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Debian Linux

Ubuntu Debian Mint xRDP

Download Installer

• Debian 12: https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/
• Get the current debian-XX.X.X-amd64-netinst.iso

Older Releases

• Debian 11: https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/archive/11.7.0/amd64/iso-cd/debian-11.7.0-amd64-netinst.iso
• Debian 10: https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/archive/10.10.0/amd64/iso-cd/debian-10.10.0-amd64-netinst.iso
• Debian 9: https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/archive/9.13.0/amd64/iso-cd/debian-9.13.0-amd64-netinst.iso

Old Release Firmware

• As of Debian 12, non-free firmware is included in the install image
• If you need firmware for an older release, you can find it in the archive below
  • https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/cd-including-firmware/archive/
• Select the folder for the release you need
• Select your cpu architecture and then the iso-cd subfolder
• Look for firmware-XX.X.X-XXXX-netinst.iso

Installation

• At the boot menu, select Install and not “Graphical Install”
• Choose only SSH Server at software selection
• If installing a desktop environment see the Debian with MATE section at the bottom.

Provision Script

Script Summary

• Runs apt update
• Installs base software
• Turns off SSH MotD
• Sets up vim and bash
• Installs guest tools if running a virtual machine
• See Github for full script

Running the Provision Script

• Install curl and run the script

  sudo apt install -y curl
  

  curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Rockz1152/Debian/main/setup.sh | sudo bash && exec bash
  

• A reboot is recommended after provisioning but not required sudo reboot

Updates

• Make a script that can be launched as ~/update-system.sh to install system updates

  echo 'sudo sh -c "apt update;apt upgrade -y;apt autoremove --purge -y;"' > $HOME/update-system.sh
  chmod u+x $HOME/update-system.sh
  

Configure Static Network

• Run ip link to retrieve the name of your network interface and substitute as necessary
• Open the network interface config

  sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces
  

• If your interface already has an entry, change dhcp to static

  iface net# inet dhcp
  

  • Otherwise you’ll need to add your own lines
  • Debian 10 and older:

    auto net#
    iface net# inet static
    

  • Debian 11 and newer:

    allow-hotplug net#
    iface net# inet static
    

• Add the following information after the iface net# inet static line

  address 192.168.0.XX
  netmask 255.255.255.0
  gateway 192.168.0.1
  dns-nameservers 8.8.8.8 1.1.1.1
  

• Reboot with sudo reboot

Debian with MATE

At software selection, choose

• Debian Desktop Environment
• MATE
• OpenSSH Server
• Standard System Utilities

After Install

Install the Yaru theme

sudo apt install -y yaru-theme-gtk yaru-theme-icon yaru-theme-sound

• System > Preferences > Look and Feel > Popup Notifications
  • For Theme select Coco
• System > Preferences > Look and Feel > Appearance
  • Choose a theme and color you are comfortable with

Install MATE Tweak

• sudo apt install mate-tweak

Disable desktop composition

• Control Center > Look and Feel > MATE Tweak > Windows > Window Manager > Choose Marco(No compositor)

Release Upgrades

Resources

• The official wiki page for release upgrades: https://wiki.debian.org/DebianUpgrade
• Release code names and wiki pages: https://wiki.debian.org/DebianReleases#Production_Releases
• Check the current release wiki page for any updates to the sources.list file.
  • e.g. https://wiki.debian.org/DebianBullseye#Links

Upgrade

• Fully upgrades and cleanup any packages on the system

  sudo sh -c "apt update; apt full-upgrade -y; apt autoremove --purge -y"
  

• Update source files to new release code name

  sudo sed -i 's/<OldName>/<NewName>/g' /etc/apt/sources.list
  

  • Bullseye to Bookworm

    sudo sed -i 's!bullseye!bookworm!g' /etc/apt/sources.list
    sudo sed -i 's!main!main non-free-firmware!g' /etc/apt/sources.list
    

  • Buster to Bullseye:

    sudo sed -i 's!buster!bullseye!g' /etc/apt/sources.list
    sudo sed -i 's!bullseye/updates!bullseye-security!g' /etc/apt/sources.list
    

• Upgrade to the new release

  sudo sh -c "apt clean; apt update; apt upgrade --without-new-pkgs -y; apt full-upgrade -y; apt autoremove --purge -y"
  

  • When prompted “Restart services during package upgrades without asking?” select Yes
  • If prompted to overwrite existing configuration files, select N which is the default
• Reboot when complete sudo reboot
• Rerun the Debian provision script to setup dotfiles

  curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Rockz1152/Debian/main/setup.sh | sudo bash && exec bash
  

• Verify the upgrade cat /etc/os-release