I find a multi-CD install a wise option especially considering life under a war conditions. The offline-first installer lesser the requirements to the process of installing and it helps to be anonymous for those who matters safety. But every my attempt to install Devuan across 2 different laptop models ends up in some unrecoverable error but only if I chose to use more than 1 installation CD. It means that I can install a base system with Xfce successfully but I can not use other options if I am going to remain offline. Last time I was installing Devuan Daedalus I knew it ends up unsuccessfully if I chose anything except defaults in this step, so I photoed the most crucial steps of my failed installation for the sake of showing the photos here. I know it might be disgusting for someone to see the photos of screen instead of screenshots but I do not use virtual machines when I have some spare computers.

Here is my process:

• I have done the first part of the installation process with CD1 in my cdrom,

• then I have chosen Cinnamon instead of Xfce,

• then the installer required the CD3 and did some installation from here,

• then AFAIK the installer ought to ask the CD4 but what happens is asking the CD1,

• and the last step is the error on a red screen immediately, with no additional activity with the CD1.

I believe this is not a problem of only CD4 by any means because if I chose Mate which AFAIK requires only CD1 and CD3, the next what happens after processing CD3 is the same error. And I am almost sure that this is not a problem of only CD3 part of the installator as well, because I have also tried to install Devuan with no Mate or Cinnamon and reached no success.

Do I have any possibilities to help enhancing the installer? For example, a 700MB CD disc is hard to get in 2024, but I so urged to install Devuan in a multi-disc way that I have bought 4 DVDs. A 1-DVD version named as "desktop" does not have Mate which I got used to, so I am not very interested in testing that version. But if to talk generally, I consider CD as an old technology, I would like to have a giant 8GB/32GB installer for USB flash drive of popular sizes for the sake of having every piece of software I might need if I am going to relocate to some bunker with no access to Internets.

Here is 10 photos of the process made in sequential order through a single installation process https://imgur.com/a/vh8O4hu

Hi! I am a beginner Devuan user with a little Debian experience. I want to use Devuan for always-on and always-connected x86 computer which is going to serve me with my network interests - reading 24/7 few irq channels, torrenting and some cryptocurrencies activity. I loved chatting on Freenet when it was alive but I remember that doing it from not always-on computer might be irritating for other guys in channel, so I am going to be an active IRQ user when I will manage to let such a machine to go in the wild.

My main computer still has Windows 7 to my grief, but 7+ stopped being comfortable for me and when 7 dies completely like XP I will never upgrade to never Windows. But also I will never consider Devuan as my main OS because it is significantly less comfortable for googling problems than Debian.

The main reason why I have chosen Devuan is that Twitter post when systemd has changed some dude's DNS to 8.8.8.8 and that was a moment when I decided that I need to maintain a skill of using Linux without systemd and use it for non-mainstream communication goals of mine. Also I believe that it is important not to be afraid of at least one of my own computers which is crutial for any network-related activity.

I use Devuan on a laptop without discrete videocard, because IMO laptops and 2.5 HDDs is a little bit cooler idea then big desktop with loud 3.5 HDD. I have some strange problem with laptop-related things but this is not important feature for my usage of Devuan and I will formulate problems from this area later. Currently I am struggling with everything because it is easy to find an answer to any question about Debian but this OS is significantly less popular and I am not even sure I understand the difference between these two. But I wish the project good luck and I hope I will befriend with Devuan on my machine sooner or later.