Installing Debian Linux on the Microsoft Surface Book 2 with Debian's Custom Kernel
In this article, we will walk through the process of installing Debian Linux on the Microsoft Surface Book 2, with a focus on using Debian's custom kernel for the Surface. We will also cover the steps for reinstalling the custom kernel, in case it is accidentally deleted.
Background
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a powerful and versatile laptop, but it is not designed to run Linux out of the box. However, with some effort, it is possible to install Debian Linux on the Surface Book 2 and take advantage of its hardware features. One of the key challenges in doing so is getting the Surface's hardware to work properly with the Linux kernel. Debian has created a custom kernel specifically for the Surface, which includes the necessary drivers and patches to support the Surface's hardware.
Installing Debian Linux
To install Debian Linux on the Surface Book 2, you will first need to create a bootable USB drive with the Debian installer. You can use a tool like Rufus to create the USB drive. Once you have the USB drive, follow these steps:
- Shut down the Surface Book 2.
- Press and hold the volume-down button, then press and release the power button to enter the UEFI settings.
- In the UEFI settings, disable Secure Boot.
- Insert the USB drive into the Surface Book 2.
- Power on the Surface Book 2 and press F12 to enter the boot menu.
- Select the USB drive as the boot device.
- Follow the prompts to install Debian Linux. When you reach the package selection screen, be sure to select the
linux-surface-secureboot-mokpackage, which includes the necessary drivers and patches for the Surface's hardware.
Installing the Custom Kernel
After installing Debian Linux, you will need to install the custom kernel. Follow these steps:
- Open a terminal window.
- Add the Debian Surface repository to your sources list:
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-surface.list <<EOF
deb http://debian-surface.org/ bullseye main-surface
EOF
- Update your package list:
sudo apt update
- Install the custom kernel:
sudo apt install linux-image-surface
Reinstalling the Custom Kernel
If you accidentally delete the linux-surface-secureboot-mok package or the custom kernel, you can reinstall them using the following steps:
- Open a terminal window.
- Add the Debian Surface repository to your sources list:
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-surface.list <<EOF
deb http://debian-surface.org/ bullseye main-surface
EOF
- Update your package list:
sudo apt update
- Reinstall the
linux-surface-secureboot-mokpackage:
sudo apt install --reinstall linux-surface-secureboot-mok
- Reinstall the custom kernel:
sudo apt install --reinstall linux-image-surface
In this article, we have covered the process of installing Debian Linux on the Microsoft Surface Book 2, with a focus on using Debian's custom kernel for the Surface. We have also covered the steps for reinstalling the custom kernel, in case it is accidentally deleted. With these steps, you should be able to get the Surface Book 2 up and running with Debian Linux and the custom kernel.
References
- Debian Surface: http://debian-surface.org/
- Rufus: https://rufus.ie/
Types of references included: online resources.