Editing Debian (section)

== Distribution{{anchor|Live_images}} ==

Debian offers DVD and CD [[ISO image|images]] for installation that can be downloaded using [[BitTorrent]] or [[jigdo]]. Physical discs can also be bought from retailers.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.debian.org/CD/ |title = Debian on CDs |publisher = Debian |date = 2014-05-10 |access-date = 2014-05-27 |archive-date = August 7, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110807185915/http://www.debian.org/CD/ |url-status = live }}</ref> The full sets are made up of several discs (the amd64 port consists of 13 DVDs or 84 CDs),<ref name="jigdo-cd">{{cite web |url = http://www.debian.org/CD/jigdo-cd/#which |title = Downloading Debian CD images with jigdo |publisher = Debian |date = 2014-05-10 |access-date = 2014-05-26 |archive-date = May 27, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140527185909/http://www.debian.org/CD/jigdo-cd/#which |url-status = live }}</ref> but only the first disc is required for installation, as the installer can retrieve software not contained in the first disc image from online repositories.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.debian.org/CD/http-ftp/#stable |title = Downloading Debian CD/DVD images via HTTP/FTP |publisher = Debian |date = 2014-05-17 |access-date = 2014-05-26 |archive-date = May 27, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140527230127/https://www.debian.org/CD/http-ftp/#stable |url-status = live }}</ref>

Debian offers different network installation methods. A minimal install of Debian is available via the ''netinst'' CD, whereby Debian is installed with just a base and later added software can be downloaded from the Internet. Another option is to boot the installer from the network.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst |title = Installing Debian GNU/Linux via the Internet |publisher = Debian |access-date = 2008-12-11 |archive-date = August 8, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110808041922/http://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst |url-status = live }}</ref>

The default bootstrap loader is [[GNU GRUB]] version 2, though the package name is simply grub, while version 1 was renamed to grub-legacy. This conflicts with distros (e.g., [[Fedora Linux]]), where grub version 2 is named grub2.

The default desktop may be chosen from the DVD boot menu among [[GNOME]], [[KDE Plasma]], [[Xfce]], [[LXDE]], and [[LXQt]] and from special disc 1 CDs.<ref name="installation-7-6.3">{{cite web |url = http://www.debian.org/releases/wheezy/i386/ch06s03.html.en |work = Debian GNU/Linux Installation Guide |title = 6.3. Using Individual Components |publisher = Debian |year = 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131224224113/http://www.debian.org/releases/wheezy/i386/ch06s03.html.en |archive-date = December 24, 2013 |access-date = 2014-05-30 |url-status = dead |df = mdy }}</ref><ref name="wheezy-hands-on">{{cite news |url = https://www.zdnet.com/article/debian-linux-7-0-wheezy-hands-on/ |title = Debian Linux 7.0 Wheezy: Hands on |last = Watson |first = J.A. |work = [[ZDNet]] |date = 2013-05-28 |access-date = 2014-06-10 |quote = For the CD images, it is useful to know that Debian supports a number of different desktops, including GNOME, KDE, Xfce, MATE and LXDE, and there is a different 'disk 1' image for each of these desktops. |archive-date = May 1, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140501235852/http://www.zdnet.com/debian-linux-7-0-wheezy-hands-on-7000015889/ |url-status = live }}</ref>

Debian releases [[live CD|live install]] images for CDs, DVDs and USB thumb drives, for [[IA-32]] and [[x86-64]] architectures, and with a choice of desktop environments. These ''Debian Live'' images allow users to boot from removable media and run Debian without affecting the contents of their computer. A full install of Debian to the computer's hard drive can be initiated from the live image environment.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.debian.org/CD/live/ |title = Live install images |date = 2013-10-27 |access-date = 2013-12-07 |publisher = Debian |archive-date = June 7, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170607183518/http://www.debian.org/CD/live/ |url-status = live }}</ref> Personalized images can be built with the live-build tool for discs, USB drives and for [[network booting]] purposes.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://live.debian.net/manual/stable/html/live-manual.en.html |title = Debian Live Manual |publisher = Debian |year = 2013 |access-date = 2014-07-06 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140214191646/http://live.debian.net/manual/stable/html/live-manual.en.html |archive-date = February 14, 2014 |df = mdy }}</ref> Installation images are [[Hybrid disc|hybrid]] on some architectures and can be used to create a [[booting|bootable]] USB drive ([[Live USB]]).<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.debian.org/releases/squeeze/amd64/ch04s03.html#usb-copy-isohybrid |work = Debian GNU/Linux Installation Guide |title = 4.3. Preparing Files for USB Memory Stick Booting |publisher = Debian |year = 2010 |access-date = 2014-05-27 |archive-date = May 27, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140527230139/https://www.debian.org/releases/squeeze/amd64/ch04s03.html#usb-copy-isohybrid |url-status = live }}</ref>