This tutorial will help you installing Debian GNU/Linux 12 codenamed Bookworm into your computer. We picked the easiest method for this by using Live GNOME, instead of Full DVD, edition. Thus, this is suitable for everyone especially beginner who wants to run Debian in dualboot mode alongside Microsoft Windows in a computer. You will get a working PC or laptop with Debian 12 Desktop as a result. Now let's start it.
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Requirements
- A 64-bit computer or laptop.
- An empty >= 8GB usb flash disk drive as bootable.
- An empty >= 32GB usb flash disk drive, or,
- An empty >= 32GB hard disk drive (either one should be formatted as GPT),
- A RAM size of >= 2GB.
- Patience, as the installation requires time, effort and electricity.
If you have no idea about these requirements, contact a nearby person with good OS installation knowledge & experience to help you with this installation.
Download Debian 12 Live GNOME
We've got you a collection of full download links of Debian 12 below. To practice this tutorial, you should grab Debian Live GNOME Edition. Just click this red button and get it.
Make Debian Bootable
Use Disk Utility (Ubuntu) or Unetbootin (Windows and MacOS) program to write Debian into a USB flash drive as bootable medium. This is required to install Debian into your computer. Click this button to learn about it.
Boot The Installer
1. Plug your Debian bootable USB in.
2. Power on the computer.
3. Debian 12 displayed on screen like picture below.
4. If not, reboot and immediately enter BIOS.
5. Setup the BIOS so the computer boots first to USB.
6. Press F10 (Save) and reboot from the BIOS.
7. Debian 12 bootloader will show and here select Live option.
8. Debian 12 GNOME desktop live session is ready.
Starting here, you will begin the actual installation.
Step 1. Launch Installer & Select Language
Step 2. Select Timezone
On Location page, select your Region and your City to determine system's timezone. This will adjust your calendar, time, currency and numbering format which are applied where you are living in. Then, click Next.
3. Select Keyboard Layout
4. Select Manual Partitioning
On fourth page, first select the target disk -> second select Manual partitioning option -> third click Next. Our example here is Cruzer Blade 32GB (/dev/sdc) as target disk because we install Debian into a USB flash drive. Please notice your choices of disk target you can choose here:
- Hard disk
- Solid state drive
- USB flash drive
4.1. Create EFI
In the target disk:
Select free space -> click Add Partition -> fill Size: 300MB -> fill File System: fat32 -> fill Mount Point: /boot/efi -> tick Flags: boot -> OK -> you created an EFI SYSTEM PARTITION.
4.2. Create SWAP
Still in the target disk:
Select free space -> click Add Partition -> fill size: 1000MB or 1GB -> fill File System: swap -> leave Mount point empty -> tick Flags: swap -> click OK -> you created a SWAP partition.
4.3. Create Root partition
Lastly in the target disk:
Select free space -> click Add Partition -> leave Size: as is -> choose File System: ext2 for installation into USB flash drive or ext4 for hard disk drive -> fill Mount point: slash character ( / ) -> tick Flags: root -> click OK.
5. Create username & password
On fifth page, please fill in your own username and password for your Debian system -> click OK.
6. Check Through Summary
On sixth page, you will need to read the summary of the whole disk partitioning you have planned beforehand. Please check it out carefully before proceeding. If everything is correct, click Install.
7. Wait for the process
Debian 12 Live GNOME requires more or less 30 minutes to finish the installation process. While waiting, you can sip a cup of coffee. We did a Javanese one.
8. Finish & Restart
Finally, the installer will notify you "All done." and ask you to restart -> restart -> remove the installation medium USB -> Debian 12 is ready to use.
