Simple Guide to Installing Linux

[The Beatles]

This isn't definitive, of course, any admin feel free to edit in anything I've forgotten. I picked Mandrake for consistency and because some of us know it best (Devari, myself), but once a user is comfortable, he/she can browse around for other distros.

If you feel like you have too much money, of course, you could just look at these books:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0672318776/ref=pd_sbs_b_1/103-1683239-0731027?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0596004826/qid=1113361692/sr=2-5/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_5/103-1683239-0731027


You may want to print this guide out.

What you will need:
-the bandwidth to download 3 ~700 MB cd images
-3 blank CDs OR 1 blank CD OR 1 blank DVD
-a CD burner (or DVD-burner)
-a few hours for the installation

0. Get permission from whoever owns the computer.
1. Download these three files to your desktop:
http://linuxiso.org/download.php/604/Mandrakelinux-10.1-Official-Download-CD1.i586.iso
http://linuxiso.org/download.php/605/Mandrakelinux-10.1-Official-Download-CD2.i586.iso
http://linuxiso.org/download.php/606/Mandrakelinux-10.1-Official-Download-CD3.i586.iso
Alternatively, if you have a DVD burner, you can download this:
http://linuxiso.org/download.php/632/Mandrakelinux-10.1-Official-Download-DVD.i586.iso
For a Mini-Install, if you have a very fast internet connection:
http://linuxiso.org/download.php/631/Mandrakelinux-10.1-Official-Mini.i586.iso
2. Download this zip file, extract it, and run the installer.
3. Right-click your CD/DVD image(s), and select (---WHAT APPEARS IN THE CONTEXT MENU?---). Insert your image and wait for it to burn. Repeat if you are using multiple discs.
4. Insert the first disc into your CD/DVD drive, and restart the computer. When it starts up again, the installer should start. If it does not, ask your Mom/Dad about how to make the computer boot from CD, or you may be able to do that yourself by entering 'Setup'.
5. Follow all the instructions of the installer, and click 'Yes' whenever you are unsure. There is ONE exception. When you get to 'Partitioning', make sure to do 'Custom Partitioning'. Then, shrink the size of the Windows partition as you see fit, create a Linux swap partition, and create a Linux root partition (pick ReiserFS). MAKE SURE TO LEAVE 9 MEGABYTES AT THE END OF YOUR DRIVE! IF YOU DO NOT, WINDOWS WILL BE MESSED UP. Select 'Standard' or 'High' for the security mode.
6. Once you have installed Linux, you must do some first-time stuff.
---BELOW PART NOT DONE
a. import fonts
b. setup networking if not done
c. kde setup menu
d. set up boot stuff
e. easyurpmi
f. install firefox, gaim

Of course, once you have installed Linux, you have a huge community of knowledgeable users at your fingertips, either through google, or through the various Linux discussion forums, etc. You can also ask us, in this topic.

This is a work in progress.

p.s. I'd like the help of some of you who have installed Linux to fill in the gaps. Also, I need a Windows user for the context menu for an iso using the powertoy.

~Beatles

[bjornredtail]

Two notes-
1. If you are on dialup, do not attempt to download the ISO files. It will take weeks. I know, I've been there and done that.
2. Most likely, you will be able to burn the images from your CD recording program, without the need to download any addational software.

[The Beatles]

Feel free to edit it in, that's simpler.

[windhound]

Mandrake is more user friendly by default

Fedora is almost nicer for expansion, given Redhat has been around longer and Fedora is given more attention. /Most/ Redhat/Fedora stuff will work on Mandrake though
took me a bit of digging to get all the dependencies for xine to work properly for Fedora, and Mandrake came with xine
but I never did get all the discrepencies for XFCE to work, Beatles bypassed some somehow..
being able to use the graphical installer is /much/ nicer though XD

Fedora is also more wireless friendly.. I had many arguments with Mandrake over it, Fedora does it amazingly well, Mandrake dropped my signal several times a day, Fedora hasnt yet dropped it once.. it also properly shuts down my computer, Mandrake shuts down itself but does not poweroff my computer by default, and I couldnt find out how to tell it to do so

Yet, there is no central control panel for Fedora.. everything is spread out..

there's plus and minuses to both..
but may I suggust using mandrake's mirrors rather than linuxiso.org?

http://www1.mandrivalinux.com/en/ftp.php3

more options for varying locations

[The Beatles]

I think linuxiso does behind-the-scenes mirroring, but I'm not sure.
As I said, I picked Mandrake 'cause I can help people out with it... if you can help with the Fedora installer that would be great too.

So: Ruddertail, Nohc, do you wanna give it a whirl in a little while? You could start the process while we finish the guide.

[windhound]

There was a quirky thing with the Fedora install.. It refused to partitian my drive for me.. Mandrake did that quite nicely.. For my first Fedora try I cleared out my Mandrake partitians and created a / for root, a /home, and a swapspace, thinking it would be ~ like how Mandrake did it.. but using that config it took /forever/ for it to boot.. (I think I mentioned it to you Beatles) but then I screwed somthin else up and decided to just reformat.. I then just told it to make one big / and a swapspace and it's been fine booting up...

Another quirk with Fedora is that Partitian Magic /hates/ it it gave me the evil 117 error and will no longer start 'cause I wouldnt let it modify anything.. And Ghost doesnt much care for it.. Both thoes programs worked fine when I was using Mandrake..

Ah well.. give and take...
The new Fedora 4 core will /not/ have XFCE with it, and if they dont change their minds I may move back to mandrake when 10.3 is released in the fall...
well, /Mandriva/ anyways..
I think Mandrake wasa better name.. /Mandriva/...

[The Beatles]

I agree, although I'd change my name too if I was sued.
Yeah, it's all give and take. There is no perfect Linux distribution, but a lot of them come very close for what we need, and they're certainly better than Windows, the BSDs, or the old UNIX flavors.
What I like most about Linux is its UNIX heritage, i.e. I can use all of the UNIX tools I am used to, and use them effectively thanks to the UNIX philosophy. But of course, some people won't care for that as much.

[ohmyjapan16]

Meh, I don't get step 3. What's the CD/DVD image?

[The Beatles]

It's the 700-mb .iso file.

[windhound]

you dont /have/ to use that software either.. though, it is free if you dont have another...
my 'puter came with Sonic, and on the rare occasion I'm in windows thats what I use.. its spiffy...
but Roxio should have an iso burner.. theres another piece of software that usually comes preinstalled... forget it though..

g'luck with it..

[ohmyjapan16]

It's the 700-mb .iso file.

I figured. So how do I get to the "What appears in the context window"?

[windhound]

3. Right-click your CD/DVD image(s), and select (---WHAT APPEARS IN THE CONTEXT MENU?---). Insert your image and wait for it to burn. Repeat if you are using multiple discs.

all that does is burn the disk if you install the software beatles' suggusts I assume it adds a 'burn iso' (or similar) to the menu that pops up when you right an iso file..

(edit: fixxed quote tags)

[Slasher]

It's the 700-mb .iso file.

I figured. So how do I get to the "What appears in the context window"?

If you use nero burning rom pm me and I can take you through how to burn an image on there...