconf
640x480

sudo apt-get clean -this cleans /var/db of all unessary download files

I talked to my friend and we decided against X anyway, although it did just fit! 166k free after but have to run small window manager like aewm,..

(he can run X from a nfs partion or vnc or something, he would rather have the space,... I agree)

ok, so
apt-get remove x-window-system sfree86-common xfonts-scalbale xserver-common xserver-common-v3 xlibs xserver-xfree85
(it also removes all the related libs and uneeded dependancies and packages) -so in effect removing all X packages,... good.

68.7mb will be freed,

....

....

removed x-window-system sfree86-common xfonts-scalbale xserver-common xserver-common-v3 xlibs xserver-xfree86

final 288mb used213 avail 60M 78% used /

ok, that's it.

Time: I stopped 8pm, so it takes about a day to install debian to your liking on a 486

NOTE: I don't know how accurate that timinig is though, I was doing othere things
while I installed this, also i have installed debian on a 233mhz 32mb machine in a
little over an hour, (for a basic minimal but totally functional install)

this page made with txt2html
http://txt2html.sourceforge.net/
(more or less, i did clean-up/add some html, but still beat doing it from scratch)