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CONFIGURE YOUR TIME ZONE <Enter>
Is the hardware clock set to GMT? <No>
Are you in the Central America/Panama time zone? <Yes>
Is this information correct? <Yes>

SET UP USERS AND PASSWORDS <Enter>
Enable shadow passwords? <Yes>
Root password <enter it>
Re-enter your password
Create a normal user account now? <Yes>
Enter a full name for the new user <you can type anything>
Enter a user name for your account <do it>
Type a password for the new user <do it>
Re-type the same password <do it>
Set the hostname (already done) <Enter>

CONFIGURE APT <Enter>
It gives a list of options <ftp>

DEBIAN DISTRIBUTION TO USE

-stable
-unstable
-testing

I chose Testing <Enter>

Use non-free software? <Yes> (personal decision)
Mirror country <choose one close to you>
Choose the Debian mirror to use <choose one close to you>

Here, the screen goes black (console), and APT starts checking the repositories for the Debian version you chose, it takes a few minutes.

Add another APT source? <No>
Use security updates from security.debian.org? <Yes>
If you chose Sid (unstable), you won't need them.

SELECT AND INSTALL PACKAGES <Skip this line>

Here, I skipped this line with the arrow and installed my apps at the end of the installation with apt-get.

CONFIGURE THE MAIL TRANSFER AGENT <Enter>
In the next few questions, just take the default answers, nothing to write.

FINISH CONFIGURING THE BASE SYSTEM <Enter>
Thank you for using Debian <Enter>
It takes you to the console (black screen) with a debian login.

debian login: <write your username> Enter
password: <write your user password> Enter
(now you've become a user)

Example:
macondo@debian:~$

we have to become root in order to be able to install packages and edit files. So type 'su' (switch user)

macondo@debian:~$ su <Enter>
password: <write your ROOT password> Enter
(now you're ROOT)

debian:/home/macondo#

Ok, now I install my apps so I can enter the X environment.

The first thing I do is:

#apt-get update
#apt-get dist-upgrade

After this, your repositories' database will be updated and the apps already installed in the base installation, upgraded to the latest version of the Debian version, you installed.

Now, I'm going to install some basic packages necessary to enter the X environment, and also necessary to function in everyday life.

Here, you can go different ways, the first option is recommended for newbies, it will come with xterm (terminal) and XDM (display manager). So, now that you're root:

Option 1:

#apt-get install x-window-system mozilla-firefox mozilla-thunderbird icewm icewm-themes firehol nano

You can replace icewm with wmaker, xfce4, fluxbox, etc

Option 2 (my favorite, it's much lighter):

#apt-get install x-window-system-core mozilla-firefox aterm menu icewm icewm-themes iceme firehol aee apmd

I'll install Pine later on.

After you come back, it's time to configure X, I follow the instructions from the article:

The Very Verbose Debian Installation Walkthrough
Sections 9 and 10

(it takes all of 15 minutes to read, and will save you hours if not days).

The reason I tell you to read this, it's because nobody can explain this better than Clinton De Young.

After reading this 2 sections, it'll take you just a few minutes to configure X.

So, I say NO to auto-detection, I have an old video card that only works with 15 bit color depth.

CONFIGURATION OF XFREE86
Select the driver for your video card <nv>
Enter an identifier for your video card <nVidia Stb Riva 128>
Read the next screen <Accept>
Please enter the video card bus identifier <leave blank>
Enter the amount (in kb) of memory for your video card <4000>

Please select the set of rules XKB to be used <xfree86>
Read next screen <Accept>
Please select your keyboard model <Logitech iTouch>
Here, you can enter "PC104" for an American keyboard or "PC105 for a European.
Please select the language (keymap) <es>
here you can enter "us" for American, or "gb" for British.
Please select your variant <leave blank>
Read the next screen <Accept>
Please select the options for your keyboard <leave blank>

Please show the port for your mouse </dev/psaux>
Please choose the option that better describes your mouse <ImPS/2>
this will activate the scroll wheel on your mouse.
Emulate a 3-button mouse? <Yes>
Activate the mouse wheel? <Yes>

Enter an identifier for your monitor <Optiquest V73>
Is your monitor LCD? <No>
Please select a method to configure your monitor <Advanced>
Enter your horizontal frequency range <30-70>
Enter your vertical refresh frequencies <50-160>
Choose your resolutions <1024x768>
Please choose the color depth in bits <15>
Read next screen <Accept>
Select the XFree86 modules that should be loaded by default <leave as is>
Next screen write Files section by default <Yes>
Write section DRI by default in the configuration file? <Yes>

After I'm thru configuring X, the firewall (firehol) configuration is next. For this, I need to edit the file

/etc/default/firehol

So, as root, I launch the text editor:

#nano /etc/default/firehol

and edit it to look like this:

START_FIREHOL=YES
FIREHOL_LOG_MODE="ULOG"

save/exit

in other words,

Ctrl+O <Enter>
Ctrl+X

The first line will activate Firehol, the second will divert the log messages somewhere else, so the console screen will be free of them, which is marvelous if you use "startx" (as I do) to enter the X environment..

We have to reconfigure the locales:

#dpkg-reconfigure locales

A list will come up, go down the list with the arrows, and select with the spacebar all the instances of en_US (about 3) and any other language you use, choose OK, and on the next screen, choose your environment language (the language all your instructions will be in) select OK and the locales will be generated.

SWITCHING KERNELS

The default kernel during the installation was:

kernel-image-2.4.27.-1-386

but my box is a PII, (processors PII, PIII, and P4 use 686) I want this kernel optimized for my processor, so, I'll install a 686 model:

#apt-get install kernel-image-2.4.27-1-686

If you installed Sarge with the 2.6.8-1-386, you can install the one with the 686 flag at the end.

#apt-get install kernel-image-2.6.8-1-686

If you installed Sid, with 2.6.8-1-386, you can install the latest:

#apt-get install kernel-image-2.6.9-1-686

For those smart enough to install GRUB, you have to do nothing, no questions to answer, it will install, update the grub menu automatically, at the end, all you have to do is:

#reboot

It can't get any better than this!

If you have LILO installed like me, and no other OS in the hd, just say YES to the question asked,

then,

#lilo
#reboot

Later on, you can get rid of the old kernels with Synaptic or Debfoster.

When you reboot, you will come back with a new kernel, some basic applications, and a working firewall. If you chose option 1, you will come back to XDM to log in, on option 2, you'll come to the console, in text mode; login, and use "startx".

I hope this helps a little bit.
Good Luck!

This article was written using the text editor aee (another easy editor).

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