M'learned Debian users, I'd like to ask a few questions about install as I'd like to have a play with Debian.

So, bear in mind I am a very experienced Mandriva users, but other than quick dabbles in Red Hat and Slackware years ago and Linpus on my Aspire One, all my experience is Mandrake/Mandriva.

I have found the following UK Mirror pages:

ftp://debian-iso.mirror.anlx.net/4.0_r6/i386/iso-dvd/

Above for DVD ISOs and

ftp://debian-iso.mirror.anlx.net/4.0_r6/i386/iso-cd/

Now, that's an awful lot of possible downloads!

The install instructions seem to indicate that you only really need the first CD or DVD, so am I right in thinking everything else can be installed by the package manager?

With Mandriva you get a shed load on the DVD and don't need a huge amount afterwards for Download. Is it fair to assume the same situation would arise with Debian DVD 1?

Also, I would want to run KDE. I assume Debian supports a number of different desktops? Would KDE be on the DVD 1?

Many thanks!

Hi,

you can use the
debian-40r6-i386-kde-CD-1.iso

It will install kde
The rest you can install using apt-get or synaptic

If you have a decent internet connection then just use the netinstall CD/DVD for Lenny:
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/le...86-netinst.iso

Lenny installer page:
http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/

If you want kde rather than gnome you might just use:
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/le...6-kde-CD-1.iso

Thanks, all, I got the KDE CD and installed it. WiFi completely fails to work so have gone back to Mandriva on my spare laptop, but might try it on a desktop at some point as the wired Ethernet worked a treat.

Why not use the same solution for your wifi on Debian as you did on Mandriva? What wifi driver worked for you on Mandriva?
cheers,
jdk

It wasn't just a driver issue unfortunately, it completely failed to even recognise the wifi hardware. I assume Mandriva used the Mad WiFi driver as years ago, when I installed Mandriva on an external USB drive on this laptop I had to get the Mad Wifi source and compile the drivers. (Previously this was my work Windows based laptop so I couldn't install on the internal HDD on pain of death from IT!)

This time I didn't have to do anything, with 2009.1 the WiFi just worked. I bouth this laptop for five euros and was planning to use it just for playing and trying different distributions, but I do need to have WiFi going on it.

I don't know why Debian couldn't even see the hardware, but maybe the best thing is to ease myself in to Debian on a desktop. I have a fairly nice spare desktop so will try it on that.

aptitude update
aptitude install build-essential module-assistant madwifi-tools
m-a update
m-a prepare
m-a a-i madwifi

5 simple commands and madwifi is built from source and installed against your running kernel in Debian..
All that is left is to configure your wireless connection.
Give us a hard one next time

yeah it may not be as auto-magical as some other distros, but many of us find that to be a good thing.

I have no fear of building drivers; as I said I did the Madwifi one two or three years ago. The problem is that it didn't even recognise the hardware. Had it seen the hardware I'd have done some searching to find how to install the drivers.

where did you look to see if it recognized the hardware ? typically lspci would show it...

I have the Atheros ar5007 in my netbook and there was no trouble with Debian seeing it, and geting it working was simple enough..

Trying to see where the disconnect was for you.. just curious.

Initially, I did just try looking through all the graphical tools to get familiar with the system, then did lcpci, all to no avail.

Looking now it's an Athros AR5001X+. I have seen other people write articles about Debian on the HP NC6000, so it should be possible I think as I didn't see others specify they'd failed with WiFi.

Next time I have a lazy weekend I'll try it again, maybe it was a blip with the install. I think there's just been a newer release; something like 40R7 IIRC, so maybe that's also worth a try.

Thanks for the help, it's appreciated!

Actually 5.0 was released this past weekend.. Much improved hardware support in Debian now.. although still some assembly required

Amen to that, Farslayer. In fact you can even use the ncurses pseudo-gui that appears on the command line by just typing m-a and it will allow you to step through the update-prepare-select-build-install steps one-by-one. will also bring up the ncurses version with the "select" step skipped (since it knows you want madwifi).
cheers,
jdk

Quick update. Version 5.0 works just fine, detects the WiFi card and connects no problem. Am having a play now.