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Get rid of Windows and install Debian

Ask for help with issues regarding the Installations of the Debian O/S.
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johntandy
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Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#1 Post by johntandy »

Hi all:

My PC is an intel core i5-2400 at 3.10 GHZ with 8GB of ram.
It crashed terribly cause a Windows 10 issue with a runtime process. I'm so sick of Windows and it forced updates and other issues.

So I'm totally willing to reformat the hard disk, install and use Debian as the main OS for my PC since I already lost some data that I couldn't backup. I have tried Debian Live USB on another PC and it ran fine.

Will my PC handle the Debian 9 (strech) version, or it's better to use an older Debian version? I already know how to create a Live USB using Rufus and any USB drive.
I already know about Gparted and partitioning and ext4 format.

Does Debian offer an option to set the system to NOT check and NOT download updates? Also, internet here is bad and I can't constantly upgrade an OS.

Thanks in advance.

New Debian user.

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4D696B65
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#2 Post by 4D696B65 »

johntandy wrote: Will my PC handle the Debian 9 (strech) version
Yes
johntandy wrote:Does Debian offer an option to set the system to NOT check and NOT download updates?
yes

czeekaj
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#3 Post by czeekaj »

Try a dual boot if possible. If you formated the whole drive for windows , I'm not sure it's easy to reformat a running OS. I liked to keep windows small, as it likes it's paging files :) and if you format a extra NFTS it will use it for whatever it does. If you don't format it just ignores it as far as I know. Grub does a good job fronting for the windows bootloader and linux.
I havn't been using windows as of recently just nice to have during your transition :)
I have some windows debulking scripts which help lighten it up. If you plan to make a dual boot reinstall windows over first and give it a small partition. Although Debian took me a little while to figure out partitioning. However Zorin didn't feel as stable at first glance. Mint I having few problems but it's easy at first however it feels like it has more dependancies. My sudo user account died for some reason, I can't log into it so I had to make new user. However I am a little skeptical now debians install feels like a lot more solid encryption as well.

You will want updates though :), Windows updates I know, it's a tough choice to update or not to with security updates. Wish you could pick and chose updates but linux I kinda just installing them all anyways :)

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Thorny
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#4 Post by Thorny »

4D696B65 wrote:
johntandy wrote:Does Debian offer an option to set the system to NOT check and NOT download updates?
yes
Yes is the correct answer to the question you asked. However, if you do not upgrade (probably what you mean when you write "updates") and continue to connect to the Internet, ultimately you will encounter a security issue. Probably will run fine for a while but Debian (the stable version and that is what most new Debian users should use) doesn't just roll out upgrades for no reason.

Maybe this would be a good time to read the Installation Manual for the stable version, Stretch.
https://www.debian.org/releases/stretch/installmanual

This post from a forum administrator would probably be another good thing to read.
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=47078

Good Luck!

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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#5 Post by Ardouos »

johntandy wrote: Does Debian offer an option to set the system to NOT check and NOT download updates? Also, internet here is bad and I can't constantly upgrade an OS.
If you install a full blown desktop environment like KDE or GNOME, just make sure unattended-upgrades is not installed. I really do not understand why it is flagged as a dependency for those desktops.

You can just remove it with:

Code: Select all

apt remove unattended-upgrades
https://wiki.debian.org/UnattendedUpgrades

It also seems that Buster will have automatic updates by default:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/debian-1 ... 8893.shtml
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johntandy
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#6 Post by johntandy »

The reason I can't constantly upgrade an OS it's because here in Latinamerica internet is NOT fast.

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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#7 Post by bw123 »

johntandy wrote:The reason I can't constantly upgrade an OS it's because here in Latinamerica internet is NOT fast.
I don't have fast internet either, and I have a 500mb per month cap. I am able to maintain a couple of debian systems pretty easy, except when there are several kernel or very large updates at the same time. Sometimes I hit the streets for some free wifi, but I never use automatic upgrades or anything like that. I usually update the syatems about once a month, it takes 10-15 minutes start to finish, sometimes there are no updates for several months.

With "intel core i5-2400 at 3.10 GHZ with 8GB of ram" you won't have problems running a very modern os like stretch, but be sure and follow the installation guide and gather hardware info by using your live USB on this machine before installing.
https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/


Good Luck!
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johntandy
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#8 Post by johntandy »

Thanks to all.

Another question: which desktop you recommend?

Cinammon? Xfce? or maybe Mate?

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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#9 Post by pawRoot »

Gnome 8)

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GarryRicketson
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#10 Post by GarryRicketson »

There is no real reason to keep Windows, and in the long run it is better to not keep it on a PC, but others do not agree on that. So they try to invent reasons
and convince everyone that you must have Windows, I have not had Windows on any of my PC's since about 2002, and never miss it.

