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Setting up Debian Lenny for desktop action
The HP laptop I use these days suits me just fine (See bootnote below). It's got some decent specs and running Debian on it has it acting as if it can anticipate my demands. Which is, of course, exactly what I expect. Back in the NT4 days boxes that I set up ran schwiiing like this, too. In my experiences on desktops, NT4 and Debian rock them hardest. And who doesn't want that kind of action? See here for specs.
But I'll break the important stuff down: (source)
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Product Name
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dv6871us
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Product Number
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KN931UA#ABA |
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Microprocessor
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1.83 GHz Intel Centrino Processor Technology featuring Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5550 |
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Microprocessor Cache
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2 MB L2 Cache |
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Memory
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3072 MB |
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Memory Max
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Up to 4GB DDR2 (Up to 1 GB may not be available due to 32-bit operating system resource requirements) |
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Video Graphics
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NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS |
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Video Memory
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Up to 1535 MB (256MB dedicated) |
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Hard Drive
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320 GB (5400 rpm) |
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Multimedia Drive
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LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support |
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Display
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15.4" WXGA High-Definition BrightView Widescreen (1280 x 800) |
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Fax/Modem
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High speed 56K modem |
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Network Card
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Integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN |
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Wireless Connectivity
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Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection |
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Sound
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Altec Lansing speakers |
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Keyboard
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101-key compatible |
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Pointing Device
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Touch Pad with dedicated vertical and horizontal Scroll Up/Down pad |
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PC Card Slots
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- One ExpressCard/54 slot (also supports ExpressCard/34)
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External Ports
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- 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards
- 3 Universal Serial Bus USB 2.0
- 1 HDMI
- 1 VGA (15-pin)
- 1 RJ-11 (modem)
- 1 TV-Out (S-video)
- 1 RJ -45 (LAN)
- 2 headphone-out
- 1 microphone-in
- 1 notebook expansion port 3
- 1 IEEE 1394 Firewire (4-pin)
- 1 Consumer IR
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Dimensions
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14.05" (L) X 10.12" (W) X 1" (MIN H)/1.69" (MAX H) |
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Weight
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6.14lbs |
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Security
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- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- Kensington MicroSaver lock slot
- Power-on password
- Accepts 3rd party security lock devices
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Power
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- 90 W AC Adapter
- 6-cell Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
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Mine doesn't have a fingerprint reader, though. I'm not "James Bond" enough to want to be all super-secret at my machine, lol. Putting Debian to all this fancy hardware is a very simple and wise thing. Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 is a spectacular operating system for you and yours, no matter your computational prowess; and your business and your kid's school, too. It's the Universal Operating system and this is how I set it up to rock my HP laptop, so I can play and work as long as I want to and be safe doing it.
The new Debian installer is a little too fancy for me, lol. It does a whole lot, though, for a lot of people and I guess that's just one other reason why Debian is so popular - everywhere. Normally I just download a net install version and go from there hitting enter a lot. But this time around I went for the Xfce4 version of goodness because I normally use it anyway, although I remove a thing or two. I'm editing this article for clarity by including my favorite Debian repositories. If you care at all, see below: deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian lenny main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian lenny main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates contrib non-free main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates contrib non-free main
deb http://deb.opera.com/opera lenny non-free
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org lenny main
deb http://apt.wicd.net debian extras
#lxde
# deb http://people.linux.org.tw/~andrew/debian/lxde/ ./
WirelessFollowing the rapid installation of Debian Lenny there are only a couple of things needed to set Debian up for optimal usage. For me, anyway. Even though Debian has decided to include some firmware in their Lenny release, say - for your wireless card, I still have to install my own after installing Debian. This is because, even though I am prompted for a disc or other device in order to install my Intel 4965 wireless firmware, the install routine only allows me to set it up with WEP and I use WPA2 so it fails. So, post-install configuration of my wireless is necessary. No big deal and I can install what I need without being connected because I already have the packages I need downloaded (See a short tutorial about getting wireless with a net install). Or, I can be connected via ethernet and it's even quicker. But I never am...If you're reading this pre Debian install and you've got similar hardware: wireless-stuff (md5). Simply extract the .gz file to its own directory and then cd into it and: # dpkg -i *.deb
Then, from your command line prompt load the drivers:
# modprobe iwl4965 That's wireless. Too easy. If you're connected it's simpler:
# aptitude update
# aptitude install firmware-iwlwifi wpasupplicant wicd 1 Don't forget modprobe iwl4965 after you install the firmware. Now you can open wicd from your menu. Open it up, set up your wireless, and forget it. Wicd is a handy app.
