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Devuan Experience

Personal notes on using Devuan.

Installing Devuan

My Devuan installation notes.

Latest Devuan Installation

202204100749

Using Devuan Chimaera DVD ISO (dd onto USB) → UEFI boot!

Note: If using netinstall or CD1 some firmware may not be available - which is a problem if using WiFi module.

The must-haves for MY Devuan installation:

install build-essential (development tools)
install linux-headers-amd64 (to compile kernel modules)
install geany, git, gitk (coding stuffs)
install libnss-mdns & avahi-daemon (system management) INSTALLED BY DEFAULT
install curl (some of my scripts needs that…)

The stuffs I currently need:

install cryptsetup (encrypted partitions)
install xfig (i need xfig2dev)

Note: these are required to compile Linux kernel: libncurses5-dev build-essential libssl-dev libelf-dev git bison flex (need to check if these are already installed by the above selection, e.g. build-essential and git are covered)

work in progress…?

Last XFCE Installation

using default xfce desktop
- this is my primary choice, but I have installed cinnamon on other machines
replace wicd with network-manager
- $ apt install network-manager network-manager-gnome
  - network-manager-gnome provides nm-applet (not needed if using nmcli)
- $ apt purge wicd wicd-gtk
- $ apt autoremove

Minimal Desktop Installation

I want a basic installation with dwm.

install base (use netinstall iso… or, maybe use debootstrap?)

install my usual stuffs

$ apt install build-essential linux-headers-amd64 vim git curl

install xorg stuffs

$ apt install xorg libx11-dev libxft-dev libxinerama-dev

install suckless stuffs
```
$ apt install stterm suckless-tools
```
install dwm from source
- use my1ubuild script
looks good, but i need acpi stuffs
```
$ apt install acpid
```
- for laptop, maybe add acpi-support
- if need command-line utility, add acpi

work in progress…

Install Using debootstrap

boot using my1live-devuan
need to install gisk debootstrap
- optionally, install lvm2
run
```
$ apt install gisk debootstrap lvm2
```
prepare disk (/dev/sda) layout
- 1 uefi partition (ef00)
- 1 root partition (8300)
- 1 home partition (8e00/8300)
- 1 swap partition (8200)
run
```
$ gdisk /dev/sda
```

format/mount root partition

$ mkfs.ext4 -L MY1BOOT /dev/sda2
$ mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/disk

run debootstrap

$ debootstrap chimaera /mnt/disk https://deb.devuan.org/merged/

while debootstrap runs, format other partitions

$ mkdosfs -n MY1UEFI /dev/sda1
$ mkfs.ext4 -L MY1BOOT /dev/sda2
$ mkswap -L MY1SWAP /dev/sda4

will use lvm in this example

$ pvcreate /dev/sda3
$ vgcreate homevg /dev/sda3
$ lvcreate -l +100%FREE -n home0 homevg
$ mkfs.ext4 -L MY1HOME /dev/homevg/home0

mount efi/home partitions

$ mkdir -p /mnt/disk/boot/efi
$ mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/disk/boot/efi
$ mount /dev/homevg/home0 /mnt/disk/home

chroot and install/setup

$ chroot /mnt/disk
$ apt update
$ apt install linux-image-amd64 build-essential linux-headers-amd64 vim git lvm2
$ apt install firmware-linux firmware-iwlwifi firmware-atheros firmware-realtek
$ apt install cinnamon-desktop-environment

update initramfs (add lvm support)
```
$ update-initramfs -u -k all
```

i prefer all-lowercase path names

$ cd /etc ; vi xdg/user-dirs.defaults ; cd - >/dev/null

setup locale

$ apt install locales
$ cd /etc ; echo "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 >>locale.gen" ; cd - >/dev/null
$ locale-gen

setup grub

$ apt install grub-efi-amd64
$ grub-install /dev/sda
$ update-grub

run efibootmgr to make sure
```
$ efibootmgr
```
edit fstab
```
cd /etc ; vi fstab ; cd - >/dev/null
```
setup root password
```
$ passwd
```

change hostname

$ cd /etc ; vi hostname ; cd - >/dev/null

reboot

Note: I got to Cinnamon Desktop and everything looks ok - BUT, I simply cannot run gnome-terminal! Well, I can if i run dbus-update-activation-environment first. So, I missed something coz when I reinstalled using the full dvd, everything works fine.

