Debian Newbie: Setting up APT server list, runlevels?
 

Sorry to post more questions so soon, but I have an unusable Debian box at the moment.

1. Is there a list of Debian servers anywhere so that I can download the kernel-source and other packages? I need to get my X11 configuration working and so need to compile in the Nvidia driver. I'm running Sarge.

My current sources.lst file only contains CD-ROM entries as I installed from ISO CD's.

2. According to inittab my machine is set to run at runlevel 2 at the moment, yet X seems to start (and crash). Should X run automatically at Runlevel 2? If so, what are the purposes of runlevels 3 and 4? and how to I stop X running automatically?

3. One last question, Are there any Debian beginner websites so that I can stop pestering you all?

Thank you.

The most important part is the installation, do a mediocre one and you will be paying for it later on.

Eventhough the following manual will guide you thru the installation of Woody/kernel 2.2, it will apply to your sarge net-installer or any other Debian installation.

The Very Verbose Debian installation
http://osnews.com/story.php?news_id=2016

check the APT- Configuration
System Configuration - Part II (step 5)

Read the whole article it will answer many questions, and don't forget the APT-HOWTO at debian.org/manuals.

Ok, short answer:

#apt-setup

choose Europe > UK or England > your server

For superb articles on Debian, go to distrowatch.com > Articles

look for the articles by Robert Storey:

Debian: Not Just Another Pretty Face (Parts I and II)

Happy reading, you'll not regret it.

Edit: i forgot about the runlevels, i left mine a the default 2, runlevels 3-5 are supposed to be for multiple users, whatever that means. Maybe somebody can explain this with knowledge, i don't know.

Thank you macondo, I'll check those articles out.

1. After you do your apt-setup, then
apt-cache search kernel-source-*
then "apt-get install" what you need.

2. Runlevels 2-5 are user configurable. sysv-rc-conf is a program to apt-get for. To stop X at boot, cd into /etc/rc2.d and
mv S99xdm K99xdm
If you have gdm/kdm then substitute ;)

3. http://jamesallen.dyndns.org:3000/tu...ebianhelp.html

Thanks again darthtux. I've stopped X starting. I just need to figure out what packages are needed to compile the kernel (GCC etc). It's all quite different from Slackware!

I will try to do some searching tonight. I have to go to bed (sleep during day).

Maybe post #5 here is the answer
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=243344

YES! Thanks Darthtux. OK I've completely stuffed up my Linux installation, but I'm a lot closer for the next attempt ;)

For the record, I needed to get the following packages, download sizes are approximate

kernel-source-2.6.7 (35mb)
binutils (2mb)
make (300k)
libtool (5mb)
-- getting libtool also pulled down:
-- libc6-dev
-- linux-kernel-headers
-- autotools-dev
flex (260k)
bison (600k)
libncurses5-dev (1mb) - so I could run menuconfig.

Anyway to cut a long story short...created a symlink from /usr/src/kernel-source-2.67-i386 to /usr/src/linux (needed for Nvidia driver I think)

Compiled kernel (and every module ever it seems!) copied vmlinux, system.map and .config back to /boot with appropriate name. Installed Nvidia driver, configured XF86Config and I got Gnome! :)

Only problem is on reboot I get:

modprobe: FATAL: could not load /lib/modules/2.6.7/modules.dep no such file or directory. And then it stops after a few of these with an error. :confused:

Update: found this thread with weblinks to debian kernel articles which might help next time

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=167194