nincb123
5th August 2006, 03:55 PM
I used to have trouble, but no more, that I why I decided to write this guide.
Table of Contents:
Pre: Notice/Disclamer
I - Requirements
II - What I used to install
III - The Disks
IV - Booting off of Disk 1
V - Special Parimeter
VI - Starting Install Process
VII - Keyboard, Language, and PARTITION TABLE!
VIII - GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader)
IX - Network and Timezones
X - Root Password
XI - Packages
XII - Pre Install
XIII - Install Process
IVX - Post Install
VX - Rescue Disk
VXI - Mounting, and Making a New RAM Disk
VXII - Reboot, First Steps
VXIII - Have Fun!
-----------------Pre--------------------------------------
I am NOT responsible to any damage to your computer what-so-ever happens while following these instructions, although I certify that it is safe, I tested it myself, I am still not responsible for your computer.
BACK UP YOUR STUFF BEFORE GOING ON, EVEN ON YOUR INTERNAL HD, JUST IN CASE.
PRINT OUT THESE INSTRUCTIONS, YOU WONT BE ABLE TO REFER TO THEM WHILE YOU ARE GOING ABOUT THIS PROCESS. IF YOU DONT HAVE A PRINTER, USE A SPARE COMPUTER. (Like a laptop)
-----------------I Requirements------------------------
Requirments may vary from computer to computer but always one thing is the same:
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE USB SUPPORT FOR BOOTING IN YOUR BIOS BEFORE GOING TO BUY A 300$ EXTERNAL HD FOR LINUX.
You also need a CD reader and Burner.
There is a CD that you can make that will boot Fedora Core for you, but it is experimental.
Also, most newer computers (From 1998 - 2000) have CDrom Booting Support, if you dont have that STOP NOW. It will end in tears. But if your computer is that old, go over to your computer retailer and buy a new one. Ditch windows 3.0!
At least 1 GB for fedora! No packages included!
-----------------II What I used-----------------------
I have a I386 Intel Pentium 4 processer with 512 MB of RAM, system clock not UTC Supported, with a Western Digitial MyBook 250 GB external HD. I reserved 20 GB which is recommended for fedora.
----------------III The Disks------------------------
Go to the fedora core website and head off to the downloads section, then select your processer. Most of the time, you will be I386 if your computer is 6 years old at the max. If your computer Is REALLY old, select X_86, if you are using a Macintosh computer, choose Power PC or PPC.
After you download all 5 images, (Rescue is optional, but highly recommended in case something goes wrong and you lost install disk 1)
Then go grab some CD's (CD-R's preferibly) then go to your favorite burning software and choose to burn ISOs. DO NOT BURN THESE ISO's as DATA DISKS!
Once the burning is done, go to the next chapter.
-----------------IV Booting off of Disk one ------------------
Restart your computer and hit F12, F10, F6, DEL, or F2 or Possibly Enter depending on your BIOS type to go to your boot device selection screen. Insert your Fedora Core 5 Disk One into the drive and boot away! You should get a prompt that says something about ISO and Copyright in about 7 sec. If not, try again, if that does not work, you did something wrong when downloading or burning the images.
-----------------V Special Parimeter----------------------
If you see the fedora logo and a Boot: prompt, congradulations! If not, go back to steps 3 and 4.
We need to enter a special thing instead of just pushing enter because we are installing off of a external HD.
Type:
Linux Expert
Then enter, of course.
-------------VI Starting Install Process---------------
After the booting finishes, you should see a screen that says "Welcome to Fedora Core" at the top. It will ask you about testing your install media. I highly suggest if it is your first install with these disks to test them to make sure the burning and downloading process went successfully. After you are done, move onto the next step.
-------------VII Partition Table, Language and Keyboard------------
After the install process, acaconda, starts, press next to go to the language selection screen to select your prefered language, then hit next and select your keyboard settings, then click next once more.
Welcome to the second most important part of this installation process!! First, uncheck your internal drive(s) (usully HDA) and check SDA only. If you just see your internal drives, make sure you typed linux expert at the boot: prompt when you booted the CD. I highly suggest making a custum partition table, but if you have free space, select the option for automated, make sure it is the free space option! Always check if it is not already, modify and change partition table at the bottom. Make sure force primary is checked on all partitions you made.
ALWAYS CHECK THAT YOU DID IT CORRECTLY!
-----------VIII GRand Unified Bootloader-----------------
Select to install the bootloader, and leave all options unchanged except check configure advanced bootloader options, and click next.
