Debian Linux Installation
To install Debian Linux on new hardware to be used as a RealEd server, perform the following steps:
- Download the architecture-appropriate CD image from http://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst#smallcd. For 64-bit systems, be sure to select the amd64 architecture instead of the i386 one.
- Burn the image to a CD. To burn a CD on Windows 7 or later, right-click on the ISO image file and choose "Burn disc image".
- Boot the new hardware from the CD, and choose Graphical Install when prompted.
- If the installer displays a missing-firmware dialog:
- Download to a different computer the common firmware ZIP file from here for Debian 6 and from the location specified in the Debian Installation Guide for other Debian versions.
- Unpack the ZIP file into the top level of a FAT-formatted USB stick.
- Plug the USB stick into the new Debian system and wait 10 seconds.
- Click the on-screen button to load missing firmware.
- Set the host name to "realed".
- Select manual partioning, delete all existing partitions, and create the
following three primary partitions:
- Primary 1: size = 128M, use as filesystem ext2, mount point /boot
- Primary 2: size = 2x memory (e.g. 4G), use as swap
- Primary 3: size = remainder of disk, use as filesystem ext3, mount point /
- Write partition changes to disk.
- Proceed through the installation with the following responses:
- Time zone: set as appropriate for your school.
- Root password: assign a secure, unguessable password.
- Debian network mirror: ftp.us.debian.org
- Package configuration: deselect all software packages, including Desktop Environment and Standard System.
- GRUB boot loader: install into the MBR on the first hard disk.
- After completing the installation and rebooting the system, login as root and run "apt-get install openssh-server".
- Temporarily forward port 22 through the firewall to the newly configured system. This step is not necessary if the new server is a replacement for an existing RealEd server at the same location.
- Provide the external IP address and root password over the phone to RealEd staff, who will proceed with RealEd setup and configuration.