Linux Installation Notes

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Most of this is given in what is approximately the correct order. If things do not appear to be working as expected though, some reordering of nearly steps may be necessary. Be sure that the computer is at least a 386 with no less than 4M of RAM, otherwise, it is unlikely that you will be able to boot the system using Linux even from the boot disks. Also, watch out for micro- channeled computers. So far, we haven't been able to get an install to run on them, and it is unlikely that a Linux version for them will become available.

1. Boot the computer from the Linux boot disks. When booted, log in as root. Start with the boot disk (net file) and insert the root disk next (color.gz file.)

2. Use fdisk to create a Linux native partition and (if necessary) a Linux swap partition on the hard drive. The size of the swap partition should be such that the total amount of physical and disk virtual memory is 16M.

3. In fdisk, "p" displays the current partition table, "n" adds a new partition and "d" deletes a partition. Partitions are created as type Linux native, "t" can be used to change the type of the swap partition from Linux native to Linux swap. "w" exits fdisk and saves changes; "q" exits fdisk without saving changes.

4. Let /dev/hda1 be the Linux swap partition. It should start at block one. It's size should be given as +#M, where # is (16M - ). Let Let /dev/hda2 be the Linux native partition. It should start at the last block of the start partition, plus one and run to the highest block number available.

5. Format the Linux native partition, an ext2 file system using: mke2fs /dev/hda2 (assuming hda2 is the linux partition)

6. Format the Linux swap partition: mkswap /dev/hda1 [size] (assuming hda1 is the swap partition, size can be read from the partition table in fdisk)

7. If the RAM is too low, you may need to execute turn the swap partition on before setup can be run: swapon /dev/hda1 (assuming hda1 is the swap partition)

8. To configure the Ethernet card use: ifconfig eth0 [ipaddr] broadcast 129.81.160.255 netmask 255.255.255.0 or ifconfig eth0 129.81.160.30 broadcast 129.81.160.255 netmask 255.255.255.0 It may be necessary to add the route to whiskey to the system using: route add -net 129.81.160.0 or whiskey specifically: route add -net 129.81.160.30 You can then test the connectivity of the network using ping (see Step 34)

9. In order to install Linux, it's source needs to be mounted where the system can see it. The following will mount the drive: mkdir whiskey mount -t nfs 129.81.160.30:/linux /whiskey Note: This means that the structure of the directory /linux on the machine whiskey is now available to you directly on the new machine under the directory /whiskey.

10. Run setup. If you start to perform one of the options, follow the choices to their completion, even if you're answering a lot of "no"'s. Otherwise, necessary information may not be stored by setup to configure the computer properly when it is rebooted.

11. Change the install mode to Quick. This provides more options during the actual software installation.

12. Use Addswap to tell the system about the new swap partition (if one was created). It will give the option of formatting the partition (don't if mkswap was run) and of turning it on (don't if swapon was run).

13. Use Source to tell the system where to find the copy of Linux to be installed. Choose the option "previously mounted drive"; this drive is the directory mounted to /whiskey in step 9.

14. The source directory is /whiskey/slakware.

15. Target gets the partition on which the software is to be installed. This should be the partition chosen as Linux native during fdisk. (/dev/hda2)

16. Disksets chooses which disksets you want to install on the drive. The necessary ones are the A (base Linux) diskset and the N (network) diskset.

17. Run the install section. Before each diskset is installed, the setup program should prompt to see which parts of the diskset should be installed. Only those marked required, and those which seem necessary above and beyond that point should be used. If it's logical, install it, if it's unnecessary, don't.

18. Feel free to make a boot disk when the prompt comes up after the install, but it's not necessary.

19. The computer will then prompt you for the installation of LILO. If no DOS partition is installed, LILO should be installed with a delay of 0 seconds. Before Install is chosen, a Linux partition needs to be added to LILO. LILO should boot from the Master Boot Record.

20. Setup will give the option in configure the network, do so using the settings listed in Step 33. You will also be given the option of setting the correct time zone for the computer. After this, you should be able to exit setup and reboot.

21. There are a couple of other things that should be done to check that the networking is configured correctly (some of this may be done by configuring the network when prompted in setup): edit the /etc/HOSTNAME and give the computer a new name. ftp the /etc/hosts file from whiskey and add the computer and its new ip address to list.

22. Copy the httpd.tgz file from the /whiskey/contrib/ dir and unzip it into the /var and /usr directories using: tar xvzf httpd.tgz or zcat httpd.tgz > shelf tar xf shelf

23. Edit the config files in /var/httpd/conf: mv access.conf-dist access.conf - should require no other editting mv httpd.conf-dist httpd.conf - give email address to ServerAdmin put name of system in ServerName mv srm.conf-dist srm.conf

24. It wouldn't hurt to change the root password using passwd. Linux will provide further prompting.

25. Comment out the statements relating to "Start the various SUN RPC servers in the /etc/rc.d/rc.inet2 file using #'s.

26. Add the following lines to the /etc/rc.d/rc.local file: echo httpd... /usr/sbin/httpd

27. Check the file /etc/resolv.conf. It should have the domain in the form: domain ee.tulane.edu It should also have nameservers in appropriate to it's location: nameserver 129.81.132.1 (Do not add to rex nameserver 129.81.16.21 text file: convex nameserver 129.81.132.3 pegasus nameserver 129.81.224.50 rs1)

28. You may need to add a kernel file, but it may not be necessary. The most likely candidate is the file zImage in the directory /linux/kernels/net.b on whiskey.

29. Try to reboot, what can it hurt? Rebooting can be done, by the way, by simply typing reboot. If there are errors saying that some program can not be found, further installations may be necessary to compensate.

30. It is possible for the root user to add users by typing the following: adduser Linux prompts for user name, user's full name, group id, user id, home directory, shell, and password. Most of these will have defaults which can be used by simply pressing enter at the prompt. The user will be able to log on once this is done.

31. Each user should be given a directory in the directory /var/httpd/htdocs. This is the root directory for all web site accesses and is where www files should be stored. Do it like so: cd /var/httpd/htdocs mkdir newuser chown newuser.users newuser(the directory)

32. Now the users can log on and store their html files in the dir assigned to them in /var/httpd/htdocs. If all is working properly, their files should be accessible to the outside world. The files can be editted directly on the machine, or may be editted elsewhere and ftp'd to the new site. It is a good idea to go to another machine and try to access a sample web page to be sure the server is operational.

33. When configuring the network, use the following settings: IP: Next available IP known not to be in use (if the computer is being set up in the lab, check the host table and use a number above 129.81.160.245, if outside the lab, contact Tim Deeves for a new IP number) Broadcast: 129.81.160.255 Netmask: 255.255.255.0 Gateway: 129.81.160.16 Domain (Network): 129.81.160.0

34. To test if the network is working, use the following: ping ^C will stop the insanity or ping -c for a self- terminating test.

35. The network settings will have to be changed when the system is returned to its owner to reflect the new IP address, gateway, broadcast, domain, name, nameservers, etc. Make sure you check all the files that you have editted during the setup process to be sure all necessary changes are made.

Note: If the computer appears to be running slowly and won't spawn new processes (bash: fork: try again) try turning the swap partition on and look at the contents of /etc/fstab which should include a line like the following: /dev/hda1 swap swap defaults 1 1