Debian GNU/Linux: Guide to Installation and Usage | Page 5

of which you might find interesting. After a while, you should
feel confident enough to start using commands without knowing
exactly what they do. This is a good thing.
Tip: If you ever mistakenly type a command or don't know how to exit
a program, press CTRL-c (the Ctrl key and the lowercase letter c
pressed simultaneously). This will often stop the program.
Conventions
Before going on, it's important to be familiar with 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