Select the change drive order buttion and use the arrows to put SDA at the top, and select to install it to the MBR of SDA. MAKE SURE IT IS NOT HDA, YOU WILL HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM IF YOU INSTALL IT THERE!
Some people have had success if you select SDA First Sector Of the Bootpartition, but it didnt work for me...
Leave the bottom alone.
----------IX Network and Timezone----------
Select your network settings and click next, if you dont know, contact your system admin or your ISP. Then select your timezone. Here is a important part, if your system does NOT support UTC, DO NOT CHECK IT, REPEAT, DO NOT CHECK IT. WINDOWS, Linux AND your BIOS wont like it.
---------X Root Password----------
Select a strong password, one with letters, numbers and capatals, then confirm it. (Case Sensitive!) Write it down someware safe if you wont remember it.
----------XI Packages-----------
Select what packages you want to use for the installation process, if you select them all, it will take up about 10 GB of space, so BE PREPARED!
---------XII Pre Install ---------
NO changes to your system will result unless you click next, if you are unsure about something, click back and review your options! When you are ready, hit next.
---------XIII Install Process-------
Expect at least 4 min. to a hour and a half depending on which packages you selected, how fast your external HD is, how fast your processer is, and what USB version you have. (If it is 1.1, at least double the estimated time)
---------IVX Post Install--------
Sometimes, you dont follow the rules. If the install went without error, instead of taking all disks out and rebooting, put in disk 1 and reboot. Boot disk one and type linux rescue at the Boot: Prompt.
--------VX Resue Disk------
Welcome to linux rescue! After it detects your USB stuff, select your language and keyboard settings. When it asks about network detection, select "No". Then press continue at the detect prompt for finding installations. Press ok and a shell will appear.
-------VXI Ram Disk--------
If you try to boot now, you will see the lovely kernal panick. So run this:
chroot /mnt/sysimage
mount /boot/ if not automaticlly
ls /boot
Make note of the initrd file name (The ramdisk. Normally if you are using fedora core 5, it would be initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.img)
rm initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.img (Or whatever it is)
mkinitrd --preload ehci-hcd --preload usb-storage --preload scsi_mod --preload sd_mod /boot/initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.img 2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 (No errors should result, the version name might be different)
exit
exit
---------VXII Reboot First Steps------------
Follow the step by step instructions!
--------VXIII HAVE FUN-----------
Have fun! I suggest to run Yum update.
Table of Contents:
Pre: Notice/Disclamer
I - Requirements
II - What I used to install
III - The Disks
IV - Booting off of Disk 1
V - Special Parimeter
VI - Starting Install Process
VII - Keyboard, Language, and PARTITION TABLE!
VIII - GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader)
IX - Network and Timezones
X - Root Password
XI - Packages
XII - Pre Install
XIII - Install Process
IVX - Post Install
VX - Rescue Disk
VXI - Mounting, and Making a New RAM Disk
VXII - Reboot, First Steps
VXIII - Have Fun!
-----------------Pre--------------------------------------
I am NOT responsible to any damage to your computer what-so-ever happens while following these instructions, although I certify that it is safe, I tested it myself, I am still not responsible for your computer.
BACK UP YOUR STUFF BEFORE GOING ON, EVEN ON YOUR INTERNAL HD, JUST IN CASE.
PRINT OUT THESE INSTRUCTIONS, YOU WONT BE ABLE TO REFER TO THEM WHILE YOU ARE GOING ABOUT THIS PROCESS. IF YOU DONT HAVE A PRINTER, USE A SPARE COMPUTER. (Like a laptop)
-----------------I Requirements------------------------
Requirments may vary from computer to computer but always one thing is the same:
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE USB SUPPORT FOR BOOTING IN YOUR BIOS BEFORE GOING TO BUY A 300$ EXTERNAL HD FOR LINUX.
You also need a CD reader and Burner.
There is a CD that you can make that will boot Fedora Core for you, but it is experimental.
Also, most newer computers (From 1998 - 2000) have CDrom Booting Support, if you dont have that STOP NOW. It will end in tears. But if your computer is that old, go over to your computer retailer and buy a new one. Ditch windows 3.0!
At least 1 GB for fedora! No packages included!
-----------------II What I used-----------------------
I have a I386 Intel Pentium 4 processer with 512 MB of RAM, system clock not UTC Supported, with a Western Digitial MyBook 250 GB external HD. I reserved 20 GB which is recommended for fedora.
----------------III The Disks------------------------
Go to the fedora core website and head off to the downloads section, then select your processer. Most of the time, you will be I386 if your computer is 6 years old at the max. If your computer Is REALLY old, select X_86, if you are using a Macintosh computer, choose Power PC or PPC.
