starting with debian

profhig · Joined: Sep 06, 2003 Posts: 239 Location: Tamworth, UK

I am an absolute beginner with linux. I tried a couple of distro's that booted from cd, and liked the look, thinking i will now try a dual boot. I am fortunate enough to have two hard drives, so decided to move everything off the secondry to the primary drive, and install Debian on the clean drive (secondary) as I am not too 'up' on partitioning either. I was under the impression that linux didn't number drives like windows and would be happy with this. Installation went pretty smooth. I thought all was ok, but when the installation completed and I booted into Debian, I was confronted by a command prompt, and that is as far as I got. Does debian have a gui, and if so, how do i get to it? Have I chosen a distro that might be a little too advanced for a newbie? I would be glad of any advice, even if it is to tell me I am an idiot! I can live with that. Just don't be too hard on me! Thanks in advance.

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2535

It depends what you installed (disclaimer - I've never run debian). If you have a GUI then startx should give you a GUI. If you get nothing, then go here and read the 2nd post
http://www.debianhelp.org/node/1295 to get the desktops for you.

Ray2047 · Joined: Nov 01, 2003 Posts: 766

Did you install Sarge? If so then you were probably caught by what I consider a major fault for newbies in the installer. (They corrected it more or less in Etch).

There are two parts to the Debian install. First is the base install. That is probably what you have. After the base install you are presented with a selection of final installs such as Desktop or server or nothing at all.

It appears that "Desktop is selected because there is a colored square in the selection box for desktop but it isn't selected. The square only shows focus. To select you must press the space bar. (Many have made this mistake based on forum posts.) Simplest solution is to reinstall being sure to select desktop.

That said I would say you may not find the desktop version "windows familiar". I use Debian and like it but I uninstall Gnome GDM and install KDE. That gives you a much more Windows like experience.

You are not finished though. You will still need to install things like Cups for printing and sound modules to support the kernel if using Sarge. You will not have Java or proprietary multimedia codecs. These must be downloaded and installed from other sources.

I would strongly suggest you consider Freespire. It is basically Debian without most of the hassle. Many things that need to be installed after the fact in Debian work "out of the box" on Freespire.

Debian is a great OS and I have used it for a while but it definitely has a learning curve that is steeper then some other OSes that work as well.

profhig · Joined: Sep 06, 2003 Posts: 239 Location: Tamworth, UK

Thanks, Ray2047. That is what has happened- I thought desktop was selected. So simple a solution, but so difficult for the uninitiated as it is with so many other things! I'll take a look at freespire as well. I chose Debian to install because it had a 4+gigs download option for burning to a DVD and thought that would give me all I needed.

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2535

Have a look here http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php
These are Live CDs. Download a few of the more popular ones, burn them and then set the computer up (in the BIOS) to boot from the CD drive. That way, you can test a distro before you install it to see if it likes your hardware. If you have trouble with the display, audio, or getting on the internet, put that disk aside and try another one. When you find the version of linux that likes your hardware then install it. Most Live CDs have an icon on the desktop that you can opt to install, after you've tried it for awhile and it works well on your computer.
I always try live CDs before I install because some just don't like my hardware (we currently have 6 computers and I have different versions of linux installed on three) or it requires too much troubleshooting to get my networked printer to work.

profhig · Joined: Sep 06, 2003 Posts: 239 Location: Tamworth, UK

Thanks, zlim. I have tried several live Cd's, which is why I am now trying an install on a dual boot. I didn't expect everything to run smooth. Just like starting with windows, I have a lot to learn. But didn't some Chinese mystic say 'the longest journey begins with the first step' or something like that? And I know you guys are here to help if I hit any serious difficulties.
Thanks again.

Ray2047 · Joined: Nov 01, 2003 Posts: 766

profhig · Joined: Sep 06, 2003 Posts: 239 Location: Tamworth, UK

silmaril8n · Joined: Jan 29, 2004 Posts: 1743 Location: Phoenix, AZ

I imagine then that you would be very satisfied with something like Ubuntu or Freespire, both Debian-based and very solid OS's.

profhig · Joined: Sep 06, 2003 Posts: 239 Location: Tamworth, UK

Thanks, silmaril8n. I have been reading good things about Ubuntu. I am trying several different distro's, and will give it a try.

jvlb · Joined: Dec 20, 2002 Posts: 86

I would suggest giving SimplyMEPIS 6 a look, as well. It is based on Ubuntu/Debian and uses Ubuntu repositories, but offers a more cogently designed desktop and integrated software suite.

profhig · Joined: Sep 06, 2003 Posts: 239 Location: Tamworth, UK

Thanks, jvlb. As I have said, i am going to try a few distro's. I think what I have found for myself and the suggestions here should keep me busy. Unless i try one that jumps out at me and says 'I'm the one for you' i will eventually try them all. It may be a while, but I'll try to remember to post back what I finally decide on and why.
Thanks again for the help and suggestions.