Fedora 12 Install from live cd or not?

trand · #1 3rd December 2009, 04:13 PM

I’ve been wanting to install Fedora 12 but I have a couple of questions and some concerns. I was reading the sticky note regarding installing from the live cd and partitions setup. I’m already running a dual boot with XP and Debian 5.03 with the Grub boot loader installed, setup as XP on (hd0,0) and Debian on (hd1,0). I just want to get rid of Debian and install Fedora to that drive. I normally let the install do whatever partitioning /formatting needs to be done during the install, and I just choose the drive I want it on.

If I install from the live cd, will I need to wipe the Debian partitions and create new partitions beforehand? Would it be better, or easier, to download the non-live cd version of Fedora? I’m not really worried about setting up partitions if I have to, I’m familiar with using G-parted. Just a little lazy about it. :-)

What about Grub? Can I leave it as-is, or should I remove Grub that Debian installed and restore the MBR to Windows first, then letting Fedora (re)install Grub?

One final note: I want to install the Fedora 12 KDE version. I have the live cd, but is there a non-live cd KDE version? I’ve looked through some mirrors but they don’t list whether it’s GDM or KDE.

joe.pelayo · #2 3rd December 2009, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trand

I’ve been wanting to install Fedora 12 but I have a couple of questions and some concerns. I was reading the sticky note regarding installing from the live cd and partitions setup. I’m already running a dual boot with XP and Debian 5.03 with the Grub boot loader installed, setup as XP on (hd0,0) and Debian on (hd1,0). I just want to get rid of Debian and install Fedora to that drive. I normally let the install do whatever partitioning /formatting needs to be done during the install, and I just choose the drive I want it on.

If I install from the live cd, will I need to wipe the Debian partitions and create new partitions beforehand? Would it be better, or easier, to download the non-live cd version of Fedora? I’m not really worried about setting up partitions if I have to, I’m familiar with using G-parted. Just a little lazy about it. :-)

What about Grub? Can I leave it as-is, or should I remove Grub that Debian installed and restore the MBR to Windows first, then letting Fedora (re)install Grub?

One final note: I want to install the Fedora 12 KDE version. I have the live cd, but is there a non-live cd KDE version? I’ve looked through some mirrors but they don’t list whether it’s GDM or KDE.

The final decision is up to you, just consider the following:

Live media offers an almost minimum basis to start from (basic system) and you get to update just that 'minimal' stuff after the installation is complete. By installing from nonlive media you are for starters installing more out-to-date programs and you'd end downloading far more when updating the system (provided you choose some sort of automatic setup). If that ain't a problem, go ahead with nonlive media.
You don't need to worry about grub, Fedora takes good care of it. Assuming you have grub installed in Debian's "/" partition it will be gone in the moment you wipe the partition or reformat it for Fedora. But if you succeed installing Fedora it will create its own grub which will contain the entry for your Windows system as well.
As for the Fedora spin you are looking for I'd suggest entering Fedora Project's download page and select the option "Show me all download options in one page" (or something like that, it's on the right) and check if the spin is listed there.

Good luck,
Joe.

CSchwangler · #3 3rd December 2009, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trand

One final note: I want to install the Fedora 12 KDE version. I have the live cd, but is there a non-live cd KDE version? I’ve looked through some mirrors but they don’t list whether it’s GDM or KDE.

There is no non-live KDE version (as well as no non-live Gnome version). There is the dvd, which includes both KDE and Gnome and there is the content of the dvd split over 5 or so cd's.

trand · #4 3rd December 2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSchwangler

There is no non-live KDE version (as well as no non-live Gnome version). There is the dvd, which includes both KDE and Gnome and there is the content of the dvd split over 5 or so cd's.

I don't understand. This is quoted from the sticky note concerning the Live install and partitions.

"Due to a combination of factors, if installing from the Live CD, you must have at least two partitions available. One will be a small (around 200 MB) /boot partition. The / (root filesystem) partition must be formatted as ext4 while the /boot partition must be formatted as ext2 or ext3. *The normal installation CD set and DVDs don't have this issue.* "

What's the difference between the Live CD and the "Normal CD"?

markkuk · #5 3rd December 2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trand

What's the difference between the Live CD and the "Normal CD"?

The LiveCD boots to a Linux desktop environment that's usable without installing, and you can also choose to install it on a hard disk. The installation media CD set or DVD boots directly to the installer application, there's no standard desktop usable during the install process. The install media also allows customizing the installation.

trand · #6 3rd December 2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markkuk

The LiveCD boots to a Linux desktop environment that's usable without installing, and you can also choose to install it on a hard disk. The installation media CD set or DVD boots directly to the installer application, there's no standard desktop usable during the install process. The install media also allows customizing the installation.

Umm, that's kinda not what I meant when asking about the difference. I'm sorry, I'm nursing one nasty cold and sometimes this Linux stuff can be, ahem, difficult to deal with. I'll put it as simply as I can.

I have downloaded and burned Fedora 12 Live CD KDE to a cd. Do I need to setup any partitions before I install, or will the installer handle it during the install procedure? (As I did with Debian)

CSchwangler · #7 4th December 2009, 10:31 AM

Both options are available to you. You can do kind of automatic setup (don't remember how its called), you can replace an existing system or do a custom partitioning. In your case you probably want to replace an existing system (Debian), so F12 will reuse the existing partitions.

trand · #8 5th December 2009, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSchwangler

Both options are available to you. You can do kind of automatic setup (don't remember how its called), you can replace an existing system or do a custom partitioning. In your case you probably want to replace an existing system (Debian), so F12 will reuse the existing partitions.

Thank you, and everyone else, for your help. I got Fedora installed, and dual boot with XP. I did download the installation guide beforehand. Though it does mostly read for someone who knows what they're doing with Linux. Most of the time I'm guessing my way through Linux, which doesn't always work out too well. I totally trashed Debian trying to install and setup the nvidia drivers for my video card. 20 years worth of doing it the DOS & Windows way doesn't quite translate into instant knowledge of a different OS. :-)

CSchwangler · #9 5th December 2009, 07:56 AM

Just in case you need some guide for nVidia drivers on F12, look into this one:

http://www.my-guides.net/en/content/...drivers_nvidia

lumbee · #10 31st December 2009, 09:54 PM

...just piggyback on the thread, do I need an internet connection if I'm trying to install with the live CD? I'm assuming it does...thats how where it gets the rest of install from right?

...also, [relatively] new to Linux, and don't have any linux partitions set up. If I boot to the desktop environment is there an application that will allow me to partition the hard disk?

markkuk · #11 31st December 2009, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumbee

...just piggyback on the thread, do I need an internet connection if I'm trying to install with the live CD?

No, you don't need a Net connection during the install. If you want to customize or update your system after installation you need to set up an Internet connection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumbee

If I boot to the desktop environment is there an application that will allow me to partition the hard disk?

It's part of the installer program: http://docs.fedoraproject.org/instal...setup-x86.html

lumbee · #12 1st January 2010, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markkuk

It's part of the installer program: http://docs.fedoraproject.org/instal...setup-x86.html

...I can't get the install to start because I don't have any partitions set up, like is mentioned here...

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=223206

...I used the disk admin in the GUI to configure partitions, but when I dbl click "install to hard disk" it goes through some gyrations and nothing...