Making Debian suitable for gaming, streaming and video editing distro

Optional doing a fresh wipe before installing Debian,use Live Boot option:

Formatting the SSD/HDD properly before installing Debian or any other Linux distribution or operating system:

• sudo cfdisk /dev/sda
• sudo cfdisk /dev/nvme0n1
• Delete everything you see then Write>>Yes

Wipping the partition schemes

• sudo wipefs -a /dev/sda
• sudo wipefs -a /dev/nvme0n1

Deleting everything properly so no forencisc recovery is possible

• sudo shred -f -v /dev/sda
• sudo shred -f -v /nvme0n1

Without seeing progress:

• sudo shred /dev/sda
• sudo shred /dev/nvme0n1

Deleting everything the fast way:

• sudo blkdiscard /dev/sda
• sudo blkdiscard /dev/nvme0n1

1) Use one of these images:

Free:

https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/

Non-free

https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/cd-including-firmware/

2) Use Rufus or whatever software you like to create a bootable USB:

http://rufus.ie/

3) Boot from the image

4) Select Graphical Installer

5) Install Debian on the desired partition. Make sure to be connected to the internet via cable, as there can be some firmware issues with Wi-Fi drivers!

6) Once the installation is complete login using Gnome interface.

Remember to go into Software and Updates GUI and check the following options :

• Officially supported (main)
• DFSG-compatible Software with Non-Free Dependencies (contrib)
• Non DFSG-compatible Software (non-free)

Add security updates later in the updates section via GUI after finishing all these steps:

Go to Terminal and input:

• sudo apt update
• sudo apt upgrade

Or

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

7) Optional,if you typed your password during installation twice as Root and as User:

Open terminal in activities and add your user, for example test to sudoers file and use the following commands:

• su
• gedit /etc/sudoers

User privilege specification

test

Testing if everything works

Switch back to test using this command:

• su user

Run the following command:

• sudo whoami

Answer should be:

• root

NB! If you don’t have the sudo option install sudo under Su:

• su

• apt install sudo

• su

• gedit /etc/sudoers

Or

• nano /etc/sudoers

User privilege specification

user

Switch back to user:

• su user

Run the following command:

• sudo whoami

Answer should be:

• root

8) Installing Multiarch very important! (you’ll need it for NVIDIA drivers, Steam and other stuff)

• sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386

• sudo apt update

• sudo apt upgrade

• sudo apt install firmware-misc-nonfree

For Intel CPU's:

• sudo apt install intel-microcode

for AMD CPU's:

• sudo apt install amd-microcode

• sudo update-initramfs -c -k all

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

9) Installing NVIDIA drivers update the sources list if necesary for non-free:

Updating the sources list with non-free:

• sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

• deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main non-free-firmware

• deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main non-free-firmware

• deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security/ bookworm-security main non-free-firmware

• deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian-security/ bookworm-security main non-free-firmware

• deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main non-free-firmware

• deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main non-free-firmware

• deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm contrib non-free

• deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm contrib non-free

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

For testing:

• deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ testing main non-free contrib
• deb-src http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ testing main non-free contrib

security

• deb http://security.debian.org testing-security main non-free contrib
• deb-src http://security.debian.org testing-security main non-free contrib

updates

• deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ testing-updates main non-free contrib
• deb-src http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ testing-updates main non-free contrib

First do this just in case:

• sudo apt install nvidia-detect

• sudo nvidia-detect

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Then install linux headers and NVIDIA Drivers/AMD Drivers:

x64 bit

• sudo apt install linux-headers-amd64

x32 bit

• sudo apt install linux-headers-686

PAE x32bit

• sudo apt install linux-headers-686-pae

install the NVIDIA drivers with stuff like vulkan,etc:

• sudo apt install nvidia-driver nvidia-settings libvulkan-dev nvidia-vulkan-icd vulkan-tools vulkan-validationlayers
• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Wayland support for NVIDIA:

• sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Find GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash resume"

Change to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet nvidia-drm.modeset=1 nvidia-drm.fbdev=1 splash resume"

• sudo update-grub

• sudo sudo update-initramfs -u

• sudo reboot

Check if it worked

• sudo cat /sys/module/nvidia_drm/parameters/modeset

(Optional) Install newer NVIDIA Drivers via backports on stable:

Add distroname-backports to your /etc/apt/sources.list, for example:

• sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

Add this line:

• deb http://deb.debian.org/debian distro_name-backports main contrib non-free

• deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian distro_name-backports main contrib non-free

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

install the package nvidia-driver.

