There are several methods that can be used to install Red Hat Linux. This
manual focuses on installing from the CD-ROM. For instructions on
alternative installation methods, refer to Chapter 5.
Installing from a CD requires that you have purchased a Red Hat Linux 7.1
boxed set, or you have a Red Hat Linux CD-ROM, and you have a CD-ROM drive.
Most new computers will allow booting from the CD-ROM. If your system
will support booting from the CD-ROM, it is an easy way to begin a local
CD-ROM installation.
You may need to create a diskette from an image
file; for example, you may need to use updated diskette
images obtained from the Red Hat Linux errata page or you may need to create
a boot disk.
An image file contains an exact copy (or image) of a diskette's
contents. Since a diskette contains filesystem information in
addition to the data contained in files, the image file is not usable
until it has been written to a diskette.
To start, you will need a blank, formatted, high-density (1.44MB),
3.5-inch diskette. You will need access to a computer with a 3.5-inch diskette
drive. The computer must be able to run either an MS-DOS program or the
dd utility found on most Linux-like operating systems.
The images directory on your Red Hat Linux CD contains
the boot images for Red Hat Linux/x86. Once you have selected the proper image,
transfer the image file onto a diskette.
To make a diskette using MS-DOS, use the rawrite
utility included on the Red Hat Linux CD in the
dosutils directory. First, label a blank,
formatted 3.5-inch diskette appropriately (such as "Boot Disk" or
"Updates Disk"). Insert it into the diskette drive. Then, use the
following commands (assuming your CD is drive
d:):
C:\> d:
D:\> cd \dosutils
D:\dosutils> rawrite
Enter disk image source file name: ..\images\boot.img
Enter target diskette drive: a:
Please insert a formatted diskette into drive A: and
press --ENTER-- : [Enter]
D:\dosutils>
|
First, rawrite asks you for the filename of a
diskette image; enter the directory and name of the image you wish
to write (for example, ..\images\boot.img).
Then rawrite asks for a diskette drive to write
the image to; enter a:. Finally,
rawrite asks for confirmation that a formatted
diskette is in the drive you have selected. After pressing
[Enter] to confirm, rawrite copies
the image file onto the diskette. If you need to make another
diskette, label that diskette, and run rawrite
again, specifying the appropriate image file.
To make a diskette under Linux (or any other Linux-like operating
system), you must have permission to write to the device
representing a 3.5-inch diskette drive (known as
/dev/fd0 under Linux).
First, label a blank, formatted diskette appropriately (such
as "Boot Disk" or "Updates Disk"). Insert it into the diskette drive
(but do not issue a mount command). After
mounting the Red Hat Linux CD, change directory to the directory
containing the desired image file, and use the following command
(changing the name of the image file and diskette device as
appropriate):
# dd if=boot.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1440k |
To make another diskette, label that diskette, and run
dd again, specifying the appropriate image
file.
