Hi, deb...@nexgntech.com wrote: > I encountered four different modes of installation for Debian, and I would > appreciate it if someone could explain the differences between these modes > in detail. Specifically, I would like to understand what each mode includes > initially and what additional packages can be added later to the operating > system.
First: The current "stable" version is Debian 12, not 11. For a fresh installation consider the debian*-12.7.0* ISOs on https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-dvd/ https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/ https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/ Regardless of the initial installation method, all packages can be added later by internet download and installation. Tools like "apt", "apt-get", or "synaptic" do this. Desktops, too, can be added and switched after installation. (I use fvwm on a system that was initially installed with XFCE.) > 1. debian-11.0.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso (Size: 3.7G) This is the first ISO of a set of 21 DVD ISOs available at https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/jigdo-dvd/ If you have all of them, you need no internet for installing any Debian package of the 12.7.0 version. The first one is sufficient to install a base system. But you will most probably need an internet connection for installing some packages which are not on DVD 1. If you really expect to have no internect connection for dowloading a few gigabytes of packages, then you may download larger single ISOs which contain nearly all popular packages: 16 GB: https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/jigdo-16G/ 25 GB: https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/jigdo-bd/ 50 GB: https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/jigdo-dlbd/ Merge a whole ISO set to a single all-in-one ISO: https://wiki.debian.org/MergeDebianIsos They all will boot from a large USB stick or a Blu-ray disc of sufficient size. > debian-11.0.0-amd64-netinst.iso This is a minimal Debian system that barely has what is needed to download and install a fully functional Debian system. Use this if you expect to have at installation time an internet connection that's good enough for downloading a handful of gigabytes. > debian-live-11.0.0-amd64-standard.iso A live ISO without graphical desktop. Possibly useful for testing a server system rather than a workstation. > debian-live-11.0.0-amd64-xfce.iso This offers to give you a test ride of Debian with XFCE before you decide whether to install a base system with XFCE. You will need an internet connection to get more packages. ... and there are even more ways of installing. See: https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/ especially: https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/ch04.en.html Have a nice day :) Thomas
