INSTALLING FEDORA 2 CORE

 

 

This document was created September 7, 2004.

This is an example initial installation of the Red Hat Fedora Core 2 distribution, that you might use as reference for installing Fedora Core 2 on your own PC or for the Applied Linux Administration Boot Camp.

It is assumed that the machine is on an internal network for learning purposes only, not necessarily having Internet access.

This installation shows Fedora being installed to multiboot with existing Windows systems.

 

Hardware:              Pentium III 866MHz

                        20 GB hard drive,  128MB RAM

 

1-Firstly, prepare the hard drive for the installation (assuming Windows is on drive c:).  Since the target computer is a learning PC, it is assumed that you may be already multibooting Win 2000 Pro with other systems (e.g. Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003) besides hosting FAT or FAT32 partition(s) for cross-OS access.  This is not an issue if you have or can free some space for Fedora.  You might have to use Partition Magic to resize original partitions, or be ready to delete some partitions when you install Fedora.

 

2-Note your current partitions carefully.  If you intend to delete any partition during the installation, know which ones you would delete.

 

3-Insert your Fedora Core CD#1 into your CD drive (if you have a DVD drive, use the installation DVD if you have it) and reboot the PC.  Go into BIOS and make the CD drive boot before the hard drive.

 

4-Hit Enter at the initial screen.

 

5-You are asked to begin CD media tests before installation.  It is a good idea to test each of your distribution CDs once.  The program uses a checksum to verify the files on your media.  After the testing, insert CD#1, tab to Continue and hit Enter.

 

6-The Fedora Core system installer, Anaconda, will start probing hardware and the GUI welcomes you to Fedora Core.  Click Next.

 

7-Language selection – English.  Next.

 

8-Keyboard configuration – U.S. English.  Next.

 

9-Monitor configuration – find your monitor from the list.  If you could not locate your monitor on the list, choose a generic monitor, e.g. Generic LCD Display (LCD Panel 1024 x 768).  Next.

 

10-Installation type – Select Custom and click Next.

 

11-Disk partitioning setup – Select manually partition with Disk Druid.  Delete partition(s) if necessary.  Create at least 2 partitions, / and swap:

            e.g.  hda7   swap   1000MB

                    hda8   ext3            /          6000MB

Next.

 

12-Boot loader – Anaconda recognises Windows systems as “Other”.  Check Configure advanced boot loader options.  Install boot loader in the MBR (defaults to there).  Next.

 

13-Network configuration – uncheck DHCP for eth0, click Edit to set IP address and network mask manually.  Enter a hostname.  For example:

            fc007.computius.com  

            IP address 192.168.1.7

            Netmask 255.255.255.0

Next.

 

14-Firewall configuration – Choose No firewall.  Next.  There will be a warning, proceed.

 

15-Additional language support – English (USA).  Next.

 

16-Select Time Zone, Next.

 

17-Set root password.  Next.

 

18-Package selection from groups – apart from those already selected (checked), select:

            KDE

Editors

Server Configuration Tools

Web Server

Mail Server

Windows File Server

DNS Server

FTP Server

Network Server – installs NIS Server

Administration Tools

System Tools

Next.

Note:  You do not have to install all the servers listed.  This is an example of a custom selection.  In fact, the installation strategy can be to just go ahead and install the pre-selected items and get Fedora up as soon as possible.  You can always install a required server later using the RPM installer.

 

19-About to install – up to this point, you can abort the installation.  Beyond this, there is no going back.  Click Next to start the actual file installation.  Depending on the packages selected, you will be told which distribution CDs are required.  Click Continue.

 

20-The actual installation starts, and you will be prompted for the necessary additional CD(s).

 

21-The installation takes about 30 minutes.  Reboot.

 

22-Select Fedora from the boot loader menu.

 

23-There are a couple of steps to complete (another 7 minutes) to finish off the installation.  Click Next.

 

24-Agree to the GNU General Public License.  Next.

 

25-Verify that the time is correct.  Next.

 

26-Check the display is correct.  Next.

 

27.Create a non-administrative account for yourself.  Next.

 

28-Sound card test – complete it.  Next.

 

29-You will be asked it you have any addditional CDs to install software from.  Click Next

 

30-Click Next to finish the Setup.

 

31-At the prompt, login as root.