Because of the variety and number of different distributions available, it would be impossible to explain each and every installation process. Instead I'll explain how the RedHat distribution is installed. Once you have seen how this is installed , you should have no problem with the other distributions, as the methods involved are quite similiar.
In the case of options 1 and 2, Linux will happily co-exist with Windows, and you can access your Windows directories and files from Linux. Unfortunately, you cannot access your Linux partion from Windows, as it does not recognise the method Linux uses to store files and directories.
If you choose option 3, be aware that installing Linux will wipe the entire hard-drive and any data on it. It will not be possible to recover the data later on if you realise that the important presentation you spent all week working is on that drive.
You now have everything you need, and you're readu to install Linux!.
The key that you need to press is dependent on your system, you then need to locate the Boot Properties, and change this so that it reads:
Once this has been done, you need to restart your computer with the Linux Disk in the CDROM drive. The Installation Process will start automatically.
The first question you'll be asked is the type of installation you want to perform:
Choose Custom as this will allow you to install the correct version of the OS.
The installation program will then ask you to create an ext2 partition. Ext2 is the method that Linux uses to store information on your hard-drive. To install Linux you need to create 2 partitions, a swap partition and a main partition.
To create these partiions, you have a choice of a graphical or command line version of fdisk. Fdisk is what will create the partitions for you. Select the command line version from the menu as this is easier to work with.
When fdisk starts it will detect the hard-drives installed in your machine, and ask you which one you want to create the partions on. If you have more than one hard-drive, it will ask cryptically:
/dev/hda
/dev/hdb
/dev/hda is your primary hard-drive. This is the one that you usually work with, and is called the C drive by Windows.
/dev/hdb is your secondary hard-drive, and is usually called the D drive by Windows.
You need to be very careful about the drive you choose. Once you have choosen the drive, you need to create your partions. Press n to create a new partition. From the menu select option 4 to create a primary partition.
Linux will now ask you whereabouts on the hard-drive you want to put it. You have to specify the cylinder. So type 1. For the ending cylinder enter +64MB. This will create a partition of 64 megabytes. Believe it or not this is all the swap space you require for Linux.
Once the partition has been created, you need to set its type. To do this just type t at the prompt. The type for a Linux Swap Partition is 82. Enter this and you are back to the main menu.
Repeat these steps again to create another primary partition. This time the starting cylinder is the lowest number given to you, and the ending cylinder is the highest number given to you. For this partition, you do not need to set its type.
Once these partions have been created, you need to write the information to the disk. Press w to write to the hard-drive, and when done, press q to exit fdisk and get back to the install routine.
The next step in the process is to decide what packages you want to install. A package is just a component of the Operating System. At the end of the list will be an entry to install everything. Use this if you want to install HTTP, FTP, E-Mail, or Telnet servers. These servers allow people to access your system from the Internet. If your system is going to be a standalone system, you will not need any of these.
Once you have picked the packages you want installed the drive will be formatted and the required packages will be copied. This could take a while, depending on the size of your drive, and the number of packages to install.
Once we have these peripherals set up, it's time to set up your video card. You will need to know several things about your video sub-system, such as Horizontal & Vertical Refresh Rates, Resolution and Color Depth. Each of these should be listed in your manual. Enter these when you are prompted.
The X Window, (which is the GUI Linux uses), will double check these settings before continuing. This will prevent your monitor from being damaged by incorrect settings.
Use this password to login, and you're ready to go.
So now that you have installed Linux, how do you actually use it? The next chapter will show you how to get started with Linux.
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