Debian Problem

MarkW7 · 19 Jun 2009 at 23:41

I'm trying to install debian desktop on a Dell Optiplex GX1,

500MHz,
512mb RAM
2gb <partitioned> for debian.

But the desktop installation keeps failing, its a net cd and the standard system, (server) works but not the desktop enviroment.

It gets to the end and errors, some items wern't install system something.
Any ideas?

BigglesPiP · 20 Jun 2009 at 00:42

2GB, hmm, GNOME/KDE might well outsize that.

Keep the install you managed, log onto the terminal, and do apt-get install gnome or apt-get install gnome-core (to not install all of the guseless software).

Minto · 20 Jun 2009 at 01:05

yea, i'd guess the full desktop setup is over your 2GB partition size

zetec452 · 20 Jun 2009 at 01:37

Fresh install of Ubuntu with Gnome came in at 2.6gb.

whitecrook · 20 Jun 2009 at 12:05

df -h from the console will tell you the space used...

eXor · 20 Jun 2009 at 12:28

BigglesPiP said:
guseless

Ghilarious.

dangerstat · 20 Jun 2009 at 13:12

I'm almost 100% certain that a standard desktop install of Debian 5 will top 2GB. To be honest you should be looking at around 10GB as a minimum and even then you'll run out of space sharpish with only minimal extras installed. I've got Debian install on the machine I'm using right now, it's using 6.7 GB in total (and I've got no media on here too),

MarkW7 · 20 Jun 2009 at 15:07

Ah, its an old machine and im dualing it with XP - on an 8gb hdd

Do you think i could squeeze them both on?

eXor · 20 Jun 2009 at 15:19

A Debian barebones install takes up less than 2 gig. No software selected. Then it's just X + a light window manager of choice.

The setup in my sig is sitting at 1.5GB and I'm sure I have a few large non OS files in /home.

MarkW7 · 20 Jun 2009 at 15:31

I can get it into debian terminal so is there a way from there to get a light windows manager installed and then get it into dekstop enviroment, KDE maybe?
Gnome may be too much.

smids · 20 Jun 2009 at 17:02

I recommend XFCE for a really light environment. If you can get into terminal, yes, you can install a desktop environment. Not sure of all the commands, as I'm a linux n00b myself but it certainly is possible.

zetec452 · 20 Jun 2009 at 17:03

sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop would be the command.

.

You can install install the core packages for gnome and xfce iirc with sudo apt-get install xubuntu-core or something like that.

smids · 20 Jun 2009 at 17:08

JonRohan said:
sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop would be the command. .

You can install install the core packages for gnome and xfce iirc with sudo apt-get install xubuntu-core or something like that.

Oh, can you simply use *buntu packages on a Lenny install? I know Ubuntu is based on Debian, just wasn't sure if you could simply mix packages...

whitecrook · 20 Jun 2009 at 23:17

go for windowmaker - that's awesome.

BigglesPiP · 20 Jun 2009 at 23:22

Don't, debian has good enough repos.

KDE is pretty bloated too, you can probably manage gnome, try:

Code:

# apt-get install gnome-core

masslac · 20 Jun 2009 at 23:26

smids said:
Oh, can you simply use *buntu packages on a Lenny install? I know Ubuntu is based on Debian, just wasn't sure if you could simply mix packages...

Do it if you want to trash your system pretty quickly.

masslac · 20 Jun 2009 at 23:27

smids said:
I recommend XFCE for a really light environment.

Xfce is in reality no lighter than GNOME.

Look at Openbox, or Xmonad if you're familiar with Haskell.

zetec452 · 21 Jun 2009 at 14:48

smids said:
Oh, can you simply use *buntu packages on a Lenny install? I know Ubuntu is based on Debian, just wasn't sure if you could simply mix packages...

Sorry that was me with my Ubuntu hat on.

As others have said best keep to the distro's packages.