Video card setup - nVIDIA
See this nVIDIA tutorial for that handiness. Very simple, very fast.
Webcam
To set up the HP Webcam that my laptop has built-in is one of those tasks where one can really appreciate the work of the developers that bring this kind of functionality our way. All you have to do is to install some program that uses your camera. Hell, I don't even modprobe anything!
For example, to get mine rolling I simply install cheese, or luvcview. Cheese allows me to take snapshots and videos and that's always fun; wink wink, nudge nudge ;) #aptitude install cheese
Printing
I don't know how helpful I can be here. We use a networked HP OfficeJet 6300 and we love it. It's plugged into our router and I gave it a XXX.XXX.XXX.101 static IP so all anyone has to do to get printing capabilities on our LAN is to plug in to the router (or wirelessly connect) and go through a quick setup routine. On my wireless laptop client I do the following to start printing to our HP:
#aptitude install hpijs hplip
Then I use the HP utility to set the printer up on my client (my laptop). The first command is issued as a regular user, the second as root. So, ctrl+d to log the root out and if you've got an HP, try this on for size:
$ hp-probe
Since our printer is on the LAN, I choose option 1 - for a networked printer. The utility finds it right away. Now, to set up the found printer I become root again and issue another fast command:
# hp-setup
following this brief setup I fire-up my browser (Opera, of course) and navigate to the local cups server: http://127.0.0.1:631. It's pretty simple here, too, as the printer is already setup. What I do is th click the Administration tab and choose to find printers. A second later our HP is listed and I choose it. Click....done and done. Printing finished.
Sound
Sound is as simple as the webcam. I don't actually do a thing to set it up, I merely enjoy it. If there is an issue for you post it in the forum and we'll fix you up.
Multimedia
I suppose all of these aspects to setting Debian up deserve their own article/tutorial and if it's necessary I'll write some stuff up, but Debian 5.0 - Lenny, is so easy and "prepared" that tutorials aren't really necessary. But, we'll see...
If you copied the three repo addresses I posted above into your /etc/apt/sources.list file then you've got the same multimedia repository that I (and most of us) use for our codecs and other goodness. The debian-multimedia repository is the one I write of. Add it, it's good medicine.
Real quick, let's load up; install: - swfdec-mozilla
- libdvdcss2 2
- mozplugger
- ffmpeg
- mplayer
- flashplayer-mozilla
Firefox will find your plugins without assistance but sometimes in Opera I've got to prod it along. In Opera: Tools --> Preferences -->Content --> Plugin Options --> At the bottom where you see the Change Path button, click it and make sure to add /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins if it's not already there. Don't forget to check it off. It's Ok if you uncheck /usr/lib/opera/plugins or /home/you/.mozilla/plugins. For multimedia not associated with browser plugins I install a rough mess of music, editing, and utility software. For an overview see my Gnome "Sound and Video" menu category:
At the time I was writing the above sentence K3B had 1 minute left before it would also be installed. I use K3B because wodim won't close my dvd backups which renders them unplayable on our living-room dvd player. Pfft. Brasero doesn't always cut it either. K3B is a slow beast and I'm not fond of it or installing KDE apps. But - it does what I need done.
Today we got the juices flowing and wasn't it easy? Ya. It was wicked easy! --machiner 20feb09 10AM
BOOTNOOTE: There are 2 hardware issues with this laptop and Debian. - The Intel Wireless 4965AGN card produces a periodic machine lockup. Very annoying and it can't be that good for the hardware.
- Some memory cannot be allocated on the machine
1 : Here are the extra repositories that I add to /etc/apt/sources.list deb http://apt.wicd.net/ debian extras
deb http://deb.opera.com/opera lenny non-free
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org lenny main
2 - Illegal in the US and EU? It "circumvents" css "protection". It's the only way you can watch that Iron Man dvd on your box, though. But, pfft, what for?
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