Do I lose edgelord status if moving from arch to debian?

[f33dm3bits]

I have written that already...

I missed that, the topic has gotten a bit chaotic.

Not sure what is hard to understand? I want a way to automate that, to get the top level package and all its dependencies in an OS agnostic way, or otherwise on the arch system which does not have apt-get or whatever debian commands.

I didn't get what you were trying to do, it wasn't clear to me yet.

There are like 20+ dependencies +/- for each and so I would have to download each dependency, the 3 files on the right manually for every single thing. That is probably going to come to hundreds of manual clicks.

After this I now understand mostly what you are trying to do, not the part yet how you are planning to install yet? Still trying to figure out what how you are planning on using those downloaded packages, as it I'm confused of how you are wanting to install your Debian system? Other option is to setup a local offline mirror of all the Debian packages, that way you can just use apt?

Like I said before not everyone's first language is English, neither is mine so sometimes I have a harder time following. As well as you may write out something in your own words and understand what you are saying, it doesn't mean the other person will as well.

 

[friend-of-linus]

not the part yet how you are planning to install yet? Still trying to figure out what how you are planning on using those downloaded packages, as it I'm confused of how you are wanting to install your Debian system?

I was thinking, from my reading, dpkg on the terminal to install just those internet required packages then once I have internet I can continue with normal net install.

Other option is to setup a local offline mirror of all the Debian packages, that way you can just use apt?

Well I have limited bandwidth rations per month so want to avoid unnecessary downloading if it can be averted.

I am not saying this is the best way, open to better ideas, bearing in mind bandwidth restrictions above, but that seems the best I have come to so far.

 

[f33dm3bits]

I was thinking, from my reading, dpkg on the terminal to install just those internet required packages then once I have internet I can continue with normal net install.

Then why not just download the dvd iso instead of the net-install, that way you can install Debian off-line without needing an internet connection. Or does this come back down to you wanting to install Debian the Arch-way?

 

[Vimmer]

Yea well that is the exact reason I want to give it a try! I am off the ain't broke don't fix it camp so the 'update all the time, just because and for new bells and whistles' of arch is pretty much the opposite of my natural state

Yeah that's why i've never been very interested in arch anyways: i sympathize if you are after "nothing to lose" raw computing adventure, but constant maintenance and customization adds stress. I've messed around with fedora and peropesis, but i have never fully installed any other type of linux operating system than debian. I messed around with installing arch but it's too many commands, if i have to have another graphical system open to get it fully up and running then no thanks. To be honest, i thought maybe your thread was joke when i first so it which is why i responded in such a non-serious way (except for the part about losing cred, which i would believe given the ridiculousness i have seen from computer nerd communities online).

My understanding is that Manjaro bridges the gap between "system that just works" and the arch world of customizing and maintaining everything. Is this true?

 

[friend-of-linus]

down to you wanting to install Debian the Arch-way?

Not that, it is just that I read 'minimal install' is done by netinstall. I have not read about doing it any other way to make a minimalist installation.

Can the same be done via normal image too? I want to make a bare bones installation and install only what I want after, same how you would get when installing arch base system. Don't mind how it is done as long as it does not waste bandwidth.

 

[f33dm3bits]

Not that, it is just that I read 'minimal install' is done by netinstall. I have not read about doing it any other way to make a minimalist installation.

There's the net-install, this one.

https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-12.11.0-amd64-netinst.iso

There's also the dvd-install, this one.

https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-dvd/debian-12.11.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso

The latter should contain everything you need to do an offline-install.

.rw-r--r-- maarten maarten 3.7 GB Sat May 17 13:50:09 2025 debian-12.11.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso
.rw-r--r-- maarten maarten 670 MB Sat May 17 13:49:16 2025 debian-12.11.0-amd64-netinst.iso

 

[friend-of-linus]

if i have to have another graphical system open to get it fully up and running then no thanks.

Haha, that is funny as that is just how installing it is. Well I have avoided the 2 machines by downloading the text from the wiki to a file but often times I would have to go into a text browser from the command line because something does not work out, mostly it is because X fails somehow.

This I don't have a problem with though. Pretty much the only reason for me is the update cycle is unnecessary for me and a nuisance.

My understanding is that Manjaro bridges the gap between "system that just works" and the arch world of customizing and maintaining everything. Is this true?

That is what I had been told but I never had cuase to try it. I did not see the point of a watered down version of arch for my own use case.

 

[friend-of-linus]

There's the net-install, this one.

https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-12.11.0-amd64-netinst.iso

There's also the dvd-install, this one.

https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-dvd/debian-12.11.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso

The latter should contain everything you need to do an offline-install.

.rw-r--r-- maarten maarten 3.7 GB Sat May 17 13:50:09 2025 debian-12.11.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso
.rw-r--r-- maarten maarten 670 MB Sat May 17 13:49:16 2025 debian-12.11.0-amd64-netinst.iso

Did you think I haven't already downloaded an iso at all yet? we really are at cross lines if you thought that! I already have the netinst.iso. The issue is I loaded it but it does not setup internet for me on the installer due to me using a none simple net setup - which is mobile internet. This is the crux of my issue.

 

[f33dm3bits]

Did you think I haven't already downloaded an iso at all yet? we really are at cross lines if you thought that! I already have the netinst.iso. The issue is I loaded it but it does not setup internet for me on the installer due to me using a none simple net setup - which is mobile internet. This is the crux of my issue.

You lost me? So you are saying you used the off-line dvd(or net-install?) but the correct packages for you getting an internet connection weren't installed?

 

[kc1di]

Can the same be done via normal image too? I want to make a bare bones installation and install only what I want after, same how you would get when installing arch base system. Don't mind how it is done as long as it does not waste bandwidth.