work in progress…

Devuan upgrade (chimaera to daedalus)

Personal note - basically from devuan.org.

devuan_upgrade.txt

upgrade chimaera to daedalus (from devuan.org)
 
- update/upgrade chimaera
$ apt update
$ apt upgrade
 
- update apt sources.list
$ cd /etc ; sed -i 's/chimaera/daedalus/g'  apt/sources.list ; cd - >/dev/null
 
- update pkg list from daedalus
$ apt update
 
- kill screensaver (if running)
$ killall xscreensaver
 
- upgrade/dist-upgrade
$ apt upgrade
$ apt dist-upgrade
 
- in case of failures, fix and rerun
$ apt -f install
$ apt dist-upgrade
 
- cleanup
$ apt autoremove --purge
$ apt autoclean
 
deb https://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus main non-free-firmware non-free contrib
deb https://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus-security main non-free-firmware non-free contrib
deb https://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus-updates main non-free-firmware non-free contrib
 
#deb-src https://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus main 
#deb-src https://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus-security main
#deb-src https://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus-updates main

2026/02/09 22:23

Setting Up Devuan

These depends on my need when using that particular machine.

using virtualbox from oracle (just like my slackware setup)
using texlive (install using tlmgr)
- alternatively, install texlive texlive-latex-extra texlive-science
install freecad kicad openscad (project stuffs)
install ntp ntpdate (system management)

Development

getting OpenGL stuffs (glut): $ apt install freeglut3-dev
getting sqlite stuffs: $ apt install sqlite3 libsqlite3-dev
getting glade (will also get gtk library): $ apt install glade
getting wxwidgets stuffs: $ apt install lib-wxgtk3.0dev
getting my1imgpro stuffs: $ apt install libavcodec-dev libavdevice-dev libavformat-dev libswscale-dev
to compile sdcc: $ apt install bison flex libboost-dev texinfo

note: Setting up mingw-w64 cross-compiler

Web Server

Install webserver
```
$ apt install //apache2//
```
- default path for web is /var/www/html
- configure
```
$ cd /etc ; vi apache2/apache2.conf ; cd - >/dev/null
```
  - add ServerName (remove annoying startup message!)
  - my my1apisrv code need these for www dir config
```
  Options FollowSymLinks
  AllowOverride All
  Require all granted
```
Install php
```
$ apt install php php-cgi libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-sqlite3
```
- enable pdo support
```
cd /etc ; vim php/7.0/apache2/php.ini ; cd - >/dev/null
```
- create required links in mods-enabled and conf-enabled
  - my my1apisrv code need rewrite
  - both folders are in apache2 (/etc)
- if running dokuwiki
```
$ apt install php-xml
```
- my API client php code needs this
```
$ apt install php-curl
```
Install database
```
$ apt install mariadb-server
```

Multi-Arch (a.k.a. Multi-Lib)

To run 32-bit binary:

Enable multi-arch: $ dpkg –add-architecture i386
Update package list: $ apt update
Most probably need libc: $ apt install libc6:i386
Install required libraries: (<package>:i386)

To build 32-bit binary:

Install compiler(s): $ apt install gcc-multilib g++-multilib
- Notice that these are 64-bit packages (no :i386 suffix) → cross compilers!
Use -m32 gcc option to compile!

Gaming

To play steam games:

enable multi-arch
install steam
```
$ apt install steam
```

NFS setup

Dumping this as it is for now:

client

install
```
$ apt install nfs-common
```

mount

$ mount -t nfs <host>:/path <mount-point>

server

install
```
$ apt install nfs-kernel-server
```

[optional]

$ mount --bind /path/to/share /mount/point

modify accordingly

$ cd /etc ; vim exports ; cd - >/dev/null

start
```
$ service nfs-kernel-server start
```

Others

My iso2boot script need isohybrid from syslinux/isolinux project:

$ apt install syslinux-utils

2026/02/09 22:23

Devuan Management

Some are applicable to any APT-based distro.

