5.
How Do I Install Linux?
Linux installations run
from supersimple, done-in-30-minutes quickies to toss-your-computer-out-the-window
frustration sessions. Why? First, Linux installation utilities generally
require you to know more about your system than you'd expect. Second, Linux
doesn't support all the hardware that you're bound to have (see Question
3).
Before
You Start
The best thing you can
do to make things go as smoothly as possible is create a list of your computer's
components. Unlike Windows, which generally does a pretty good job of identifying
hardware and configuring itself, Linux often needs some help. To be safe,
jot down the following:
-
Make, model, and interface
for your CD-ROM drive
-
Make and model of your SCSI
adapter (if you have one)
-
What type of mouse you have
-
The make, model, and memory
size of your graphics card
-
The make, model, and refresh
rates for your monitor
-
Any networking information
you may have kicking around (IP address, netmask, gateway address, DNS
addresses, domain name, and type of network card)
During installation, Linux
may ask you for any or all of this info, and if you don't know it, you're
going to pull your hair out.
Install
a CD
As for the actual install,
you have several options. Once again, the easiest way is with a CD-ROM
version of Linux and a PC that supports booting from the CD drive (newer
systems do). In that case, you'll often just have to drop the disk in your
drive, set your system's BIOS
to search for bootable CDs, and follow the installation instructions that
pop up on the screen.
Install
From DOS
If your system can't boot
from the CD, you'll need to install from a DOS directory (if your distribution
supports the option) or work from boot disks. Commercial distributions
of Linux, including those from Caldera and Red Hat, come with 3.5-inch
boot disks. Otherwise, you'll have to create the disks yourself (check
this installation
how-to for more information on creating the disks and installing Linux
from a CD. You'll also probably need these disks if you plan on installing
Linux from a hard disk or via Network File System (NFS).
Installing
Specific Flavors
Your distribution's Web
site should have all the details you need to know about installing its
specific flavor of Linux. If it doesn't, or if the docs are too difficult
to understand, go with another distribution. We've had good luck with Red
Hat, Caldera, Debian,
and Slackware.
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