Debian 7.3 is out • Hacker News Board

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#21

Post by throwaway_yy2Di » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 12:22 AM UTC

plg wrote: post #13

Can anyone point me to a step by step for how to get debian running on a macbook air? I've googled it and tried at least 4 different approaches, to no avail. I'm talking about a macbookair3,1 (late 2010 11").

Try it on a VM like VirtualBox (free, OS X supported). Among the advantages, you get vastly superior hardware support, particularly with the trackpad.

Source: Running Debian Wheezy on a 2011 Air.

edit to add: Here's a quick list what running Debian on a VM gives you:

* Seamless full-screen linux with full hardware access (e.g. GPU)

* Advantage of native OS X drivers (particularly the amazing trackpad -- linux drivers crippled it in my experience)

* Instant, lag-free transition between linux/OS X -- e.g. four-finger "swipe" gesture between desktops.

* Shared linux/OS X filesystem ("shared folders")

* Zero hassle with linux wifi, custom bootloader hacks (rEFIt), etc. VirtualBox has first-class support in Debian -- everything's just an apt-get away: https://wiki.debian.org/VirtualBox

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#22

Post by voltagex_ » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 12:24 AM UTC

plg wrote: post #15

voltagex_ wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where are you getting stuck?

Can't boot from a USB nor from the Debian installer cd (using USB CDROM drive)

I remember when I was messing around a few years ago I had to use a bootloader called refit, which is now forked to refind at http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/

It's been too long since I used a Mac, but if someone wants to donate a recent Macbook to me I'm happy to get Debian set up and blog about it ;)

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#23

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 12:28 AM UTC

voltagex_ wrote: post #20

puppetmaster3 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you have to use 64 bit and know a bit about uefi. (or give up and do lubuntu)

Are Macs different enough that the amd64 Debian installer won't boot on it?

[deleted]

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#24

Post by tonyg » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 12:53 AM UTC

plg wrote: post #15

voltagex_ wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where are you getting stuck?

Can't boot from a USB nor from the Debian installer cd (using USB CDROM drive)

Make sure you're using the amd64 image, not the i386 one. Either the netinst or regular CD1 should work fine from a USB stick, if it's amd64.

I tried both i386 and amd64 about a week ago on my 2011 Macbook Air, and only the amd64 image booted successfully.

You shouldn't need rEFIt.

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#25

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 1:01 AM UTC

tonyg wrote: post #24

plg wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't boot from a USB nor from the Debian installer cd (using USB CDROM drive)

Make sure you're using the amd64 image, not the i386 one. Either the netinst or regular CD1 should work fine from a USB stick, if it's amd64. I tried both i386 and amd64 about a week ago on my 2011 Macbook Air, and only the amd64 image booted successfully. You shouldn't need rEFIt.

[deleted]

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#26

Post by eyko » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 1:02 AM UTC

throwaway_yy2Di wrote: post #21

plg wrote: post #13

Can anyone point me to a step by step for how to get debian running on a macbook air? I've googled it and tried at least 4 different approaches, to no avail. I'm talking about a macbookair3,1 (late 2010 11").

Try it on a VM like VirtualBox (free, OS X supported). Among the advantages, you get vastly superior hardware support, particularly with the trackpad. Source: Running Debian Wheezy on a 2011 Air. edit to add: Here's a quick list what running Debian on a VM gives you: * Seamless full-screen linux with full hardware access (e.g. GPU) * Advantage of native OS X drivers (particularly the amazing trackpad -- linux drivers…

However, performance is shite. I ended up going for a native install and you can appreciate the difference. That is, if you run Gnome 3 (which is a pile of shite as well). When on other DMs, if you can call xmonad a dm, virtual box was just awesome, for exactly the reasons you mentioned.

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#27

Post by null_ptr » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 1:05 AM UTC

rhizome wrote: post #16

null_ptr wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

apt-get update && apt-get upgrade There's nothing special about upgrading Debian between point releases.

There's nothing special...except for the actual commands. Empathize with the newbie.

You're right. What I meant was that doing your regular system updates is enough to upgrade from 7.1 to 7.3, there's nothing special you need to do on top of that.

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#28

Post by 2jgi7 » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 1:08 AM UTC

rhizome wrote: post #3

jlgaddis wrote: post #2

Better link with more info: http://www.debian.org/News/2013/20131214

It truly confuses me that the upgrade instructions are so obfuscated, bordering on unfindable. Can someone point me to the chapter where an upgrade from 7.1 to this version is covered? http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/release-notes/in...

You don't actually have to do anything if you are already on Wheezy. Just update normally.

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#29

Post by alecco » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 1:15 AM UTC

Anybody knows if the kernel version was bumped?

Re: Debian 7.3 is out

#30

Post by toast0 » Mon, Dec 16, 2013, 1:21 AM UTC

voltagex_ wrote: post #20

puppetmaster3 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you have to use 64 bit and know a bit about uefi. (or give up and do lubuntu)

Are Macs different enough that the amd64 Debian installer won't boot on it?

Not sure about the airs, but on the 2011 macbook pro, you could boot a lot of things from cd, but not from USB. Apple doesn't have a very good pre-boot environment if you're not running Apple software. (No PXE, either, just their proprietary netboot)