This guide explains the installation of Debian 8.5 Server on a VPS hosted by Metrabyte, located in Thailand. As of 2016-08-15, the latest Debian OS available for the VPS is Debian 7.4.0 (64 Bit).

1. Upgrade from Debian 7 to Debian 8
2. Install VIM

   # apt-get install vim

3. If a user was created during setup of the VPS, and this user is not the one you want as system administrator, do the following: edit the first fields of <olduser> entries in the /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow files. Then change every occurrence of <olduser> to <newuser> in /etc/group. Then rename the home directory from /home/<olduser> to /home/<newuser>. Change the password of <newuser>

   # passwd <newuser>

4. Install sudo, then add <user> to the sudo group in /etc/group

   # apt-get install sudo

5. Install zip and unzip
6. Install ntpdate, then add the following line to /etc/rc.local:

   sudo ntpdate -s th.pool.ntp.org

7. Upgrade from Debian 8 to Debian 9
8. Check debian version:

   cat /etc/issue
   cat /etc/debian_version

9. Make sure /etc/resolv.conf points to valid nameservers