Dear Admins, dear Members,
as requested, here my experience with Beowulf.
I always use the Cinnamon desktop and OpenRC. Starting with a fresh install of ASCII 2.1.
Of course, that installs NetworkManager, Lightdm and all, which I'm happy with.
I have Beowulf running on PCs, laptops and servers and couldn't be happier. Updates never broke my systems.

Here the steps I used to update from ASCII 2.1 to Beowulf:
1. Install Devuan Ascii (2.1)
   (install all updates and upgrades: sudo apt update; sudo apt upgrade; reboot)

2. sudo vi /etc/pam.d/lightdm-greeter
   --> ...
   --> # Setup session
   --> session   required pam_unix.so
   --> #session   optional pam_systemd.so
   --> session   optional pam_elogind.so

3. sudo vi /etc/apt/sources.list
   --> # comment the "deb cdrom:...= - line
   --> # Replace every word ascii with the word beowulf

4. sudo apt udate
5. sudo apt upgrade
6. sudo apt dist-upgrade
7. sudo apt autoremove

8. reboot
9. vi sudo vi /etc/pulse/client.conf.d/00-disable-autospawn.conf
   --> # On linux systems, disable autospawn by default
   --> # If you are not using systemd, comment out this line
   --> #autospawn=no

10. logout - login --> ok

The only wish I have is to get the cinnamon tool to install and configure languages. I'm quite happy with English, but some users prefer French or German when they log in.

A big thank to the Devuan Team - a real high-light in this increasingly "complex" world.

Poor you.... you really seem completely desperate... I'm so sorry for you.

One advise: Halt - Stop - Reset - Start Again

1. Does your hardware actually work ? Is the disk ok, have you re-set the CMOS Settings to their defaults?
2. Have you created an USB Stick with the correct ISO? (DEVUAN ASCII 2.1!!)
3. the DEVUAN ASCII 2.1 release works very well
4. Now start a fresh install (Graphical) and LET THE INSTALLER create the partitions
5. Select the software you want (XFCE Desktop in your case?)
6. Let the installer do the work for you
7. At the question, select the harddisk for the GRUB installation
8. Let it finish the job.

Now, if that system doesn't work, your hardware may be just bad. Or you have altered the installation process.

As for Debian Jessie: it started as a Init-SysV distro but was migrated to systemd during it's lifetime.
Devuan uses Init SysV or OpenRC (both are better than systemd).
Don't bother to install old versions and migrate them. It's not worth it and it may be troublesome.
Do you have friends in your neighbourhood who could help you? Is there a "Linux User Group" in your area? I'm possibly too far away to help you personally.
Anyway, I wish you luck.
André

Hello again,
Why do you trouble yourself with that hardest possible way to install Devuan?
If you want a trouble-free installation:

1. Download the latest iso: devuan_ascii_2.1_amd64_dvd-1.iso
2. dd it to your USB stick
3. Boot that stick
4. Choose "Graphical install"
5. Partioning the disk: choose "the whole disk" and choose /home to reside in its own partition
6. Choose only one graphical environment (I prefer Cinnamon) plus possibly ssh-server and console-tools
7. Choose your preferred init system (OpenRC for me)
8. Choose the right harddisk to install GRUB2 on (the disk, not the USB stick)
9. Let the installer finish the job
10. Reboot..... and bang.... it runs like a charm
11. One file to modify: /etc/pamd-d/lightdm-greeter
----> replace the line "session   optional pam_systemd.so" to "session   optional pam_elogind.so"

I run the default Network-Manager with this setup, wicd is not my friend.
I've just done this setup on an old laptop to prove it works that way. It does.
Just for fun, I've upgraded this new system to Beowulf. Guess what: it works perfectly well too. THANK YOU, DEVUAN, you are the greatest!
Enjoy!

