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https://github.com/jdelic/saltshaker-laptop

XPS13 9310 Debian Bookworm Saltshaker. This is based on a minimal Debian netinst textmode install and is what I run on my laptop.
https://github.com/jdelic/saltshaker-laptop

debian saltstack xps13 xps13-9310

Last synced: about 1 month ago
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XPS13 9310 Debian Bookworm Saltshaker. This is based on a minimal Debian netinst textmode install and is what I run on my laptop.

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README 

          
My laptop config

================



This is supposed to run from a local salt-minion install, using ``salt-call``

in a masterless setup. Based on a clean Debian Bookworm netinst installation,

I'm using this to provision my work setup on a Dell XPS13 and my home PC. I

am currently running this on a 9310 model, unfortunately the newer XPSs are

terrible, and my custom-built Ryzen 9.



Among other things, this config will install:



* Gnome

* Most important apps:



  - Firefox

  - Thunderbird

  - Spotify

  - Slack

  - `Albert (my favorite launcher) `__,

  - Enpass

  - Yubikey support

  - usbguard and usbguard-notifier



* Most important Firefox extensions (use ``about:debugging`` to find their IDs

  if you want to add more):



  - uBlock,

  - uMatrix,

  - Enpass,

  - German dictionary,

  - Multi-account containers

  - GDPR Content-O-Matic



* Enforces Firefox sanitization on closing the browser and other settings.



* Some other available applications include:



  - Discord

  - OBS

  - Airtame

  - `Starship prompt `__

  - Steam

  - Inkscape

  - IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate

  - VSCode

  - Zoom

  - Xerox printer drivers

  - GIMP

  - VLC

  - Logitech camera controls for Brio webcams



Getting to Debian

-----------------



Download the `Debian Installer ISO `__. Then install the minimal

system. I like using the text mode installer and I partition like this:



* 512MB EFI

* 2048MB EXT4 /boot

* Remainder is dm-crypt encrypted volume with LVM (start by configuring the

  encrypted partition in the text mode installer, then add LVM and a volume

  group ``vg0``)



  - 90GB EXT4 vg0-root /root

  - 16GB SWAP vg0-swap ---

  - 256GB EXT4 vg0-home /home



After booting into the minimal system under Trixie, your wifi may have been

configured in ``/etc/network/interfaces``. Gnome will later use NetworkManager,

which will not manage network adapters listed in ``/etc/network/interfaces``.



Especially with Wifi-7 devices you still need to manually bring them up, as the

installer fails at it (at least on my Gigabyte x870e). So that's where it's

useful to have a full installation ISO and use nmcli to connect to wifi after

booting into the base system.



.. code-block:: shell



    apt install --no-install-recommends ca-certificates wget git

    git clone https://github.com/jdelic/saltshaker-laptop

    cd saltshaker-laptop

    ./configure.sh



    # remove static interface config so NetworkManager can take over, if necessary

    vi /etc/network/interfaces



Important Gnome Extensions

--------------------------



These are installed automatically by this salt config, but I find them

useful and you should know. You can install them from ``Extension Manager``:



* `Frippery Move Clock `__ (moves the clock to the right where it 

  belongs)

* `V-Shell Vertical Workspaces `__ (because vertically stacked

  virtual desktops are much more sensible)

* `AppIndicator and KStatusNotifier Support `__: no idea why Gnome

  tries to remove tray icons... so much software still uses them)

* `No Overview At Start-up `__ (with Albert as launcher the

  default is just annoying)

* `Better onscreen keyboard (GJS OSK) `__: Just an improved keyboard

  that's very useful for touchscreens or when you locked out your USB keyboard.

* `Tactile tiling `__: Gives keyboard shortcuts for tiling windows.

  Useful until niri or Hyprland make their way to Debian.



Important Gnome Settings changed by this config

-----------------------------------------------



This config installs a autostart script that changes the following Gnome

settings:



1. Add keyboard shortcut for Albert to launch ``albert toggle`` on ``META+X``.

2. Change "Navigation"->"Switch Applications" to "disabled" and "Switch

   Windows" to "Alt+Tab"

3. On Gnome Tweaks set the clock to show calendar weeks and the date

4. Configure the Gnome extensions, setting the keyboard shortcuts for vertical

   desktops and configuring the tray icons size and position

5. **Disable Gnome USB protection** in favor of usbguard and usbguard-notifier,

   changing the Kernel boot to disallow USB devices and adding udev rules for

   devices needed for boot (like the keyboard to unlock LUKS drives).



Which Albert Plugins to Enable?

-------------------------------



I commonly use



* Applications

* Calculator

* Python

* System



  - I rename "Poweroff" to "Shutdown"



* Terminal



Changes to be made to the system after ./configure.sh is complete

-----------------------------------------------------------------



These are changes that this salt configuration currently can't do for you. Here

is my personal "post-install todo list":



1. Zoom: Change ``enableMiniWindow`` to ``false`` in ``~/.config/zoomus.conf``.

2. Firefox: Enable the built-in dark theme in Firefox

3. Firefox: Enable ``devtools.netmonitor.persistlog`` in ``about:config``

4. Firefox: Import uMatrix config

5. Firefox: Remove spacers from Firefox toolbar config

6. Firefox: Enable extensions to run in private mode (this can't be automated)

7. Create Enpass service account and login

8. Activate IntelliJ IDEA, Slack, and Spotify

9. Projects: Install `ollama `__



Windows VM notes

----------------



Installing a Windows 10 or 11 VM with TPM:



.. code-block::



   virt-install -n "win-vm" \

       --memory=16384 --cpu=host -vcpus=6 --pm="suspend_to_mem=on,suspend_to_disk=on" \

       --disk="path=/dev/gen5/win-payoneer,device=disk,bus=virtio" \

       -c /tmp/win10_2023H2.iso --disk="path=/tmp/virtio-win.iso,device=cdrom" \

       --features kvm_hidden=on,smm=on \

       --tpm backend.type=emulator,backend.version=2.0,model=tpm-tis \

       --boot loader=/usr/share/OVMF/OVMF_CODE_4M.secboot.fd,loader_ro=yes,loader_type=pflash,nvram_template=/usr/share/OVMF/OVMF_VARS_4M.ms.fd,loader_secure=yes \

       --graphics=spice \

       --video model.type=xml,model.vram=65536,model.vgamem=65536



Make sure to install the *latest* of these:



* `SPICE client for Windows VMs `__

* `VirtIO drivers for Windows VMs `__



.. _instiso: https://www.debian.org/CD/http-ftp/

.. _starship: https://starship.rs

.. _albert: https://github.com/albertlauncher/albert

.. _frippery: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/2/move-clock/

.. _vertical: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/5177/vertical-workspaces/

.. _nooverview: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/4099/no-overview/

.. _trayicons: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/615/appindicator-support/

.. _gjsosk: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/5949/gjs-osk/

.. _ollama: https://ollama.com/download

.. _spice: https://www.spice-space.org/download.html

.. _virtio: https://fedorapeople.org/groups/virt/virtio-win/direct-downloads/

.. # vim: wrap textwidth=80