As far as a Desktop Environment goes, that is impossible to recommend any
in particular, every one has different needs and preferences , as for me, after trying the various DE's, none of them really suit me, I like a Window Manager instead.
https://wiki.debian.org/WindowManager
TWM, FVWM, are nice, but of the various WM's I prefer OpenBox, and that is what I use, combined with some XFCE utilities, Thunar, XFCE4-terminal, and a few others.
One thing about Debian, even though some people will try to convince you that you can not have a usable system with out Gnome, or KDE , it is simply not true, you can have a perfectly usable system without those. All though I do not recommend any in particular, Gnome is one I would suggest avoiding, it is very bloated, complicated and can be rather problematic. XFCE is pretty good.
The problem with Mate, it pulls in to much dependencies on Gnome.
Also, for example, if you install the XFCE DE, or Mate, or what ever, you can still also install other DE's or Window Managers, you select which one you want to use when you log in, later after you decide which you like the best, then the next time you install a new system, you will probably just want the one you prefer. It is also possible to remove any of the ones you don't like later as well, but that is not all ways a simple process.

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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#11 Post by pawRoot »

GarryRicketson wrote:Gnome is one I would suggest avoiding, it is very bloated, complicated and can be rather problematic.
Bollocks.

You can install gnome-core package on a minimal install of Debian so it won't come with all the crap, there is nothing complicated about gnome.
All i would recommend doing is getting gnome-tweak-tool and plugin dash-to-dock or dash to panel,so you can customize it nicely.
Also i almost never had any bugs on Gnome, which i can't say about other DE's, plus gnome has the best compositor and is actually being worked on compared to for example ancient XFCE.

But i would also recommend window managers aswell, like Openbox or i3.

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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#12 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

GNOME is the "official" (default) Debian desktop and it is the most polished, it is also the simplest to use.
deadbang

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Thorny
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#13 Post by Thorny »

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:GNOME is the "official" (default) Debian desktop and it is the most polished, it is also the simplest to use.
+1
It is still considered the "official" Debian desktop and your system has sufficient resources to run it.

At the same time, Garry's suggestion to try different ones and see which suits you is reasonable, no one can decide that for you. Whether or not you need to keep Windows is also not something someone else can decide for you. Personally, I haven't used it since Windows98.

Once again, good luck!

czeekaj
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#14 Post by czeekaj »

I use Xfce and I havn't booted into windows in weeks. I might try gnome but, I kinda got used to it on my laptop. Maybe two desktop enviorment is not good idea. I really like the workspaces on xfce though.

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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#15 Post by None1975 »

GarryRicketson wrote:There is no real reason to keep Windows, and in the long run it is better to not keep it on a PC
I agree with you. Personally, since 2008 I completely abandoned Windows. It's an absolute evil, controlled by an absolute evil company.
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#16 Post by RU55EL »

GarryRicketson wrote:There is no real reason to keep Windows, and in the long run it is better to not keep it on a PC, but others do not agree on that. So they try to invent reasons
and convince everyone that you must have Windows, I have not had Windows on any of my PC's since about 2002, and never miss it. [...]
The primary reason to keep it, in my opinion, is that you already paid for it. I'm not trying to convince anyone that they must have it, but for some things you might find it useful. I dust off my old windows laptop when I need to reprogram my universal remotes for example. But, 99.9% of the time I use Debian, no contrib, no non-free software, just pure Debian.

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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#17 Post by llivv »

DRM (digital rights management) another mistake IMHO
massively parallel computing - what next Mickey
synergy - the latest buzz work around the mothership - harrrrr you get the meaning

Debian
run it like the freedom it represents default stable / systemd (ebug) and massively parallel with all the other invasions of privacy
or cook up some sid reduced dependencies on it ...
at least you still have a choice ! and may we always have it !!
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#18 Post by bw123 »

RU55EL explained my situation with the hardware example. My issue is an old NEC dot matrix printer, that I really love. I paid $65 for it in 1996 and it is so tough and reliable that I just can't get rid of it. I have not been able to figure out how to print graphics on it under Linux, so I keep one working copy of win2k on one machine to handle my real envelope mail.

The point about "you paid for it" is one I have thought about too. I also paid for Dos 5 and 6, win3, wfwg3.11, win95, 98, and XP. These shared much of the same software. I paid over and over for the same versions of the same core applications on the several versions, often times the EXACT same versions. What a rip off.

Anyway, that's in the past. There are reasons to keep a working windows install, but I have whittled most of them away.

I use both window managers and desktop environments on debian. I think they all have their strengths and weaknesses, and it would take years for me to really evaluate all of the different combinations fairly. I wouldn't really prefer any over the others, because I haven't tried them all. lately I spend one month on kde plasma, and then switch back to fluxbox for a month.
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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#19 Post by pawRoot »

Linux is lacking alot of "pro" software, that's the reason you might need Windows/Mac OS.

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Re: Get rid of Windows and install Debian

#20 Post by Ardouos »

pawRoot wrote:Linux is lacking alot of "pro" software, that's the reason you might need Windows/Mac OS.
Depends on the software. In the graphical user end, yes. In the server end, no.

I never needed to rely on Windows software since switching, I am happy with the software available on Linux.
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