SparkyLinux 7.7 “Orion Belt” Released – What’s New

SparkyLinux 7.7 has officially been released, continuing its role as a lightweight and user-friendly distribution based on Debian 12 “Bookworm.” This latest point release in the stable “Orion Belt” line brings refreshed package updates, improved system stability, and support for a variety of desktop environments across different hardware architectures.

Whether you’re a casual user, a system administrator, or someone looking to revive older hardware, SparkyLinux 7.7 offers a smooth experience with flexibility and performance in mind.

Highlights of SparkyLinux 7.7

The 7.7 release focuses on system refinements and updated software packages while maintaining the stability expected from a Debian-based system. Here’s what’s new:

• Package Updates
  All system and application packages have been updated from Debian and Sparky’s stable repositories as of April 8, 2025.
• Kernel Versions
  • Default kernel: Linux 6.1.129 LTS
  • Optional kernels in Sparky APT repository: 6.14.1, 6.12.22-LTS, and 6.6.86-LTS
  • ARM builds ship with kernel 6.12.20-LTS
• Desktop Environment Options
  SparkyLinux 7.7 is available with several desktop environments, each tuned for different user needs:
  • KDE Plasma 5.27.5
  • LXQt 1.2.0
  • MATE 1.26
  • Xfce 4.18
  • Openbox 3.6.1 (Minimal GUI Edition)
• Preinstalled Applications
  • LibreOffice 7.4.7 (with version 25.2.2 available via backports)
  • Firefox ESR 128.9.0esr (and 137.0.1 available in Sparky repos)
  • Thunderbird ESR 128.9.0esr
• Installer Fixes
  The CLI installer has been improved to prevent installation failures when selecting alternative desktops, ensuring a smoother setup process.

Available Editions and Architectures

SparkyLinux 7.7 is designed to work on a wide range of systems, from modern PCs to older or low-resource hardware. Editions include:

• amd64 (64-bit UEFI & BIOS)
  Available with KDE Plasma, LXQt, MATE, Xfce, MinimalGUI (Openbox), and MinimalCLI.
• i686 (32-bit Legacy BIOS, non-PAE)
  Available in MinimalGUI and MinimalCLI editions only.
• ARMHF & ARM64
  Ships with Openbox or a CLI-only version for devices like Raspberry Pi and similar boards.

Live Session Login Details

For those trying the live environment, the default credentials are:

• PC Editions:
  • Username: live
  • Password: live
• ARM Editions:
  • Username: pi
  • Password: sparky

Upgrade Path for Existing Users

If you’re already running SparkyLinux 7, there’s no need to reinstall. Simply upgrade your current system using the built-in package manager or run the standard update commands to stay current with the 7.7 release.

Source

Read also about Debian 13 “Trixie”