Chapter

1. Chapter Mandrake-Linux Installation

2. Acknowledgements • Thanks to Darrin Morrison for his contribution in creating this presentation

3. Chapter Objectives • Demonstrate a basic Mandrake-Linux installation on a PC. • Show how to install an RPM package using Kpackage, the KDE X-Windows RPM installer

4. Chapter Modules • Mandrake Linux installation • RPM package installation

5. Module Mandrake-Linux Installation

6. Pre-installation Considerations • Hardware compatibility • Documenting your hardware • Hard disk preparation • BIOS configuration

7. Hardware Compatibility Issues • Win modems are not currently supported • USB support is somewhat limited but improving • Some ISA Plug ‘n’ Play devices continue to cause problems in Linux

8. CollectingHardwareInformation • Document all your hardware properties (manufacturer, model etc.) using both the documentation from the manufacturer and the windows device manager. • The latter require a previous Windows installation • To view hardware in Windows, right-click on the My Computer icon, choose Properties, select the Devices Manager tab then select view.

9. Obtaining Device Properties in Windows My Computer Properties Device Manager

10. Hardware Details on Device Manager

11. Windows Device Manager (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com) • Click on Plug and Play BIOS, PCI bus, PCI standard • ISA bridge to view ISA devices and their properties

12. Locating the Resource Assignments • You will have to write down the base address(es) (Input/output range) used, together with the IRQ(s) for ISA and PCI devices. Also write down the DMA channel(s) used for the sound cards.

13. Configuring the BIOS • Your must configure your BIOS to initialize plug ‘n’ play devices instead of your Windows 9x OS. Changing your BIOS settings is usually performed by pushing the del just after the computer is turned on. In the BIOS setup look for the option Plug n Play OS installed: set this to NO. • If your BIOS can boot up from CDROM and you want to perform a standard installation of Linux-Mandrake (not using Lnx4Win), you can also set your BIOS to boot from the CDROM before searching the hard disk. Look for Boot sequence in the BIOS features setup.

14. Installation from the CD-ROM( using Mandrake-Linux DrakX ) • Place Linux CD in the CDROM drive and restart the computer. Rremember to boot to CDROM by changing boot sequence in your BIOS setup. Your computer should boot to the following screen.

15. DrakX GUI Installation This is the initial Mandrake-Linux DrakX graphical user interface installation screen • Select English (US) and click on OK (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

16. Automated Installation Class Completed tasks are in green. • Choose the Automated installation then Click on the Install Button. Tasks yet to be completed are in red. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

17. Hard Drive and PCI SCSI card detection • DrakX will automatically detect all hard drives and PCI SCSI controllers on your system (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

18. Keyboard Configuration • DrakX will normally have your keyboard selected if it is not highlight your keyboard and click on OK (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

19. Selecting Mount Points • You need to specify where the various partitions on the hard disks will be mounted. • In automated mode you normally will not have to do anything. • The Linux partitions are displayed in red. You should also have a green one for swap. You may not have any swap partition at all, but it is highly recommended that you have one. (100MB swap partition is recommended). • To mount a partition you just have to select the (red) partition you want with a mouse click: a menu will then appear in the window on the right, in which you will select mount point. The window which appears then will ask you where you want to mount it, and proposes / (root) as a default, which is what you want. If you want to have several mount points, you just have to repeat the operation.

20. Hard Disk Partition Details (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

21. Multiple CDROM Installation • Because the Mandrake-Linux distribution is getting bigger and bigger it spans several CDs. If packages have been selected that reside on other CDs DrakX will eject the current CD and prompt you to insert the specified CD and then click on OK. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

22. Time Zone Configuration • Choose the correct time zone for your area by highlighting it and then click on OK. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

23. Printer Configuration • If you have a printer attached to your machine and you would like to install and configure it now click on OK. You may choose NO and install a printer at a later time. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

24. Local Printer Configuration • There are several ways you configure a printer in Linux. You can configure it as a Local printer (physically attached to your machine), a printer served by a UNIX machine, a printer served by a Windows machine (9x or NT) or a printer served by a NetWare machine. This will demonstrate the configuration of a Local printer therefore click on the Local button. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

25. Local Printer Configuration • If you have a local printer, DrakX will try to detect the make and model: modern printers support this feature. If it does not succeed, it will then ask you what port your printer is connected to. If you only have one printer, you should choose /dev/lp0 (the first parallel port or LPT1 under Windows) Then click on OK. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

26. Configuring the Printer Driver (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com) • Next you must select the correct printer driver for your specific printer. If you see no precise reference to your printer in the list of drivers which DrakX offers you, choose the most similar driver. A balloon help will appear when the mouse is over the name of a filter, which describes the printers supported by these drivers, along with, if any, its limitations. This can help you in choosing the driver. Various options for configuring the driver you have chosen will then follow.

27. Printer Driver Options • Choose paper size (the standard is A4). • Eject after last page is usually for older printers that didn’t eject the last printed page. You usually wont need this. • Stair-stepping is usually not an issue you can choose no. • Finally choose the resolution for your printer if you aren’t sure consult your printer documentation. Click on OK. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

28. Setting Root Password • This is the most crucial point for the security of your Linux system: you are going to have to enter the root password. root is the system administrator and is the only one authorized to make updates, add users, change the overall system configuration etc. Choose an Alpha-Numeric Password that is difficult for others to guess. DrakX will tell you if it is too easy. As shown, you can choose not to enter a password, but we strongly advise you to enter one! Would it be only for this reason: do not think that because you booted Linux, your other operating systems are safe. That's even the opposite: root can overcome all limitations and erase all data on partitions by accessing the partitions themselves!

