the typographical conventions used in this book.
When you should simultaneously hold down multiple keys, a notation like CTRL-a will be used. This means ``press the Ctrl key and press lowercase letter a.'' Some keyboards have both Alt and Meta; most home computers have only Alt, but the Alt key behaves like a Meta key. So if you have no Meta key, try the Alt key instead.
Keys like Alt and Meta are called modifier keys because they change the meaning of standard keys like the letter A. Sometimes you need to hold down more than one modifier; for example, Meta-Ctrl-a means to simultaneously press Meta, Ctrl, and lowercase a.
Some keys have a special notation - for example, Ret (Return/Enter), Del (Delete or sometimes Backspace), Esc (Escape). These should be fairly self-explanatory.
Spaces used instead of hyphens mean to press the keys in sequential order. For example, CTRL-a x RET means to simultaneously type Ctrl and lowercase a, followed by the letter x, followed by pressing Return. (On some keyboards, this key is labeled Enter. Same key, different name.)
In sample sessions, bold face text denotes characters typed by the user, italicized text denotes comments about a given part of the sample session, and all other text is output from entering a command. For shorter commands, you'll sometimes find that the command can be found within other text, highlighed with a monospace font.
Getting Started
``A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.'' - Lao-Tsu
Now that you've read about the ideas and philosophy behind Linux and Debian, it's time to start putting it on your computer! We start by talking about how to prepare for a Debian install, then about partitioning your disk, and finally, how to start up the installation system.
Supported Hardware
Debian does not impose hardware requirements beyond the requirements of the Linux kernel and the GNU tools.
Rather than attempting to describe all the different hardware configurations that are supported for the PC platform, this section contains general information and pointers to where additional information can be found.
There are two excellent places to check for detailed information: the Debian System Requirements list and the Linux Documentation Project Hardware Compatibility HOWTO. For information on video card support, you may also want to look at the XFree86 Project web site.
Memory and Disk Space Requirements
You must have at least 4MB of memory and 35MB of available hard disk space. If you want to install a reasonable amount of software, including the X Window system, and some development programs and libraries, you'll need at least 300MB. For an essentially full installation, you'll need around 800MB. To install everything available in Debian, you'll probably need around 2GB. Actually, installing everything doesn't make sense because some packages provide the same services.
Before You Start
Before you start, make sure to back up every file that is now on your system. The installation procedure can wipe out all of the data on a hard disk! The programs used in installation are quite reliable and most have seen years of use; still, a false move can cost you. Even after backing up, be careful and think about your answers and actions. Two minutes of thinking can save hours of unnecessary work.
Debian makes it possible to have both Debian GNU/Linux and another operating system installed on the same system. If you plan to use this option, make sure that you have on hand the original CD-ROM or floppies of the other installed operating systems. If you repartition your boot drive, you may find that you have to reinstall your existing operating system's boot loader2.1 or the entire operating system itself.
Information You Will Need
If your computer is connected to a network 24 hours a day (i.e., an Ethernet or similar LAN connection - not a PPP connection), you should ask your network's system administrator for the following information:
* Your host name (you may be able to decide this on your own) * Your domain name * Your computer's IP address * The IP address of your network * The netmask to use with your network * The broadcast address to use on your network * The IP address of the default gateway system you should route to, if your network has a gateway * The system on your network that you should use as a DNS server * Whether you connect to the network using Ethernet * Whether your Ethernet interface is a PCMCIA card, and if so, the type of PCMCIA controller you have If your only network connection is a telephone line using PPP or an equivalent dialup connection, you don't need to worry about getting your network set up until your system is already installed. See section 11.1 on page [*] for information on setting up PPP under Debian.
Partitioning Your Hard Drive
Before you install Debian on your computer, it is
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