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

• sudo apt install -t distro_name-backports nvidia-driver nvidia-settings libvulkan-dev nvidia-vulkan-icd vulkan-tools vulkan-validationlayers vulkan-validationlayers-dev

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Wait for the installation to finish and reboot, type the following commands after reboot:

• sudo apt update

• sudo apt upgrade

Or

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

NB! There might be a missing firmware errors in the terminal during installtion, usually its Realtek but just to be sure run the following command:

• sudo dmesg

Once you are sure use these commands:

• sudo apt-get install firmware-realtek

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Go to activities menu and type NVIDIA it should give you a GUI.

AMD GPU Drivers installation for games and stuff, you will need the x86 from one of the previous steps enabled

• sudo apt install firmware-amd-graphics libgl1-mesa-dri libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 libglx-mesa0 libglx-mesa0:i386 mesa-vulkan-drivers mesa-vulkan-drivers:i386 xserver-xorg-video-all
• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

10) Gaming section install Steam,Lutris,Wine with the following commands, if you did all the steps before correctly Steam should install without issues:

• sudo apt install steam wine wine64 lutris scummvm dosbox

(Optional) Additional dependencies for Wine/Gaming:

• sudo apt install gvfs:i386 wine32-preloader:i386 wine64-preloader wine-binfmt gstreamer1.0-libav:i386 gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad:i386 gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly winetricks gstreamer1.0-tools:i386 opus-tools:i386 gstreamer1.0-alsa gamemode gamescope timidity

• sudo apt install fizmo-sdl2 libsdl2-2.0-0 libsdl2-dev libsdl2-gfx-1.0-0 libsdl2-gfx-dev libsdl2-image-2.0-0 libsdl2-mixer-2.0-0 libsdl2-net-2.0-0

(Optional) Opensource games:

• sudo apt install supertux supertuxkart wesnoth 0ad kapman freedroidrpg

(Optional) Opensource games based on scummvm:

• sudo apt install beneath-a-steel-sky drascula flight-of-the-amazon-queen lure-of-the-temptress

(Optional) Python and free IDE installation:

• sudo apt install python3 python3-pip bpython thony

12) Optional for streaming/recording install OBS Studio(for NVENC support some additional stuff is required)

• sudo apt install ffmpeg

For NVIDIA Only:

• sudo apt install libnvidia-encode1

• sudo apt install libnvidia-fbc1

• sudo apt install nvidia-cuda-toolkit

Optional dependencies for wine and codecs:

• sudo apt install mingw-w64 flvmeta smpeg-plaympeg lame mjpegtools x265 x264 nvidia-vdpau-driver mpv mpg123 libxvidcore4 fluidsynth

(Optional) different file system support:

BTRFS

• sudo apt install btrfs-progs duperemove

XFS

• sudo apt install xfsprogs xfsdump attr quota

(Optional) Install flatpak support

Flatpak with GNOME Software store(for point and click installs)

• sudo apt install flatpak

• sudo apt install gnome-software-plugin-flatpak

• flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Flatpak with KDE Plasma Discover (for point and click installs later on)

• sudo apt install flatpak

• flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

• sudo apt install plasma-discover-backend-flatpak

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

(Optional) virt manager and QEMU Installation for Virtualization

• sudo apt install virt-manager qemu-system

NDI for OBS-Studio download .deb files here:

https://github.com/Palakis/obs-ndi/releases/tag/4.7.1

• sudo dpkg -i libndi3_4.0.0-1_amd64.1.deb
• sudo dpkg -i obs-ndi_4.7.1-1_amd64.deb

