You are here: Home » HOWTO, tricks and tips » Install Skype in Debian Etch AMD64

Install Skype in Debian Etch AMD64

Skype offers only the 32 bit version for Linux; but this can be run in 32bit emulation in AMD64. The easiest procedure is to get and install both the Debian Etch package, and also the static binary. Follow these steps (as a "root" user):

install all needed 32 bit libraries

apt-get install  ia32-libs ia32-libs-gtk   lib32asound2   lib32gcc1 lib32ncurses5   lib32stdc++6  lib32z1   linux32

download the skype deb from

http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-linux-deb

install it

dpkg --force-architecture -i  skype-1.4.0.74.deb

download the static version from

http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-linux-static

unpack it

cd /usr/local/lib ; tar xjvf skype-1.4.0.74-static.tar.bz2

download the 32 bit version of libsigc, for example from

http://http.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/libs/libsigc++-2.0/libsigc++-2.0-0c2a_2.0.17-2_i386.deb

unpack it and put it into the lib32 paths

dpkg-deb -x libsigc++-2.0-0c2a_2.0.17-2_i386.deb LS

mv -i LS/usr/lib/libsigc-2.0.so.0* /usr/lib32/

put this small script in /usr/local/bin/skype

#!/bin/sh
exec linux32 /usr/local/lib/skype_static-1.4.0.74/skype

and make it executable

chmod +x  /usr/local/bin/skype

delete /usr/bin/skype and replace it with a symlink

rm /usr/bin/skype
ln -s /usr/local/bin/skype /usr/bin/skype

troubleshooting

(this troubleshooting is useful for people using 32bit Linux as well)

install audacity , and try recording your voice; adjust the input line and recording volume until you can record yourself satisfactorily
open skype options (the "gear" icon at the bottom), select "sound devices", and try the "test sound" and then the "test call":
- if it does not work, then close all other audio applications and try again (some cheapo audio cards do not accept multiple connections at once). (If this is your case, then whenever someone calls you you will need to close all other audio applications).
- if it still does not work, try selecting a different "audio in" and "audio out" device (sometimes the default does not work OK)
- if it still does not work, try moving away
```
/etc/asound.conf
```
  and/or
```
~/.asound.conf
```
  restart skype and retry. I had indeed installed such a file, to have a "dmixer" dmix software mixer (so that two programs could play sound together): but my dmixes is somehow incompatible with Skype. If this is your case as well, each time you receive or make a call, do not forget to turn off any other sound-playing program!!
- if it still does not work .... use Ekiga :-)