Hello sbug,
ToxicExMachina is right, that is the method to get to the cause of the problems. This can help in case you have an exotic graphics hardware in your laptop.
But if you don't have the experience doing troubleshooting, one thing that should always work on an old computer is this:
1. Use the BIOS setup program to reset all params to their defaults
2. Insert the ASCII install CD into your drive
3. Do a standard install and let the installer completely format the disk and "Use the whole disk" to set up your partitions. You can choose this option having your /home on its own partition. The install-program does all that correctly.
4. Allow the installer to use free and non-free software (video drivers, codecs, etc)
5. Let the program finish its work and reboot

For you reference, here is the link to the official DEVUAN Install Guide:
https://devuan.org/os/documentation/ins … start-here

I hope that helps - please let us know.
Good luck - Andre

A general advise:
1. All-ways keep /home on its own partition, NOT in the root filesystem.
2. Do a backup of /home anyway, regularly and to multiple media.
3. Keep a record of the UID & GID of your users (grep [username] /etc/passwd)
4. This conditions met, it's safe to upgrade, re-install or change to a new system
-- While in the installer:
-- Do NOT format the /home partition, but re-use and connect it to the /home mountpoint
-- Choose a generic username like linuxadmin or so for admin tasks (becomes UID 1000 usually)
-- If your regular user has already UID 1000, then create yourusername in the install program with your username
-- If your UID is other than 1000: after the installation as root:
     # useradd -u XXXX - g YYYY -s /bin/bash -c "some description" [yourusername]
        (don't add the -m option!!)
     # usermod -a -G sudo [yourusername]
     # passwd [yourusername]

5. If everything is followed, the newly re-used user will have all file permission and user-properties as before.
6. Check if you need to add the user to the sudo or wheel group

This way I have easily changed even a distro. Some headaches may occur if the GRUB2 handles MBR or GPT disks not the same way as before. It occurred to me when re-installing Devuan Beowulf over an Ascii installation, I had to re-install Ascii on one computer, but not on the other (BIOS-differences)
I hope this advise helps.
Sincerely, André

I could tell you this:
Install ASCII using the full iso and select "special install" (kind of).
Then during the install process you will be asked to select options and software. You are offered the choice of using Init-SysV or OpenRC, and as a desktop environment you may choose Cinnamon. It works wonderfully, I use it on all computers now.
There is one little snag though: Lid-Close action does not work with cinnamon on Devuan ASCII.
I cannot tell about pulling in a newer Cinnamon-release from the Beowulf repos - I have never dared. I'd like to see a more recent Cinnamon desktop. Please tell when you are successful, here on the forum. Good luck.

Hello fred43 and all
fred43, you are a genius, your solution works perfectly well on a fresh ascii-install. I tested it with Cinnamon and OpenRC. I'm delighted the lightdm is the display manager by default now.
Thank you, well done!

Hello,
why not just log in to the display that works, let the desktop come up and then configure the display settings? You should be able to configure the second display there, define if they are mirrored or independent and select the primary display.
Does it possibly behave differently when using 2 separate graphics cards?
In Cinnamon: Menu - System Settings - Hardware - Display
XFCE4: it's very similar: Menu - Settings - Display
Good luck

Switzerland. And convinced many folks here - that will make even more Devuan aficionados.... and to come.
Greetings from the lovely western part of Switzerland.

I had very good experiences with the PowerEdge PERC RAID controllers in Linux. Normally the kernel supports the controller and the volumes are transparently available to the system. The management tools for re-configuring the RAID - well, it depends. Dell used to have some user-space tools for linux, but you can always reconfigure the RAID via the BIOS/Firmware setup.
If a Dell server supports linux, (Red Hat, SUSE, Ubuntu), then it's a safe bet that Devuan will work as well.
Ask a Dell representative before you buy and ask for a assurance. Good luck, André

To golinux and all:
Please let me re-post this:
https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?pid=8912#p8912
I can only say: thank you and congratulations! ASCII is the way for me to go.