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I still didn't decide between #Arch or #Debian #Linux for my new #ThinkPad #P14s Gen 1 with #AMD processor and grafics card.
I need:

  • Full disk encryption
  • #Xfce
  • Resume from disk (while full disk encryped including SWAP)
  • VirtualBox



Really tempted to try #Debian, currently have #Mint running on the old machine, but I also like Arch.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

VirtualBox is not included in the Debian packages, just it's posible install it after download it from virtualbox.org site.
in reply to Steph20

@Steph20 oh, it is not? Would probably use their sources, I think that is what I do in Mint too.
in reply to Steph20

@Steph20 Not by default but you can add an extra file /etc/apt/sources.list.d/local-virtualbox.list.

Just one liine:
deb [arch=amd64] https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian buster contrib

And remember the usual apt-get|aptitude update (while I prefer later one).
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@Hans Wolters I really am used to systemd now, so I don't mind that. Are they actually back to init?
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@Hans Wolters the Windows VMs I need to use where supplied as VirtualBox VMs. Also don't like the virtmngr GUI, never got that working nicely. What GUI do you use, does clipboard work fine?
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@Hans Wolters
Never tried that clipboard to be honest since I see it as a different machine. To be honest I would see that as a security issue if I can past between a vm and my own machine or a different vm.
Yes, guess so, but for the sake of safety of all of us, lets hope it is safer than the Windows 10 host I could use instead. 😉

Edit: I sometime have to work in safety relevant areas, I think at some point things will change there and they will provide computers to work with instead. I had clients doing that. But it is a pain in the ass, it really limits my performance, my work is hindered.
This entry was edited (3 years ago)
Unknown parent

@Hans Wolters no, just for 8...10 hours of work at most. I am doing this for years already with my 16GB and 4 threads CPU, new machine will be much better.
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@Hans Wolters that looks like virtmngr, I use that to manage some VMs on some hosts, it is sufficient for that, but not so nice to work with the VMs in the GUI.
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@Hans Wolters installation is quite hard, I use a script for that, but you can try #Manjaro or use some installer you should find on github.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

@utzer@Hans Wolters I run Manjaro on a machine here and am really happy with it. I have traditionally been a Ubuntu/Debian/Mint user so this is my first foray in to Arch universe, but yeah, really liking Manjaro so far.

Having said that, I need to find a machine to install Pop!_OS on too though.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

@Roland Häder thanks, just this is not the official Debian packages. It's easy and good for obtain the updates. Not work with Debian testing (I use it). I manually install it.
in reply to Steph20

@Steph20 For programs (including games) I compile locally, I now have given my own user full access on /opt to keep my "custom" files separated from the managed files. Then in ~/git/ or ~/SVN/ or ~/hg/ I keep the local clones of the source code. When I build them I have e.g. ~/git/build/ for keeping build files separated from the source code.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

A good Debian derivative it's MX-Linux:
https://mxlinux.org/

I don't use it, just the users I support like it and it's easy. For myself I prefer Debian.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

It's same than apt-get just look better on screen. I never used blackbox, I like openbox.
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@Hans Wolters the script is the installer, as there is no installer for arch, it just helps to cut the provisioning from 4 hours to 2 minutes, but of course you can do it manually, it just takes much more time and a lot of manual sed. 😜
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

I have an E14 AMD Gen 2 and needed Debian Bullseye (current testing). Sadly I forgot what didn't work on stable.

But in a few months Bullseye is stable anyway.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

I forgot #DisplayLink in the list of things I need, I rember there were some kernel versions that have problems with DisplayLink, but anyway compiling the modules is not that hard.
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@Hans Wolters DisplayLink, that thing for USB docking stations, so all connected via one USB-C.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

I didn't try installing a newer kernel. Some HW device did not work (maybe sound? I don't remember which one), and given user reports online it seemed to be supported in bullseye. So I just upgraded early rather than spending much time on the issue. Debian testing is OK to use except in the months right after a stable release.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

Installing #Arch now, second choice. With #Debian during install the wifi didn't work, the touchpad didn't work and on first boot #Xfce did not start, just a blinking cursor.

Lets see how it is with Arch, I will update again.
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@Chat App Accelerationist I actually did, the first attempt was without and there it did not even recognize the ethernet card.
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@Hans Wolters the non free is fine in many cases, especially if you don't have the latest HW I guess. At least I'd imagine that the FW that was missing now will moved to the free part? But no clue.
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@Hans Wolters hmm well, maybe better than Lenovo with RTL chips.
Arch works fine, need to adjust some things, add swap file, but it booted fine and touchpad, wifi and so seems to be working fine. I used archfi for installation, it offers many options bit it takes a long time. Wish someone would offer a faster way. For my servers I got a script, whole server installation takes about 1 minute with all I need. :-P
This entry was edited (3 years ago)
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

I know, only fully manual is the right way... but it really is hard to do manually. Trust me, I did it before.
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@anonimno neither, just booted the DVD image from USB and that had the option for grafical and CLI installer. I think there was no live mode.

Maybe should have used testing instead of Buster... But I thought I will just install, then add backports and install a newer kernel, but was kind of frustrated when all this did not work out and then wanted to try if Arch works better. I mean seeing of works on Arch (WiFi, LAN and touchpad) it is likely some driver issues (maybe also AMD GPU problem) that caused the problems, so that is likely to be fixed with more recent kernel.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

I came back to #Mint with #Xfce, the lowest effort to get a running system. I guess you can also accomplish what I did with Debian or Arch, but I would have had to put more work into it. So #Linux Mint is the OS for now. The #Lenovo #P14s is running fine with it, I still have to add the grub (??) boot hooks for hibernation, this is never working, most users seem not to used suspend to disk, but only suspend to RAM. I like the suspend with all data saved to an encrypted SWAP drive better, it gives me the safety that my RAM content can't be read easily, but that probably is not that save too, but still the suspend to disk is better as it will allow long phase suspend without charging.
in reply to utzer [Friendica]

I have no working hibernate on my laptops as I am a strong believer of "no swap to ssd". If only one could set up a swap partition so ONLY hibernation can use it...