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 4.
Installing from a CD-ROM requires that you have purchased a Red Hat Linux 7.2
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 (http://www.redhat.com/apps/support/updates.html)
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-ROM 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-ROM 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-ROM 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-ROM, 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.
