Debian netinstall.iso no desktop w/ WiFi Walkthrough

hhh · Today 17:53:53

Create a base desktop, the first step is the ISO installation.

I have an Intel laptop, a very entry-level Ideapad with a touchpad and no ethernet. On it I have my main partitions, boot, OS and swap, and I've created an empty partition via the awesome BL-carbon LIVE release on a USB. I'm installing the stable (trixie) amd64 image from the torrent link...
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/cu … d64/bt-cd/

debian-13.7.0-amd64-netinst.iso.torrent

During install I configure WiFi, set the root password empty (leave it blank), during the partitioning I use an ext4 partiton I've already created, sure you can format it installer, mount to /, finish, leave swap untouched. You can fix that later if needed, just copy the swap line from the host /etc/fstab to the new /etc/fstab you're using.

At Select desktop softwate, uncheck "Debian desktop environment" and "GNOME", leave standard utilities checked and continue.

Reboot to the TTY, login and run 'sudo -i' to become root.

My laptop is WiFi only, so I have to bring the network up here.

ip a

Lists a bunch of gibberish that includes the NAME of my WiFi device.

ip link set wlp0s20f3 up

Your device might be named differently, use it instead. But this gives me an error, my laptop is in airplane mode. I have to click the Fn7/airplane key twice and wait a few seconds, then run the ip link command again. Now verify it's working by running 'apt update'.

If everything works as planned, you can exit root by entering 'exit'. Install pkexec and reboot...

sudo apt install pkexec && systemctl reboot

I'm taking a break, more in a bit.

hhh · Today 19:37:35

Login. I'm upgrading the system to sid.

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

Comment out everything except the main line under #CDROM, change forky to sid and add the contrib and nonfree repos...

#deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 13.7.0 _Trixie_ - Official amd64 NETINST with firmware 20260912-09:35]/ trixie contrib main non-free-firmware

deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ sid main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
#deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ trixie main non-free-firmware

#deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security trixie-security main non-free-firmware
#deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security trixie-security main non-free-firmware

# trixie-updates, to get updates before a point release is made;
# see https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-reference/ch02.en.html#_updates_and_backports
#deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ trixie-updates main non-free-firmware
#deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ trixie-updates main non-free-firmware

# This system was installed using removable media other than
# CD/DVD/BD (e.g. USB stick, SD card, ISO image file).
# The matching "deb cdrom" entries were disabled at the end
# of the installation process.
# For information about how to configure apt package sources,
# see the sources.list(5) manual.

Don't worry that it looks a mess, it's going to become a backup when you run apt modernize-sources.

Time to full upgrade.

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

300 and something packages later, after hitting 'q' to dimsiss the News and 'Yes' to automatically restarting services, ignore the warning /udev couldn't connect messages, it's normal.

sudo apt full-upgrade && sudo apt --purge autoremove

I'm installing nala (apt front-end) and rebooting...

sudo apt install nala && systemctl reboot

hhh · Today 19:44:53

Login. List the home directory, showing hidden files...

ls -a

Not much there, update xdg-user-dirs...

xdg-user-dirs-update

Better. Create a labwc autostart file...

mkdir -p ~/.config/labwc

nano ~/.config/labwc/autostart

Content of autostart

/usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal-gnome &
/usr/libexec/xfce-polkit &
xfce4-panel &
nm-applet &
swaybg -i ~/Pictures/Wallpapers/city.png -m fill &

Now we have to make that autostart happen.

sudo nala install xwayland

Reboot.

systemctl reboot

You can shutdown instead with

stystemctl power off

hhh · Today 19:58:56

Login. I'm installing xdg-desktop-portal-gnome which brings in nautilus file manager, it's just way easier this way. Also gnome-system-monitor. We can remove nautilus and the task manager and install thunar later. Just do it.

sudo nala install --no-install-recommends xdg-desktop-portal-gnome nautilus-admin gnome-system-monitor network-manager-applet

Install stuff to get a desktop, I'm using pluma text editor and xfce4-terminal...

sudo nala install xfce-polkit xfce4-terminal pluma papirus-icon-theme gnome-themes-extra ukui-wallpapers fonts-noto labwc labwc-tweaks labwc-menu-generator nwg-look

Create a wallpaper folder...

mkdir ~/Pictures/Wallpapers

Copy the city.png wallpaper to your Wallpapers folder...

cp /usr/share/backgrounds/city.png ~/Pictures/Wallpapers

Reboot, login and type "labwc" to start your session.

If the reboot or shutdown hangs, don't worry just wait 30 seconds. It's network manager, we'll fix it.

hhh · Today 20:03:04

Get rid of the second panel at the bottom by right-clicking either panel>Panel>Panel Preferences, switch the top entry from Panel 1 to 2 and click the minus symbol, confirm and exit.

If you're on WiFi like I am you have to fix /etc/networks/interfaces with 'sudo nano', comment out everything under #Primary interface (don't delete it, it can save your ass to have it) and reboot, now you should be able to connect to your network from the panel applet.

I think that's all correct, I'll reinstall now to check. See ya...

Other than a typo in one package and forgetting to include firefox and nm-applet it's all good, a very minimal labwc session. I'm installing xfce4-screenshooter because pic or it didn't happen. Adwaita icons in the scrot because we haven't themed anything yet, and you can see that I haven't connected to my WiFi network.

I'll add more stuff after another break. Please post if you try this HowTo and it fails.

#1 Today 17:53:53

Debian netinstall.iso no desktop w/ WiFi Walkthrough

#2 Today 19:37:35

Re: Debian netinstall.iso no desktop w/ WiFi Walkthrough

#3 Today 19:44:53

Re: Debian netinstall.iso no desktop w/ WiFi Walkthrough

#4 Today 19:58:56

Re: Debian netinstall.iso no desktop w/ WiFi Walkthrough

#5 Today 20:03:04

Re: Debian netinstall.iso no desktop w/ WiFi Walkthrough

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