29. Setting Root Password • You will have to type the password twice -- a typing error in the first attempt could be a problem if you do not repeat it when you connect up to the system... • YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS PASSWORD! If you forget the root password you will be unable to administer the system. Therefore, commit the root password to memory. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

30. Creating a User Name for the Administrator • Linux is a multi-user system, and this means that each user can have his own preferences, his own files and so on. You can read the User Guide to learn more. But unlike root, which is the administrator, the users which you will add here will not be entitled to change anything, except their own files and their own configuration. You will have to create at least one other user name for yourself, and that is where you have to begin, although it is very practical to log in as root everyday, it is also very dangerous! The slightest mistake could mean that your system would not work any more.

31. Adding Users • First you have to enter your real user name. You can enter what you want. DrakX will then take the first word you have entered in the box and will bring it over to the User name. This is the name that this particular user will use to log into the system. You can of course change it. You then have to enter a password here. Of course, a non-privileged user's password is not as crucial as that of root from a security point of view, but that is no reason to neglect it -- after all, it's your files...

32. Adding Users (cont.) • If you click on Accept user, you can then add another, and as many as you want. When you have added all the users you want, select Done. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

33. CDROM Rescue Mode • The Linux-Mandrake CDROM has a built-in rescue mode. You can access it by booting from the CDROM, press the F1 key at boot and type rescue at the prompt. But in case your computer cannot boot from the CDROM, you should create a Rescue Boot Disk.

34. Creating a Rescue Boot Disk • When you click on this step, you will be asked in which floppy drive you will put the floppy disk. Unless you have several floppy drives, choose the first one. Then insert the disk. Of course, the floppy disk that you will insert must be empty or must only contain data which you do not need. You will not have to format it: DrakX will rewrite the whole disk. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

35. Installing a Boot Loader • Grub is a boot loader for Linux. This stage is normally totally automated. In fact, DrakX will analyze the disk boot sector and will act depending on what it finds here: • If it finds a Windows boot sector, it will replace it with a Grub boot sector so that you can start Linux or Windows; • If it finds a Grub boot sector, it will replace it with a new one; • If in doubt, DrakX will ask you where you want to install Grub.

36. Warning! • First time installers are advised to install Linux in a new hard disk • Mixing Windows and Linux on the same hard disk is not recommended until Linux releases improve coexistence with Windows

37. Installing a Boot Loader (cont.) • If you use another bootloader, answer First sector of boot partition. If you want to use Grub instead of your current bootloader to start the machine, choose First sector of drive (MBR). Note that, if you use another bootloader, you will have to configure it afterwards so that it can boot Linux. This is out of the scope of this manual. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

38. Configuring X-Windows • X (for X Window System) is the heart of the Linux graphical interface on which all the graphical user environments (KDE, GNOME, AfterStep, WindowMaker...) bundled with Linux-Mandrake rely. In this section, DrakX will try to configure X automatically. • It is extremely rare for it to fail. The only reason for it doing so is if the hardware is very old. If it succeeds, it will start X automatically, with the best resolution possible, depending on the size of the monitor! A window will then appear and ask you if you can see it. (See above)

39. X-Windows (cont.) • If you answer Yes, DrakX will then ask you if you want to start X directly on bootup: this will give you the ability to directly run the graphical user interface upon booting the system. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

40. X-Windows (cont.) • The first try might not be a good one (screen is too small, shifted left or right...). This is why, even if X starts up correctly, DrakX will then ask you if the configuration suits you and it will propose to change it by displaying a list of valid modes it could find and then asking you to select one from the list. • As a last resort, if you still cannot get X to work, choose Change graphics card, select Unlisted card, and when prompted on which server you want, choose FBDev: this is a failsafe option, which works with any modern graphics card. Then choose Test again to be sure. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

41. End of Installation • Installation is now complete and your Linux system should be ready to use. You can start Linux or Windows, whichever you prefer, as soon as the computer has booted up again • Note: If you have installed on a new hard disk, only Linux will be available

42. End of Module

43. Module Installing and RPM module

44. A Note on RPM • RPM is a (software) package management feature • RPM is the acronym for Red Hat Package Manger • The purpose of RPM is to simplify the installation of packages such as Star Office, for example

45. Installing an RPM with KPackage • Kpackage is the KDE package management program. This is the program with which KFM associates RPM packages: clicking on an RPM package in KFM will start Kpackage with this RPM, and here you will see the information on the package. Kpackage also supports Drag'n'Drop, and you can drag an RPM from KFM to an existing Kpackage window. • Click on a package in KFM, drag an RPM from KFM to an existing Kpackage window or invoke kpackage <name_of_rpm>.rpm from the command line. You will then receive the information on the package

46. RPM Installation (cont.) • You should see the above KPackage screen • Click on Install if you want to install it, or on Cancel to cancel the operation. (source: http:// www.linux-mandrake.com)

47. RPM Package is Installed • At this point your RPM package should be installed and you can start using the installed software.

48. End of Module

49. Key Terms to Remember • BIOS • Plug n Play • Hard drive partitions • Hardware resources (bass addresses, IRQ, DMA) • Installation Class • Printer Types (Local, Network(Unix or Windows)) • Root and User setup • RPM packages • Servername • Apache httpd.conf file

50. Appendix Key Terms, Major Linux Distributions etc.