After you download all 5 images, (Rescue is optional, but highly recommended in case something goes wrong and you lost install disk 1)
Then go grab some CD's (CD-R's preferibly) then go to your favorite burning software and choose to burn ISOs. DO NOT BURN THESE ISO's as DATA DISKS!
Once the burning is done, go to the next chapter.
-----------------IV Booting off of Disk one ------------------
Restart your computer and hit F12, F10, F6, DEL, or F2 or Possibly Enter depending on your BIOS type to go to your boot device selection screen. Insert your Fedora Core 5 Disk One into the drive and boot away! You should get a prompt that says something about ISO and Copyright in about 7 sec. If not, try again, if that does not work, you did something wrong when downloading or burning the images.
-----------------V Special Parimeter----------------------
If you see the fedora logo and a Boot: prompt, congradulations! If not, go back to steps 3 and 4.
We need to enter a special thing instead of just pushing enter because we are installing off of a external HD.
Type:
Linux Expert
Then enter, of course.
-------------VI Starting Install Process---------------
After the booting finishes, you should see a screen that says "Welcome to Fedora Core" at the top. It will ask you about testing your install media. I highly suggest if it is your first install with these disks to test them to make sure the burning and downloading process went successfully. After you are done, move onto the next step.
-------------VII Partition Table, Language and Keyboard------------
After the install process, acaconda, starts, press next to go to the language selection screen to select your prefered language, then hit next and select your keyboard settings, then click next once more.
Welcome to the second most important part of this installation process!! First, uncheck your internal drive(s) (usully HDA) and check SDA only. If you just see your internal drives, make sure you typed linux expert at the boot: prompt when you booted the CD. I highly suggest making a custum partition table, but if you have free space, select the option for automated, make sure it is the free space option! Always check if it is not already, modify and change partition table at the bottom. Make sure force primary is checked on all partitions you made.
ALWAYS CHECK THAT YOU DID IT CORRECTLY!
-----------VIII GRand Unified Bootloader-----------------
Select to install the bootloader, and leave all options unchanged except check configure advanced bootloader options, and click next.
Select the change drive order buttion and use the arrows to put SDA at the top, and select to install it to the MBR of SDA. MAKE SURE IT IS NOT HDA, YOU WILL HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM IF YOU INSTALL IT THERE!
Some people have had success if you select SDA First Sector Of the Bootpartition, but it didnt work for me...
Leave the bottom alone.
----------IX Network and Timezone----------
Select your network settings and click next, if you dont know, contact your system admin or your ISP. Then select your timezone. Here is a important part, if your system does NOT support UTC, DO NOT CHECK IT, REPEAT, DO NOT CHECK IT. WINDOWS, Linux AND your BIOS wont like it.
---------X Root Password----------
Select a strong password, one with letters, numbers and capatals, then confirm it. (Case Sensitive!) Write it down someware safe if you wont remember it.
----------XI Packages-----------
Select what packages you want to use for the installation process, if you select them all, it will take up about 10 GB of space, so BE PREPARED!
---------XII Pre Install ---------
NO changes to your system will result unless you click next, if you are unsure about something, click back and review your options! When you are ready, hit next.
---------XIII Install Process-------
Expect at least 4 min. to a hour and a half depending on which packages you selected, how fast your external HD is, how fast your processer is, and what USB version you have. (If it is 1.1, at least double the estimated time)
---------IVX Post Install--------
Sometimes, you dont follow the rules. If the install went without error, instead of taking all disks out and rebooting, put in disk 1 and reboot. Boot disk one and type linux rescue at the Boot: Prompt.
--------VX Resue Disk------
Welcome to linux rescue! After it detects your USB stuff, select your language and keyboard settings. When it asks about network detection, select "No". Then press continue at the detect prompt for finding installations. Press ok and a shell will appear.
-------VXI Ram Disk--------
If you try to boot now, you will see the lovely kernal panick. So run this:
chroot /mnt/sysimage
mount /boot/ if not automaticlly
ls /boot
Make note of the initrd file name (The ramdisk. Normally if you are using fedora core 5, it would be initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.img)
rm initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.img (Or whatever it is)
mkinitrd --preload ehci-hcd --preload usb-storage --preload scsi_mod --preload sd_mod /boot/initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.img 2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 (No errors should result, the version name might be different)
exit
exit
---------VXII Reboot First Steps------------
Follow the step by step instructions!
--------VXIII HAVE FUN-----------
Have fun! I suggest to run Yum update.