FRJ's Linux Installation

Return to Linux Page

You have your Red Hat Linux CD and you are itching to get started; I know I was. But there are a couple of quick things you should know. Linux will require about 1 GByte of hard disk space. The easiest way to get this is as follows:

  1. ***Backup your existing Windows 95/98 partition.***
  2. Re-partition your disk such that all of your Win95/98 code fits in the first partition.
  3. Or use dosutils/FIPS.EXE to resize your Win95 partition.
  4. Leave yourself enough space for the Linux install. One GByte will work nicely.
  5. Leave the second partition untouched.
  6. Format the first partition as a DOS partition and reload your backup. If FIPS.EXE worked for you then no reload is necessary.
  7. Make sure everything is working in your Windows 95/98 partition.
Next we need to create a Linux bootable floppy and a rescue floppy. The steps to doing this are:
  1. Create a Linux boot floppy by using the /dosutils/RAWRITE.EXE file on the CD.
  2. The image to copy to floppy is /images/boot.img on the CD.
  3. Create a Linux rescue floppy by using /dosutils/RAWRITE.EXE again.
  4. The image to copy to the floppy is /images/rescue.img
  5. At this point you should have a Linux bootable floppy and a rescue floppy.
  6. Test it by booting your system with the boot floppy in drive A:
  7. At the end of the boot process you should see the 'boot: ' prompt.
You should have a partition that has nothing in it and is about one GByte in size. This is where we will install the Linux operating system. We will also install LILO which will allow you to "dual boot" the system. I am no expert with Linux's fdisk nor disk druid. So I took the easy approach to the installing Linux using a "kickstart" type of install.

Details can be found on your Red Hat CD under /DOC/RHMANUAL/MANUAL/doc139.htm#i1665. To perform a diskette-based kickstart installation, the kickstart file must be named ks.cfg, and reside in the boot diskette's top-level directory. This file can be created and saved to the boot floppy using any DOS text editor. You can also use Windows notepad to create this file.

I have used my ks.cfg with:
Red Hat Apollo kernel = 2.0.36 (loads 234 packages)
Red Hat Mandrake kernal = 2.0.36 (loads 275 packages)


My ks.cfg file looks like this: 
# This file by FRJ 2/14/99 modified 3/2/99
lang en
# This for my Intra LAN
# network --bootproto static
# This install from CD-ROM
cdrom
# This for Zip drive
device scsi ppa
# This for Network interface
# device ethernet 3c503
# Standard US keyboard 
keyboard us
# Do not clear master boot record
zerombr no
# Clear Linux Partitions
clearpart --linux
# Set partitions sizes
part / --size 100
part swap --size 20
part /usr --size 300 --grow --maxsize 350
part /tmp --size 100
# Do a fresh installation
install
# Mouse
mouse --kickstart genericps/2
# Set time zone
timezone --utc US/Central
# Vid card and monitor
# xconfig
# Root login password
rootpw frjfrj
# Lilo stuff
lilo --location mbr
# Packages to load
%packages
# Loading these will make Mandrake work
@ X Window System
@ SOHO extensions
@ Graphics manipulation
@ X multimedia support
@ Networked workstation
# Optional packages
@ DOS/Windows Connectivity
@ Dialup Workstation
@ SMB (Samba) connectivity
# Server option
#@ server
# Post Installation stuff
%post
echo "Kickstart-installed Red Hat Linux '/bin/date'">/etc/motd
The lines beginning with '#' are comment lines. If your mouse is different you might have to change the line starting with 'mouse'. The timezone you are in may be different. My root password is frjfrj. You will want a different password on line starting with 'rootpw' The line '#@ server' can be un-commented to do a server install.

Be sure the ks.cfg file is in the root directory of the floppy. Now after booting from this floppy type linux ks=floppy to the boot: prompt. If your CD-ROM is of an IDE type you should see the install start. With a non IDE CD-ROM you may have to enter the type of CD-ROM from the keyboard.

At the conclusion of the installation of Linux you will be prompted to remove the floppy and reboot. You will see a "dual boot" prompt of 'LILO boot: ' Type 'dos' to launch Windows or type 'linux' to launch Linux or 'Tab' to see your choices.

Installing & Using Linux An excellent guide and overview of Linux installation.
I strongly urge all new Linux users to visit here **ASAP**

If you made it this far; congratulations you now have an operational Linux system.
Your Zip drive is available and you desktop is perconfigured for you.

To expunge Linux from your system

  1. Login to root.
  2. Run fdisk and remove the extended partition that Linux was occupying.
  3. Exit fdisk with a command 'w' to write the new partition to the hard disk.
  4. Logout of linux.
  5. Restart the system with a Ctrl+Alt+Del.
  6. Remove the LILO loader with a DOS fdisk /mbr command.