Live install images
A live install
image contains a Debian system that can boot without
modifying any files on the hard drive and also contains the Debian Installer
enhanced by a module that can install the contents of the image.
Is a live image suitable for me? Here are some things to consider that will help you decide.
- Launcher: In addition to text and GUI install options in the boot menu, the desktop flavors contain a launcher on the desktop that can be used to install while running the live image.
- Flavors: The live images come in "flavors", four providing the desktop environments GNOME, KDE, LXDE and Xfce, and two text console flavors: rescue and standard. Many users will find these initial package selections suitable, installing any additional packages they need from the network afterwards.
- Architecture: Only images for the two most popular architectures, i386 and amd64, are currently provided.
- Size: Each image is much smaller than the full set of CD/DVD images, but larger than the network install media. If you are installing from optical media, the standard and rescue images will fit on a CD, whereas the others require a DVD. If you are installing from a USB key, only LXDE, Xfce, standard and rescue will fit on a 1G device, whereas the others require a larger key.
- Languages: The images do not contain a complete set of language support packages. If you need input methods, fonts and supplemental language packages for your language, you'll need to install these afterwards.
The following live install images are available for download:
- Official
live install
images for thestable
release — see below
Official live install images for the stable
release
Offered in different flavours, each differing in size as discussed above, these images are suitable for trying a Debian system comprised of a selected default set of packages and then install it from the same media.
Live install CD/DVD/USB image (via torrent)
The following links point to "hybrid" ISO image files suitable for writing to DVD-R(W) or CD-R(W) media, depending on size, and also USB keys of the appropriate size. If you can use torrents, please do, as it reduces the load on our servers.
Live install CD/DVD/USB image
The following links point to "hybrid" ISO image files suitable for writing to DVD-R(W) or CD-R(W) media, depending on size, and also USB keys of the appropriate size:
Live install netboot image
The following links point to image files suitable for booting from a Network boot server:
For information about what these files are and how to use them, please see the FAQ.
Once you have downloaded the images, be sure to have a look at the detailed information about the installation process.