You should be able to do a mini install with the dvd also. and then you will have just about all the packages you will need on the DVD avoiding the internet. Of Course if you like me there are always programs I want that aren't in the Debian stable so will have to download them. But you should be able to get the basics install the add what you want. Good Luck.

 

[friend-of-linus]

I'm sure @Mike-BTU had good intentions in his reply. I know of myself that I sometimes misread or read over things and sometimes reply based on what I skimmed over. As well as there being people here that speak different languages and not everyone's first language is English, that's another barrier that could cause some misunderstanding.

If this was the case I apologize to @Mike-BTU. It was just there had been such discussion of arrogant Arch users so I thought that was the case here so see I may have misread the situation.

 

[KGIII]

Oh that is annoying, I have made a post asking for help with the install but because I linked to the archwiki it got caught in the pending moderation snare as a new user.

We rank #1 for the search term 'Linux' on the various search engines.

We're constantly a target for spammers. So, we impose some rules that make it more difficult to spam the site.

That does mean you have to wait a bit, depending on when you posted. We only have three moderators/admins and the big boss. So, it can be a bit. But, clearing the queue is the first thing I do when I log in. That can take a bit 'cause spammers can be pretty clever.

 

[friend-of-linus]

You should be able to do a mini install with the dvd also. and then you will have just about all the packages you will need on the DVD avoiding the internet. Of Course if you like me there are always programs I want that aren't in the Debian stable so will have to download them. But you should be able to get the basics install the add what you want. Good Luck.

Well it is only internet that is needed and I can install whatever else at my leisure from online after, which of course there will be other packages I want, but then can use the net.

 

[f33dm3bits]

Well it is only internet that is needed and I can install whatever else at my leisure from online after, which of course there will be other packages I want, but then can use the net.

I have an idea not sure what you are going to think of it. What you could do is install Debian in a vm, then just update it and install the packages you need, they will end up in the apt cache and then you can just copy over all the ones you needed including the dependencies.

 

[friend-of-linus]

We rank #1 for the search term 'Linux' on the various search engines.

We're constantly a target for spammers. So, we impose some rules that make it more difficult to spam the site.

That does mean you have to wait a bit, depending on when you posted. We only have three moderators/admins and the big boss. So, it can be a bit. But, clearing the queue is the first thing I do when I log in. That can take a bit 'cause spammers can be pretty clever.

Yes I was not complaining about it, oh well I did say it was annoying, haha but didn't mean the forum was annoying just annoying at the situation that I am wanting to install debian but that tripped me up. Was fully aware of why it is in place.

Wow, that is a small staff for such a big domain!

 

[friend-of-linus]

You lost me? So you are saying you used the off-line dvd(or net-install?) but the correct packages for you getting an internet connection weren't installed?

Yes that is right, using the net-install. During install process it simply didn't work when it went through the 'connect to the internet' section, but I checked the full package list after booting arch up again to troubleshoot and saw neither NetworkManager or ModemManager come with the net-install boot disc. I think it will also require the ppp package, which is an optional dependency of NetworkManager but mandatory for running the modem I believe.

Even with the off-line dvd I guess the ppp package, and likely ModemManager too, will not be in there and would require some manual intervention anyway.

Anyway I feel steam coming from my ears after this discussion. Lol. Time to call it a day.

Thanks for the help, or attempts at least. I guess things will look clearer in the morning.

 

[Vimmer]

The issue is I loaded it but it does not setup internet for me on the installer due to me using a none simple net setup - which is mobile internet.

like i was talking about in a different thread, with straight "debian", downloading the un-free version (contains the proprietary drivers that most operating sytems install by default) bypasses the irritating issues with wifi not working etc...however, in your case, i don't know how you would get mobile only internet working if it doesn't have a wifi router attached to it. My mom has a house pretty deep in the country so she has a tmobile wifi router, but that was not fun when i was using exclusively mobile internet through tethering: windows is basically the only thing that reliably worked at a certain point with PdaNet+, because klink stopped working.

The DVD image exists exclusively for people like you, though: the net version actually installs all the same stuff, but the DVD version has extra software included so you can install with inferior internet access. I don't know how to do it, as my internet has been great over the past several years, but with a little bit of research, you can download the 4GB~ iso and install software packages off of it...

 

[craigevil]

Welcome to the ancient brotherhood of Debian.

 

[MikeWalsh]

Lol did you read any of my thread before posting where I myself have been praising the archwiki in several posts? In your haste to patronize you did not read what I was asking at all and totally missed my question.

Y'know, you're making a good start here, boy. You haven't been here 48hrs .....and already you're slagging-off well-known (and well-loved) members.

I'm not on the staff here. However, I moderate on two other busy computer fora, and I'm going to give you the same advice as I would to any members under my "jurisdiction".

I'd wind my neck in if I was you.

@Mike-BTU is a big boy, and is perfectly capable of defending himself, BUT; nobody in our community deserves disrespecting in that way. He has only ever tried to help others from the day he joined......and from what I understand, he's been at it long enough that he's probably forgotten more about Linux than you've yet learned.

Coming in here waving Arch "credentials" around like some kind of badge of honour ("I'm back on Arch, btw!") doesn't impress anybody one jot. Humility, and a willingness to listen to others' point of view, along with sensible discussion, will earn you far more in the way of respect than your behaviour so far.

I think you owe @Mike-BTU an apology, my son.

(Okay, it's already been covered).


Mike.

 

[theLegionWithin]

I am installing on debian.

My system with internet is arch.

I am asking about downloading debian packages on the arch system without installing, in order to sneaker net them to the new machine which I want to install debian on.

should be fine to just download the .deb files to flashdrive and then run 'sudo dpkg -i package_name.deb' on the debian computer.