System Requirements Check

Before installing Debian 13, it's important to ensure your computer meets the basic requirements. This page will help you check hardware compatibility and system requirements.

🖥️ Hardware Requirements

Minimum System Requirements

Component	Minimum Requirement	Notes
Processor	1 GHz single-core	i386 or amd64 architecture
Memory	2 GB RAM	Desktop environments need more memory
Storage	25 GB	Including basic system and applications
Graphics	Supports 1024×768	Integrated graphics sufficient
Network	Wired or wireless	For configuring software sources after installation

Recommended System Configuration

Component	Recommended	Benefits
Processor	Dual-core 2 GHz+	Smoother multitasking
Memory	8 GB RAM+	Support multiple applications running simultaneously
Storage	50 GB SSD	Faster boot and response times
Graphics	Dedicated graphics card	Support hardware acceleration and gaming

💡 Beginner Tip

If you're unsure about your hardware configuration, you can press Win + R in Windows, type dxdiag to view system information.

🔍 Hardware Compatibility Check

1. Processor Architecture Check

Debian 13 supports multiple processor architectures:

Mainstream Architectures

• amd64 (64-bit) - Intel/AMD 64-bit processors
• i386 (32-bit) - Legacy 32-bit processors
• arm64 - ARM 64-bit processors (new Macs, Raspberry Pi, etc.)

How to Check Your Architecture

In Windows:

# Press Win + R, type cmd, then run:
wmic computersystem get systemtype

In existing Linux:

# Check processor architecture
uname -m

2. Memory Check

Memory Requirements for Different Desktop Environments

Desktop Environment	Minimum Memory	Recommended Memory	Features
GNOME	4 GB	8 GB	Modern, feature-rich
KDE Plasma	4 GB	8 GB	Highly customizable
Xfce	2 GB	4 GB	Lightweight, suitable for older machines
LXDE	1 GB	2 GB	Extremely lightweight
Command Line	512 MB	1 GB	Text interface only

⚠️ Effects of Insufficient Memory

If memory is insufficient, the system may frequently use swap space, causing severe performance degradation.

🔧 Hardware Compatibility

Graphics Card Compatibility

NVIDIA Graphics Cards

# Debian support for NVIDIA
✅ Open source driver: nouveau (default)
✅ Official driver: nvidia-driver (requires additional installation)
⚠️  Legacy models may have limited support

AMD Graphics Cards

# AMD graphics card support
✅ Open source driver: radeon/amdgpu (default)
✅ Official driver: amdgpu-pro (optional)
✅ Most models have good support

Intel Integrated Graphics

# Intel graphics support
✅ Open source driver: i915 (default)
✅ Excellent support, works out of the box
✅ Good hardware acceleration support

Network Device Compatibility

Wi-Fi Chipsets

Most modern Wi-Fi chips have good support, but some require non-free firmware:

Vendor	Support Status	Notes
Intel	✅ Excellent	Requires firmware packages
Broadcom	⚠️ Fair	Some models need proprietary drivers
Realtek	✅ Good	Most models supported
Atheros	✅ Excellent	Good open source driver support

Wired Network

Almost all wired network interfaces have full support.

📋 Pre-installation Checklist

Essential Items

• [ ] Processor: Confirm architecture (amd64/i386/arm64)
• [ ] Memory: At least 2 GB, recommended 8 GB+
• [ ] Storage: At least 25 GB available space
• [ ] Network: Confirm network connection available
• [ ] Boot Method: Confirm UEFI or Legacy BIOS

Recommended Checks

• [ ] Graphics Card: Check model, prepare appropriate drivers
• [ ] Wi-Fi: Record chipset model
• [ ] Printer: Check brand and model
• [ ] Bluetooth: Confirm if needed
• [ ] Sound Card: Generally all supported

📱 Testing Compatibility

Using Live USB

# After booting Debian Live USB, run
sudo lshw -short          # Hardware overview
lscpu                     # CPU information
free -h                   # Memory information
lsblk                     # Storage devices
lspci                     # PCI devices
lsusb                     # USB devices

⚡ Performance Optimization Suggestions

SSD vs HDD

Storage Type	Advantages	Disadvantages	Use Case
SSD	Fast speed, no noise	More expensive	Recommended for system disk
HDD	Cheap, large capacity	Slow speed, noisy	Suitable for file storage

Dual Drive Configuration Recommendation

SSD (120GB+) → System + Programs
HDD (1TB+)   → Documents + Media files

🆘 Compatibility Issue Resolution

Common Issues

Wi-Fi Not Working

Solution:

1. Check if non-free firmware is needed
2. Use wired network to install firmware packages
3. Consider using USB Wi-Fi adapter

Graphics Driver Issues

Solution:

1. Use open source drivers first
2. Install proprietary drivers after system is stable
3. Have integrated graphics as backup

No Sound Output

Solution:

1. Check ALSA configuration
2. Install PulseAudio
3. Kernel updates may resolve issues

Next Steps

After hardware check is complete, you can continue with:

1. Download Debian 13 Images - Get installation files
2. Create Bootable Media - Prepare installation media
3. Begin Installation Process - Officially install the system

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Hardware compatibility confirmed? Start downloading Debian 13 →