Note: To remove translations,

$ cd /etc ; echo "Acquire::Languages { \"none\"; };" > apt/apt.conf.d/99translation ; cd - >/dev/null

Note: To automatically update system essentials,

$ apt install unattended-upgrades ; dpkg-reconfigure --priority=low unattended-upgrades

Upgrading

To do an upgrade:

Modify /etc/apt/sources.list and replace the release codenames
```
# sed -i 's/old_release/new_release/g' /etc/apt/sources.list
```
- skip -i option for a dry-run
Update package list
```
# apt update
```
Upgrade distribution
```
# apt dist-upgrade
```
To make sure EVERYTHING is upgraded (avoids old packages held back)
- ```
# apt full-upgrade
```
Do house cleaning
```
# apt autoremove
# apt clean
```

That should do it!

List Installed Packages

Using apt tool

$ apt list --installed 2>/dev/null | grep installed

Note that apt will issue a warning when piping its output in shell. Hence, the need to redirect stderr to /dev/null. We can further grep away the packages that were automatically installed.

Using the basic dpkg tool

$ dpkg --get-selections | sed -n 's/^\([^\t]*\)\t.*$/\1/ p'

This version, however, only provides package name. To extract similar output from apt (assuming output was redirected into a file called temp.txt), run

$ cat temp.txt | sed -n 's|^\(.*\)/.*$|\1| p'

Adding More Repo

Get proper signature key from that source (*.asc file) and add to system using apt-key.

# cat <key-file.asc> | apt-key add -

Create a listing file for source URL in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/.

# echo "deb [arch=?] <new-repo-url> <version> main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/new-repo.list

After doing an apt update, should be able to apt install <pkg>…

Reconfigure Package

Basically, run a dpkg-reconfigure <pkg>

e.g. To change timezone

# dpkg-reconfigure tzdata

Search package for specific binary

There is a specific tool for that
```
# apt install apt-file
```
Update the package/file mapping database
```
# apt-file update
```
Search for “top”
```
# apt-file search --regexp '/top$'
```

Avoiding marking package as manually installed

Use dry-run (simulation) option -s

# apt install -s <pg1> ... <pkgN> 2>/dev/null|grep manually

Removed the package(s) displayed from your install list and re-run without -s

GRUB Stuffs

To prevent GRUB from looking for other OS every time it is updated:

edit /etc/default/grub and insert
```
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true
```
run update-grub

To add a custom entry:

add a menuentry in /etc/grub.d/40_custom

uses the same menuentry format as in /boot/grub/grub.cfg

e.g. to boot my Slackware partition I can insert

menuentry 'Slackware' --class slackware --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'my1part-<uuid>' {
	insmod part_gpt
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd0,gpt4'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt4 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt4 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt4  <uuid>
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4d95a526-2518-4fd6-a904-f7bd2729145d
	fi
	linux /boot/vmlinuz-huge-4.4.240 root=/dev/sda4
}

use initrd (after linux line) to specify an initrd/initramfs
of course, <uuid> should be a valid filesystem uuid

run update-grub

KVM Stuffs

If KVM group is missing, simply create one…

# [ -z "$(cat /etc/group|grep kvm)" ] && addgroup --gid 125 kvm

2026/02/09 22:23

Issues

Issues… and maybe fixes (if any).

Image Magick's convert error

I found an error when using image magick's convert to create EPS from fig that provides this message:

convert-im6.q16: attempt to perform an operation not allowed by the security policy `EPS' @error/constitute.c/IsCoderAuthorized/421

Solution:

(as root) edit /etc/ImageMagick-6/policy.xml

modify following line (change none → read|write)

<policy domain="coder" rights="none" pattern="EPS" />

GRUB Prompt

In some cases, after an installation is complete, the system boots to a GRUB prompt. The issue may be caused by a different disk assignment during installation. Things is not so bad since GRUB prompt is very shell-like (e.g. double-tab for completion):

To list available disks:

> ls

To list content of first partition on the first disk (/dev/sda1) that is using GPT:

> ls (hd0,gpt1)

So, to boot an installation on second partition instead:

> linux (hd0,gpt2)/boot/vmlinuz<...>
> initrd (hd0,gpt2)/boot/initrd.img<...>
> boot

BCM Wireless

Device:

# lspci -nn | grep BCM
02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Limited BCM43142 802.11b/g/n [14e4:4365] (rev 01)

Install: broadcom-sta-dkms, firmware-linux, firmware-b43-installer (b43-fwcutter)

*note*: only solves the Wireless Driver part… NOT the bluetooth hardware!

