On Fri, Aug 07, 2015 at 11:54:20AM -0400, Abe Sternberg wrote: > Folks - I admit that I am a complete dolt. I have read the Installation > HowTo for Debian twice and am still baffled at how to download and install. >
Write down a checklist of what you've already got: Model of laptop Whether 32 or 64 bit capable. Amount of RAM Size of hard disk Can the laptpp boot from a USB stick? What drivers/manufacturers Windows 7 System reports for: Video card, sound card, WiFi card - this to find out whether you will need non-free firmware to be installed. This should help in debugging issues if they arise. > First, I plan on installing Debian on a laptop that is currently running > Windows 7 and I am not interesting keeping both operating systems. > Do you have another laptop / desktop available to you? If you do not have prior experience using Linux, I wouldn't advise that you jump wholeheartedly and immediately to Linux. Do you have a Linux using friend / local Linux user group who can help and advise if called on for general advice? It might be worth using a Live CD to try out Debian first without changing anything on the existing Windows install (see below) > I am completely unfamiliar with Linux, Bit torrent, or using iso files and > don't understand any of the shop talk about how to download and install. I > have sent e-mails to two of the sites that are supposed to provide CDs/DVDs > but no one has responded to me thus far. > A CD or DVD image containing software can be written in a recognised format: the images ending in .iso are raw images to be written to a CD or DVD by your CD/DVD writing software. There may be an option to "write image to disk" The Live CDs http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd-64/iso-hybrid/ Under the link CD/DVD/USB are files you can download (in a web browser if you have to). This link has images around 1G or over for a full desktop so will need a DVD-size medium if you write to physical media rather than USB stick. There are various images with the different desktops to try. > Is anyone out there willing to talk me through this one step at a time in > very simple terms? > > Thanks for listening; I hope someone can help. > > Regards, > > Abe This for a start - will follow up dependent on response. All the best, AndyC -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-boot-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: https://lists.debian.org/20150809185655.gb3...@galactic.demon.co.uk