Install Debian

Debian is an operating system based on the GNU/Linux build. The Debian operating system, like most other Linux distributions, is free and open source. It is a popular operating system for both desktop and server use, spawning several notable offshoots such as the Ubuntu operating system. The development and distribution of Debian is handled by a non-profit organization, and the operating system can be downloaded free of charge from their website. Learning how to install Debian is a relatively straightforward process requiring an Internet connection, disk imaging software, and a blank CD or USB stick.

Steps

CD Installation

  1. Back up any important files on your computer. Installing Debian on your machine will clear your entire hard drive and reformat it, erasing all data in the process. Store your important information on a removable drive before beginning the installation.
  2. Navigate your web browser to the Debian website. Debian is distributed through www.debian.org, and the necessary files can be found on the "Getting Debian" page.
  3. Download the Debian installation image. From the Debian website, choose the installation image that is suited for your processor architecture. If you don't know what type of processor your machine has, choose the "32-bit PC netinst iso" image, as this one is compatible with common 32-bit Intel or AMD processors.
  4. Burn the installation image to a CD or DVD. Once you have downloaded the image file (it will have a ".iso" extension), burn it to a disc using disk imaging software. There are several free applications available that can perform this task, though your computer must have a CD-R or DVD-R drive. Alternatively, you could burn the image to a USB drive if your computer supports booting from a USB drive.
  5. Boot your computer from the newly-burned disc. Once you mount the .iso file onto a disc, leave the disc in your optical drive and restart the computer. The computer will boot from the disc and take you directly to the Debian installation wizard.
  6. Test Debian Live from the disc if desired. Debian includes an option that lets you run the operating system completely from the CD or DVD, without overwriting any information on your hard drive (this option is called Debian Live). Choose this option from the installation wizard if you want to test Debian before installing it completely. Note that performance will be quite slow with this option.
  7. Install Debian according to the instructions in the installation wizard. When you are ready to proceed with the full installation, follow the prompts in the installation wizard to set up the operating system as desired. You will be given the option to partition your hard drive in case you want to run Debian alongside another operating system such as Microsoft Windows.

USB installation

  1. Back up any important files. Installing another operating system on your computer will reformat your hard drive, thus erasing any files stored on your previous OS. For this reason, you should back up any important files onto a removable device. After the installation, you can easily copy them back into Debian.
  2. Find a USB stick and back up all of its contents. This USB stick is going to be used as the Debian installer. All of its contents will be erased, so make sure to back up any files that you want to keep.
    • The USB stick should have at least 2 GB of storage to hold the installer
  3. Get a Live USB creating application. There are many popular choices when it comes to software used to create Live USB sticks. UNetBootin is available to people using Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. We will be using UNetBootin in this article.
    • If you choose not to use UNetBootin, these instructions will still generally apply to most Live USB creators.
  4. Download the disk image file. From the Debian website under the "Getting Debian" tab, you will be presented with the option to download either the small or complete installation image. Choose the one that best suits your situation.
    • Choose the small installation image if your computer can connect to the Internet.
    • Choose the larger complete installation image if your computer can not connect to the Internet. This image contains more packages, making it easier to install on devices that have no Internet connection.
      • This file will take longer to download, so you also have the option of downloading it over a torrent. If you have a BitTorrent client, using it will make downloading the file much quicker.
  5. Launch the Live USB creator. On Windows, click the start button and search for "UNetBootin". On Mac OS X, open Spotlight search and enter the same keyword. You will probably be asked to grant the application administrative privileges. Enter your password and press enter.
  6. Open the disk image file. Click on the "Diskimage" radio button. Ensure that "ISO" is selected from the drop down menu, and press the button at the very left in order to open the file explorer. In this window, locate the ISO file you downloaded earlier and open it.
  7. Load the installer onto the USB stick. At the bottom of the window, ensure that "USB Drive" is selected from the "Type" drop down menu and that you have the correct drive selected in the Drive menu. This is very important, as if these to aren't set correctly, you could end up formatting the wrong USB stick, or worse, your entire hard drive. Finally, hit OK to set up the USB stick.
    • This process may take a while. It might be a good idea to save and close all of your work since you will need to reboot your computer to start the installation.
  8. Reboot your computer and enter the boot menu. Once you have all of your work saved, reboot your computer. Once you are presented with the manufacturer splash screen, you should see that the key used to enter the boot menu listed in one of the bottom corners of your screen. Press this key.
    • If you aren't given the option to enter the boot menu, then it's probably hidden in the BIOS menu. Enter the BIOS menu instead, and navigate to the tab labeled "Boot Menu".
    • If you aren't given the option to enter the boot menu or the BIOS menu, then you will need to search your model up online to figure out what key you need to press. Typically, you'll need to press F2, F11, F12 or Del.
    • Once you are in the Boot menu, your USB stick should be listed as either the brand name (Lexar, SanDisk, etcetera) or something along the lines of Debian followed by the version name and number. Select this option to boot into the installer.
  9. Follow the instructions in the installation wizard. During the installation, it may be a good idea to plug your computer into your router using an Ethernet cable to ensure that you don't lose connection mid installation. Enter the required information at each prompt. If you want to dual boot Debian with another OS such as Windows, you will be given the option to partition your hard drive near the end of the installation to do this.


Tips

  • If for some reason you cannot download and mount the installation images yourself, you can purchase a Debian installation disc from the Debian website.
  • Debian can take a while to install, so it's best to have something to do while you wait.

Warnings

  • Make sure you back up your files before installing Debian, or you will probably lose them forever.

Things You'll Need

  • A working Computer
  • Disk imaging software
  • A Blank CD, DVD or USB

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