Chapter 2INSTALLTION OF LINUX

DISTRIBUTION

Minimum hardware requirement1) DVD drive:

You must have a DVD drive (either DVD-ROM or DVD burner), and the PC must be able to boot from that drive.

The exact model doesn't matter. What matters is how the DVD drive connects to the PC.

Most new PCs have DVD drives that connect to the hard drive controller (called IDE, for Integrated Drive Electronics, ox ATA, for AT Attachment).

If you add an external DVD drive, it most likely con nects to the USB port. Any IDE/ATA or USB DVD drive works in Linux.

2) Hard drives: Any IDE disk drive works in Linux. Another type

of hard drive controller is SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), which Linux also supports. To comfortably install and play with Linux, you need about 5GB of hard drive space. On the other hand, to try the Live CD versions of Linux, such as Knoppix, you don't need any space on the hard drive.

3) Keyboard: All keyboards work with Linux and the X Window

System.4) Modem:

If you plan to dial out to the Internet, you need a modem that Linux supports. For software-based modems, called soft modems or win-modems, you may have to download a driver from the manufacturer. (It may or may not be freely available.)

5) Monitor: The kind of monitor is not particularly

critical except that it must be capable of displaying the screen resolutions that the video card uses.

The screen resolution is expressed in terms of the number of pic ture elements (pixels), horizontally and vertically (for example, 1024 x 768). The installer can detect most modern monitors. If it doesn't detect your monitor, you can select a generic monitor type with a specific reso lution (such as 1024 x 768). You can also specify the monitor by its make and model (which you can find on the back of the monitor).

6) Mouse: The installation program can detect the mouse.

All types of mouse (such as PS/2 or USB) work with Linux and the X Window System.

7) Network card: Not all PCs have network cards, but if yours

does, the installer can probably detect and use it. If you have problems, try to find the make and model (such as Linksys LNE100TX Fast Ethernet Adapter) so that you can search for information on whether Linux supports that card.

8) Processor: A 400 MHz Pentium II or better is best. The

processor speed, expressed in MHz (megahertz) or GHz (gigahertz), is not that important as long as it's over 400 MHz. But the faster the better. Linux can run on other Intel-compatible processors, such as AMD, Cyrix, and VIA processors.

9) RAM: RAM is the amount of memory your system has.

As with process ing speed, the more RAM, the better. You need 256MB to install both Linux and the X Window System and to comfortably run a GUI desktop.

10) Sound card: If your PC has a sound card and you want to

have sound in Linux, you have to make sure it's compatible. You can configure the sound card after successfully installing Linux

11) Video card: Linux works fine with all video cards (also

known as display adapters) in text mode, but if you want the GUI, you need a video card that works with the X Window System. The installer can detect a sup ported video card and configure the X Window System correctly. However, if the installer cannot detect the video card, it helps if you know the make and model of your video card.

12) Printer: In addition to this hardware, you also need to

find out the make and model of any printer you plan to use in Linux.

Many distributions, such as Debian GNU/Linux, work on any hardware that's compatible with the Linux kernel.

For information on Linux-compatible hard ware, see;www. tldp.org/HOWTO/Hardware-HOWTO.

Linux installation methods FTP server across the network HTTP Web server across the network NFS server across the network SMB (Server Message Block) server

across the network Virtual Network Computing (VNC)

server across the network From packages located on the hard

disk Installation from one or more CD-ROMs

Disk Partitioning Reasons for creating multiple partitions in

Linux installation: multiple operating systems

You can configure your disk to contain multiple partitions that can each be used to hold a different operating system type. For example, if you started with a computer that had Windows on the hard disk, you could put Linux on a separate partition, and then set up the computer to boot either operating system.

Reasons for creating multiple partitions in Linux installation (cont):multiple partitions within an operating

systemIn some cases, you need more than one partitions

within your operating systems. It is depends on your necessity why do you want more than one partitions. Mostly people make it for backups. If you want to restore that partition later, you can simply copy it back (bit by bit) to a hard disk. With smaller partitions, this approach can be done fairly efficiently.

Reasons for creating multiple partitions in Linux installation (cont):different file system types

Some people who are install multiple operating system to their computers wants to do partitions that compatible with operating systems installed in their computers.

For example if a computer is installed with Linux and Windows XP, they must partition their hard disk with Ext2 file system for Linux and NTFS file system for XP.

Partitions required in LinuxPartition for root directory

Root directory is important because this is where all the Linux system begins. All the files during the installation process will be placed in this directory.

Partition for virtual memory (swap memory)Swap memory plays a role like a RAM during

installation. It will support the RAM if the RAM run out of memory.

It is also an independent section of the hard disk used solely for swapping; no other files can reside there.

Common Linux file system/boot—Has the bootable Linux kernel and

boot loader configuration files (GRUB)./home—Contains directories assigned to

each user with a login account (with the exception of root).

/usr—Contains user documentation, games, graphical files (X11), libraries (lib), and a variety of other user and administrative commands and files.

/usr/local—You might need a separate /usr/local partition if you plan to install many programs that are not part of the Debian distribution.

/opt—This directory is reserved for all the software and add-on packages that are not part of the default installation. For example, StarOffice, Kylix, Netscape Communicator and WordPerfect packages are normally found here.

/var—Contains directories of data used by various applications. In particular, this is where you would place files that you share as an FTP server (/var/ftp) or a Web server (/var/www). It also contains all system log files (/var/log) and spool files in /var/spool (such as mail, cups, and news).

/tmp—Contains temporary files used by applications.

Partitioning methodsIt's necessary to let the installation

program know where it should install Linux.

There are various way of partitioning methods to install your system. Automatically partitionManual partition using GUI partitioning tools

(e.g. Disk Druids)Fdisk utilitiesGNU parted

Example of partitioning using GParted

Example of partitioning using fdisk

Example of partitioning using GUI

Choosing an installation method for the Linux distributionsIf you are new to Linux, you may want to

use the automatic partitioning method. If you are a more experienced Linux user,

use the manual partitioning method for more control over your system configuration, or select and modify the automatically defined partitions.

EXERCISE 1) List five (5) minimum hardware

requirement to install Linux distribution.2) Why do we need to create multiple

partitions in hard disk for Linux installation?

3) List three method of partitioning