On Fri, 20 Sep 2024 09:52:32 -0500 Richard Owlett <rowl...@access.net> wrote:
> Having machines with different constraints I have downloaded DVD1 and > Netinst ISO's. I have flash drives with obsolete ISO's. For reference > I have [ https://www.debian.org/CD/faq/#write-usb ] available. > > Questions: > 1. Do the flash drives require any prep? > [ Gparted gives warning messages on both. ] Just the usual of making very sure you know which drive you're copying to. It doesn't matter what's there, and the iso will just start writing at byte 0 and continue as necessary. > 2. I've casually followed recent discussion on appropriate dd options. > What was the conclusion? I've done several of these in the last few days, thanks variously to an unrecoverable Windows installation and the good old Acer UEFI antics. I just did dd, no options, and went and did something else until it was done, as I am doing at the moment. You may want to check the copy has gone OK: sudo cmp -n `stat -c '%s' insert-name-here.iso` insert-name-here.iso /dev/sdX Adjust the filename and /dev/sd number as appropriate, and yes, you do need the name of the iso twice, once inside the backticks and once outside. > 3. Not having done a "from scratch" install recently, is there > something I haven't thought to ask? > Don't think so, just pick the graphical expert install from the advanced options. Are any of your machines using UEFI? If so, the installer should see that and the opening screen should actually say 'UEFI installer'. There will be a small additional FAT partition required if so. -- Joe
