DEBIAN POST INSTALLATION GUIDE

Author: Shaikh Aquib

Installation of some must have tools and software

Note: There is no sudo privilege for user, so we have to switch to superuser using su command. It is recommended that you use su and to enter the super user to do super user work instead of using sudo before every command that requires elevated privilege.

apt install -y git vim htop neofetch curl zip python3-pip default-jdk gimp obs-studio kamoso

to install Git, VIM, htop, neofetch, curl, zip, pip, JDK, GIMP, OBS-Studio

Add important binary paths to PATH environment variable

1. open vim ~/.bashrc
2. add append below line to the end of file

export PATH=$PATH:/bin:/sbin

3. save the file and launch a new instance of terminal and do su to enter super user.

Add user to sudo

enter super user using su command.

usermod -aG sudo <user>

where replace the <user> with the user you want to add to sudo (example: usermod -aG sudo aquib), restart your computer for changes to take effect

Add .vimrc

• open ~/.vimrc file (it will create one) using vim ~/.vimrc
• copy paste the below contents into file
  

filetype plugin indent on
syntax on

" enable copy pasting from mouse using shift
set mouse=a

" show existing tab with 4 spaces width
set tabstop=4

" when indenting with '>', use 4 spaces width
set shiftwidth=4

" On pressing tab, insert 4 spaces
set expandtab

" show line numbers
set number

" Highlight search results
set hlsearch

" Show matching brackets when text indicator is over them
set showmatch

" Turn backup off, since most stuff is in SVN, git etc. anyway...
set nobackup
set nowb
set noswapfile

set ai "Auto indent
set si "Smart indent

Add non-free and (backports to the sources list or upgrade to Debian testing)

NOTE: You don`t need to add backports if you are upgrading to Debian testing/sid

1. Open sources list file using vim /etc/apt/sources.list

2. Add contrib non-free to the end of each source line to add non-free repos

3. Add a new line with <debian_codename>-backports example: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye-backports main non-free

   The final sources.list would similar as below except for the codename bullseye (Debian 11) Note: ignore the last two lines if switching to Debian testing

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bullseye main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bullseye main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security main contrib non-free

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bullseye-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bullseye-updates main contrib non-free

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye-backports main non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bullseye-backports main non-free

4. run apt update to fetch the updates from sources.

Switch to Debian testing/sid

1. Replace the code_name (example: bullseye) with testing in /etc/apt/sources.list Your /etc/apt/sources.list should look like below:

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ testing main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ testing main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security testing-security main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security testing-security main contrib non-free

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ testing-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ testing-updates main contrib non-free

Now,

• update the repo
• upgrade the system
• upgrade to the testing distribution
  

apt update && apt upgrade && apt dist-upgrade && reboot

Installing non-free firmwares and drivers

1. add nomodeset to grub to avoid conflicts. goto grub file using vim /etc/default/grub

   Change
   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet"
   to
   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="nomodeset"

   Now, save the file and quit the editor. run update-grub

Now, To

• Install linux kernel headers
• Install nvidia driver
• Install realtek firmware for wifi, bluetooth, and other non free firmwares
• Install printer drivers
• Reboot after installation is complete

apt install -y linux-headers-amd64 firmware-realtek firmware-misc-nonfree printer-driver-all cups nvidia-driver && reboot

Changing resolution

Resolution can be changed through display settings in GNOME but after setting nomodeset the gdm login screen is of lower resolution to solve this we will copy the monitors.xml file to gdm configuration.

cp /home/<user>/.config/monitors.xml /var/lib/gdm3/.config/

replace the <user> with your username.

Force GNOME to alt + tab only in current workspace

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.app-switcher current-workspace-only true

Pinkish display problem after upgrading to Debian Testing with Nvidia

In some rare cases you would observed the monitor color to be pinkish after upgrading to testing the solution to this is

• open color settings from gnome-settings
• click on the the device to add profile
• select Colorspace: sRGB and set it as default
• After the color profile is added the colors should be normal, the profile would appear as Standard Space - sRGB

Install some necessary and cool fonts

apt install -y fonts-indic fonts-cantarell fonts-comfortaa fonts-firacode fonts-recommended

Install some useful Python3 libraries

pip3 install pandas jupyter requests bs4 selenium lxml openpyxl

Important references:

1. How to add fonts manually?

• Copy the font files to /usr/share/fonts
  
• run fc-cache -f -v to update fonts
  
• run fc-list to verify your installed font