Quick (non-flatpak/snapd) way to install stuff like gzdoom,zoom,teamviewer with dpkg(if you need it):

• https://zdoom.org/downloads
• https://zoom.us/download
• https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/linux/
• sudo dpkg -i gzdoom_4.7.1_amd64.deb
• sudo dpkg -i zoom_amd64.deb
• sudo dpkg -i teamviewer_15.28.8_amd64.deb

13) Optional, install Shotcut/KDENlive/Gimp/Krita for video/photo editing:

• sudo apt install shotcut kdenlive gimp krita

14) Upgrade OS version and install all updates

• sudo apt-get update

• sudo apt-get upgrade

• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

• sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

15) Optional install discord app,go to:

• https://discordapp.com/

Select Download for Linux choose .deb:

Open Terminal in Downloads folder and use the following commands dpending on the .deb file version:

• sudo apt install gdebi-core
• sudo gdebi discord-0.0.10.deb

16) Automount using gnomedisk utility:

Edit mount options

Add this line:

• nosuid,nodev,nofail,x-gvfs-show,auto

17) # Benchmarking games and using FPS limiters with mangohud

• sudo apt install mangohud mangohud:i386

(100% Optional NB!Might cause issues) upgrading the kernel via backports

• sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list - Add this line:
• deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-backports main
• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
• sudo apt -t buster-backports install linux-image-amd64
• sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
• sudo reboot

18) Creating a bootable Windows 10 USB using Disks utility (Possible on any linux distro even without GNOME)

• sudo apt install gnome-disk-utility
• Download a Windows image from MS link below:
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
• Insert USB Drive
• Launch Disks Utility
• Select your USB Drive and in the top right=corner click the menu select Format Disk
• In Partitioning select Compatible with modern systems and hard disks>2TB (GPT)
• Click Format wait for it to finish
• Click Partition>For Use with Windows(NTFS) (in Volume label type Windows or ESD)
• Mount the USB and Open it
• Go to the place where you downloaded Windows 10 ISO and select Open with Disk Image Mounter
• Open Copy everything from the Windows 10 ISO and paste into your USB Drive,wait for it to finish(takes a while)

(Optional) Install Glourious Eggroll Proton GE the easy way:

• Download the latest release here: https://github.com/GloriousEggroll/proton-ge-custom/releases
• Extract,enable hidden files and folders
• Create a folder in your /home/user/steam/root/compatibilitytools.d if it does not exist.
• Copy/paste the extracted GE folder into /home/user/config/.steam/root/compatibilitytools.d
• Restart Steam,enjoy the custom GE build

(Optional) comand similar to mkinitcpio,useful sometimes:

• sudo update-initramfs -u

(Optional) install better fonts and icon themes:

• sudo apt install fonts-hack-ttf
• sudo apt install papirus-icon-theme

(Optional) Adding a secondary SSD/HDD in fstab manually:

If it is an existing SSD/HDD that you already formatted with ext4 or btrfs and automounted in filemanager like Dolphin or Nemo,then you have to check in properties for example "/media/user/Backup" that is your mount point.

• sudo lsblk -f

• sudo nano /etc/fstab

Contents of FSTAB:

< file system > < mount point > < type > < options > < dump > < pass >

• / was on /dev/sda2 during installation

• UUID=362fe9a2-29fc-43fe-824d-09d1d93b1549 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1

• /boot/efi was on /dev/sda1 during installation

• UUID=64EF-0C84 /boot/efi vfat umask=0077 0 1

• swap was on /dev/sda3 during installation

• UUID=b36261ad-191e-4cb5-ba0e-f2715e32f82c none swap sw 0 0

• /dev/sr0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0

Add your SSD/HDD with its mount point here:

• /dev/sdb1 /media/user/Backup ext4 defaults,noatime 0 2

Save the changes and exit,reboot,you are good

NB! In case of "A start job is running for update the operating system while offline" on Debian-based systems during updates while dual-booting press E then F10 and wait for the update process to finish.

Ok, thank you, happy gaming and streaming on pure Debian. Hopefully same settings will work on the future Debian distros! Enjoy!

YouTube:

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