1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
|
<!-- retain these comments for translator revision tracking -->
<!-- $Id$ -->
<sect1 id="install-overview">
<title>Overview of the Installation Process</title>
<para>
First, just a note about re-installations. With &debian;, a
circumstance that will require a complete re-installation of your
system is very rare; perhaps mechanical failure of the hard disk would
be the most common case.
</para><para>
Many common operating systems may require a complete installation to
be performed when critical failures take place or for upgrades to new
OS versions. Even if a completely new installation isn't required,
often the programs you use must be re-installed to operate properly in
the new OS.
</para><para>
Under &debian-gnu;, it is much more likely that your OS can be repaired
rather than replaced if things go wrong. Upgrades never require a
wholesale installation; you can always upgrade in-place. And the
programs are almost always compatible with successive OS releases. If
a new program version requires newer supporting software, the &debian;
packaging system ensures that all the necessary software is
automatically identified and installed. The point is, much effort has
been put into avoiding the need for re-installation, so think of it as
your very last option. The installer is <emphasis>not</emphasis>
designed to re-install over an existing system.
</para><para>
Here's a road map for the steps you will take during the installation
process.
</para>
<orderedlist>
<listitem><para>
Back up any existing data or documents on the hard disk where you
plan to install.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Gather information about your computer and any needed documentation,
before starting the installation.
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="not-x86"><para>
Create partitionable space for &debian; on your hard disk.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Locate and/or download the installer software and any specialized
driver or firmware files your machine requires.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Set up boot media such as CDs/DVDs/USB sticks or provide a network boot
infrastructure from which the installer can be booted.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Boot the installation system.
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="not-s390"><para>
Select the installation language.
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="not-s390"><para>
Activate the ethernet network connection, if available.
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="s390"><para>
Configure one network interface.
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="s390"><para>
Open an ssh connection to the new system.
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="s390"><para>
Attach one or more DASDs (Direct Access Storage Device).
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="x86"><para>
If necessary, resize existing partitions on your target harddisk to make
space for the installation.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Create and mount the partitions on which &debian; will be installed.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Watch the automatic download/install/setup of the
<firstterm>base system</firstterm>.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Install a <firstterm>boot loader</firstterm>
which can start up &debian-gnu; and/or your existing system.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Load the newly installed system for the first time.
</para></listitem>
</orderedlist>
<para condition="gtk">
For &arch-title; you have the option of using
<phrase arch="any-x86">a</phrase>
<phrase arch="powerpc">an experimental</phrase>
graphical version of the installation system. For more information about
this graphical installer, see <xref linkend="graphical"/>.
</para><para>
If you have problems during the installation, it helps to know which
packages are involved in which steps. Introducing the leading software
actors in this installation drama:
</para><para>
The installer software, <classname>debian-installer</classname>, is
the primary concern of this manual. It detects hardware and loads
appropriate drivers, uses <classname>dhcp-client</classname> to set up the
network connection, runs <classname>debootstrap</classname> to install
the base system packages, and runs <classname>tasksel</classname> to allow
you to install certain additional software.
Many more actors play smaller parts in this process,
but <classname>debian-installer</classname> has completed its task when
you load the new system for the first time.
</para><para>
To tune the system to your needs, <classname>tasksel</classname> allows you
to choose to install various predefined bundles of software like a Web
server or a Desktop environment.
</para><para>
One important option during the installation is whether or not to install
a graphical desktop environment, consisting of the X Window System and
one of the available graphical desktop environments.
If you choose not to select the <quote>Desktop environment</quote> task,
you will only have a relatively basic, command line driven system.
Installing the Desktop environment task is optional because in relation to a
text-mode-only system it requires a comparatively large amount of disk space
and because many &debian-gnu; systems are
servers which don't really have any need for a graphical user interface
to do their job.
</para><para arch="not-s390">
Just be aware that the X Window System is completely separate from
<classname>debian-installer</classname>, and in fact is much more
complicated. Troubleshooting of the X Window
System is not within the scope of this manual.
</para>
</sect1>
|
