Installing a desktop environment?

[logank9]

I am new to linux. After downloading and installing debian on my laptop, I was staring at a command prompt. How would I go about getting a desktop environment installed?

P.S.: I have no internet on my laptop yet.

[Absent Minded]

Hi and welcome to the Forum. Installing the desktop of your choice is fairly easy depending on which CD image you have downloaded. You will need one of the full CD's or DVD's to install your DE(desktop Environment) If you want Gnome then the first disk will serve your purpose. However if you would like to have KDE or LDE then you will need to download the respective disk image. In your situation the net install will not work as you need to have an internet connection to use it to it's full potential.

If you have used one of the full CD's to install then you can install that DE with one of the fallowing commands after logging in as the root user:

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apt-get install gnome xorg
OR
apt-get install kde xorg
OR
apt-get install lde gdm xorg

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This question was better served in the Beginners Forum so I have moved it for you.

[bugsbunny]

If you chose a default install it should have installed a deskyop environment for you. It's possible that you're having videocard/driver problems. Do you have a file /var/log/Xorg.0.log ? If so post the contents of that file. If not come back and say so. That would mean that X most likely is not installed, and never tried to start - in which case you should do as Absent Minded said.

[logank9]

@absent minded:

Didn't work, it says it couldn't find package kde.

@bugsbunny:

Nope, I don't have that file.

Edit:

Some extra info: I have the 180mb i386 version.

[Absent Minded]

okay, you have the net install which requires that you have internet access in order to use it successfully. That is why it says it can not find KDE. The solution is to download the KDE version of the ISO.

[logank9]

Is there any way to install KDE seperately on a USB stick or something?

[Absent Minded]

you can have multiple desktops installed at one time, I recomend however that you use multiple users and KDM to manage them.

[The Seeker]

Didn't work, it says it couldn't find package kde.

You have three choices when installing KDE.

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# apt-get install kde-minimal

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# apt-get install kde-standard

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# apt-get install kde-full

[jheaton5]

To the OP, do you have an Internet connection?

[bugsbunny]

For a laptop install with no ethernet connection I would recommend you download DVD1 and use that to install from. That should give you pretty much anything you may need, with the possible exception of firmware for your wireless chip. Do you know what wireless chip you have in that laptop?

[logank9]

It turns out I did have the net-install version. I found an ethernet cable and downloaded KDE. I am now trying to set the wireless up.

When I go into "Wireless Network" it says that it can't autodetect the wireless interface. What should I do?

[bugsbunny]

Do you know what wireless chip you have in that laptop?

First guess is you need firmware.

[smallchange]

You might try running

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lspci

to see what hardware you have.

[Romane]

Good morning

When I go into "Wireless Network" it says that it can't autodetect the wireless interface. What should I do?

I have an oldish LG laptop with built-in wireless (which for that time was actually a selling point for laptops - now we expect it standard). To get that working properly I had to install firmware to get it work, and then installed "wicd" to manage it and the ethernet connection. Works good now.

It sounds like you may be in a similar position as self. Now, I can only speak as to how I run. Have KDE, and use Synaptic for package management (have a penchant for graphical interfaces).

First, as suggested by @smallchange above, run lspci in a terminal window. For information, see http://wiki.debian.org/HowToIdentifyADevice/PCI

From that, have a gecko at the page at http://wiki.debian.org/WiFi and in the left hand column find your chipset as advised by lspci. The right hand column will then take you to a help page for that chipset, and may advise which package(s) you need to install.

And last step - once the appropriate package is installed, go to your network manager to set it up. My personal preference is for wicd in this situation - simple and easy to use. Others may have their own solutions; up to you to work out which one suits you best.

(Edit : remember to read the whole help page accessed from the right hand column. As an example, the page for my chipset talks about downloading the firmware, but when I go lower in the page it tells me what packages I need to install from the repositories, and how to ensure that the correct repository is listed in the package manager. One of the reasons I like Synaptic )

Romane

[jollysnowman]

have a gecko

Is that Australian slang for "have a go"??? I'm totally gonna start using that.

[/hijack]

[Romane]

have a gecko

Is that Australian slang for "have a go"??? I'm totally gonna start using that.

[/hijack]

You have given me a most enjoyable chuckle. Glad you like it and you are most welcome to use it. Actually is more along the lines of "go and take a look". Australian? Dunno - been using it for more years than can remember (ssshhhh!!! I'm not really that old) and most everyone here I talk to know what I mean (but some grin at me in a funny way).

But then, my wife says I'm the first person she has heard say to "have a gecko". Most will say to "have a sticky" or to "have a gander".

With greetings

Romane