GNU/Linux {docs}

Debian

Debian + LXQt (post installation tasks)

Add user to sudo

  • $ su -
  • # usermod -aG sudo $USER
  • # visudo and add this line: <your user> ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

Set up Networking

With Bash
$ connmanctl
connmanctl> enable wifi
connmanctl> scan wifi
connmanctl> services
connmanctl> agent on
connmanctl> connect wifi_<alphanumeric string>_managed_psk
Passphrase? Type in passphrase
connmanctl> quit

Note: You can use TAB key to autocomplete the wifi access point when connecting

Once connection is established, you can change settings on /var/lib/connman/

Ref: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ConnMan#Connecting_to_a_protected_access_point

With GUI
  1. Application Menu ➡️ Internet ➡️ Connman UI Setup
  2. Status tab ➡️ Technologies section ➡️ Click 'On' WiFi to enable WiFi
  3. Wireless tab ➡️ Select SSID ➡️ Connect button

Bloq Num enabled by default

Edit ~/.config/lxqt/session.conf and append the following:

[Keyboard]
numlock=true

Install nVidia drivers

  1. Add contrib and non-free to /etc/apt/sources.list
  2. Issue these commands:
  • # apt-get update
  • # apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r|sed 's/[^-]*-[^-]*-//')
  • # apt-get update
  • # apt-get install nvidia-driver
  1. The system will alert that there is a conflict with nouveau drivers. Just hit OK.
  2. The system will take a while to load the modules necessary.

Multi-monitor

You can select on which monitor the taskbar appears by default:

  • Right click on the taskbar ➡️ Configure panel ➡️ Alignment

Debian general

System administration

How to see list of all available services

service --status-all

How to check all services from systemctl

systemctl list-unit-files | grep enabled
systemctl list-unit-files | grep disabled
systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running
systemctl | grep running

APT Package management

How to update all packages

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

How to update a particular package

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade firefox

How to update the whole system

sudo apt update
sudo apt dist-upgrade

How to search for a package

apt search <package>
apt show <package>

How to compare packages by Size, Recommends, etc

apt show firefox-esr chromium | grep Size

DPKG Package management

How to nstall a downloaded Debian package (.deb)

sudo dpkg -i packagename.deb

How to remove a Debian package (.deb)

sudo dpkg -r packagename

How to econfigure/Repair an installed Debian package (.deb)

sudo dpkg-reconfigure packagename

Desktop configuration

Bloq Num enabled by default

LXQt

Edit ~/.config/lxqt/session.conf and append the following:

[Keyboard]
numlock=true

Openbox

Edit ~/.config/openbox/autostart and append the following:

numlockx &

Invert desktop color

sudo apt install xcalib
xcalib -invert -alter

Display manager

Check what display manager is in use

cat /etc/X11/default-display-manager

Change display manager

sudo dpkg-reconfigure <some_installed_display_manager>

Multimedia

OBS Studio installation

sudo apt install ffmpeg obs-studio

SimpleScreenRecorder installation

sudo apt install simplescreenrecorder

In order to screencast with sound on LXQt desktop, Pulse Audio Volume Control must be running. Otherwise, the audio will not sync.

Graphics

How to enable i915 intel graphic drivers

Edit /etc/default/grub:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash i915.modeset=1"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="nomodeset"

Update GRUB: sudo update-grub

Alternative Installations

Debian minimal installation + Openbox

Download the Small CDs or USB sticks image of your architecture below:

https://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst

In my system, I have to unplug the graphic card in order for the installation pendrive to boot the installer. Otherwise it freezes.

Installation

  1. Unplug the graphic card from the motherboard
  2. Insert the installation media and follow installation

Post installation

Add user to sudo

  • $ su -
  • # usermod -aG sudo $USER
  • # visudo and add this line: <your user> ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

Install Openbox

# apt install openbox lxdm obconf obmenu qterminal featherpad pcmanfm tint2 gsimplecal feh numlockx lxappearance 
# apt install firefox vlc
# wget -qO- https://git.io/papirus-icon-theme-install | sh
# apt install build-essential

build-essential is only necessary if you are a developer as npm will need it in order to install packages.

Configure Openbox

  • Create file ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh and add:
feh --bg-scale ~/.wallpaper/image1.png &
(sleep 2s && tint2) &

Calendar

We installed gsimplecal in the installations steps above. To make it show when clicking on the clock of the panel, edit ~/.config/tint2/tint2rc and change this line to this:

clock_lclick_command = gsimplecal

Icon Themes

We can select an icon theme launching lxappearence. We downloaded and installed the papirus icon theme with the command wget on the step above Installing Openbox.

Ref: https://wiki.debian.org/Openbox

Developer Tools

Google Chrome Dev

Download at https://www.google.com/intl/en_us/chrome/dev/

Note: Installing Google Chrome will add the Google repository so your system will automatically keep Google Chrome up to date. If you don’t want Google's repository, do “sudo touch /etc/default/google-chrome” before installing the package.

sudo apt install fonts-liberation
sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-unstable_current_amd64.deb