multi_nfs, multi_mount. These are similar to the multi_cd method and are refinements on the theme of coping with changing media—for example, installing from a multi_cd set exported via NFS from another machine’s CD-ROM drive. indexdselect!multi-NFS, multi-mount installation
apt. One of the best options for installation from a local mirror of the Debian archive or from the network. This method uses the “apt” system to do complete dependency analysis and ordering, so it’s most likely to install packages in the optimal order.
Configuration of this method is straightforward. You may select any number of different locations, mixing and matching file: URLs (local disks or NFS mounted disks), http: URLs, or ftp: URLs. Note, however, that the HTTP and FTP options do not support local authenticating proxies.
If you have proxy server for either HTTP or FTP (or both), make sure you set the http_proxy and ftp_proxy environment variables, respectively. Set them from your shell before starting dselect by using the following command:
# export http_proxy=http://gateway:3128/
# dselect
Update
dselect will read the Packages or Packages.gz files from the mirror and create a database on your system of all available packages. This may take a while as it downloads and processes the files.
Select
Hang on to your hat. This is where it all happens. The object of the exercise is to select just which packages you wish to have installed.
Press Enter. If you have a slow machine, be aware that the screen will clear and can remain blank for 15 seconds. So don’t start bashing keys at this point.