# lsusb | grep BCM
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 0a5c:216d Broadcom Corp. BCM43142A0 Bluetooth 4.0
# dmesg | grep blue
[    8.850007] bluetooth hci0: firmware: failed to load brcm/BCM43142A0-0a5c-216d.hcd (-2)
[    8.850197] bluetooth hci0: Direct firmware load for brcm/BCM43142A0-0a5c-216d.hcd failed with error -2

So, download BCM43142A0-0a5c-21d6.hcd in here and place it /lib/firmware/brcm/ (create that path if it does not exist).

XFCE Desktop

tapping on my laptop touchpad is NOT working

moving around & button clicks are working

need to create file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/90-touchpad.conf

90-touchpad.conf

Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "libinput touchpad catchall"
        MatchIsTouchpad "on"
        MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
        Driver "libinput"
        Option "Tapping" "on"
EndSection

lid event does not trigger suspend (but manual suspend works)
- this is a systemd-related aftermath: xfce power manager allows/assumes login to handle lid
- fix:
```
$ xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/logind-handle-lid-switch -s false
```

issues when logging out/shutdown
- may be caused by intel graphics library? i915?
- can install lightdm - but shutdown/restart always gets login page (=logout)
wicd feature is an issue for system with multiple users
- shared wifi password, no option to make private

Cinnamon DE

login page (lightdm?) - cannot shutdown/reboot! read here…
- found a fix here
- i just needed to edit /etc/pam.d/lightdm-greeter and changed pam_systemd.so to pam_elogind.so (but, may cause issues with suspend/hibernate?)

laptop battery quickly drain below 30 percent

setup higher critical value for power management

gsettings list-keys org.cinnamon.settings-daemon.plugins.power
gsettings set org.cinnamon.settings-daemon.plugins.power use-time-for-policy false
gsettings set org.cinnamon.settings-daemon.plugins.power percentage-low 30
gsettings set org.cinnamon.settings-daemon.plugins.power percentage-critical 25
gsettings set org.cinnamon.settings-daemon.plugins.power percentage-action 23

or use dconf-editor

PulseAudio

Youtube videos keep resetting the volume settings to 100%! The culprit is flat-volumes. Modify /etc/pulse/daemon.conf and set flat-volumes=no.

(Re)-Compiling Syslinux

I need to recompile syslinux - just to remind myself, other than the usual development packages (build-essential, etc), I also need nasm and upx-ucl.

apt install nasm and upx-ucl

Unwanted Background Program

I found this in my old notes… I somehow found an autostart program geoclue-demo-agent.desktop, which I obviously do not need. So, simply remove that from autostart path

# rm /etc/xdg/autostart/geoclue-demo-agent.desktop

Sound muted on startup on my HP laptop

trying two options found… so far, not successful? keeping this here for reference.

option 1:
- install alsa-utils
- make sure sound is not muted and set to desired volume level
- run (as root) alsactl store
option 2:
- edit (as root) /etc/pulse/defaults.pa
  - can also copy this to home folder ??? for 1-user solution…
- comment out 'load-module module-device-restore'

General Issues

wifi firmware missing after first restart
- manually install firmware-ralink
network manager cannot connect using wifi
- edit /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf
- add
```
[device]
wifi.scan-rand-mac-address=no
```

2026/04/05 02:41 · azman

Azman @MY1

Table of Contents

Devuan Experience

Installing Devuan

Latest Devuan Installation

Last XFCE Installation

Minimal Desktop Installation

Install Using debootstrap

Devuan upgrade (chimaera to daedalus)

Setting Up Devuan

Development

Web Server

Multi-Arch (a.k.a. Multi-Lib)

Gaming

NFS setup

Others

Devuan Management

Upgrading

List Installed Packages

Adding More Repo

Reconfigure Package

Search package for specific binary

Avoiding marking package as manually installed

GRUB Stuffs

KVM Stuffs

Issues

Image Magick's convert error

GRUB Prompt

BCM Wireless

XFCE Desktop

Cinnamon DE

PulseAudio

(Re)-Compiling Syslinux

Unwanted Background Program

Sound muted on startup on my HP laptop

General Issues