Last Updated:  23/11/99

Introduction

The purpose of this document is to stress the advantages of planning ahead before installing Linux, and to guide the potential Linux user past some obstacles that can and do occur as a result of not planning your first install. Most manuals that accompany the commercial Linux distributions should also contain similar information, but some installation methods/distributions may decrease the likelihood of having useful and comprehensive documentation on this topic.

If you have anything to add to this document, or wish to offer any constructive feedback, please mail me

Assumptions

1.  A basic knowledge of computing
2.  The minimum hardware requirements, and compatibility issues have been found and abided by for the intended distribution.

Part 1: Your computer is your friend...get to know it well

To install Linux you are going to need some specific information about what is used in your computer, where it is used, and possibly with what drivers.  It is all to easy to sit at your machine in some other OS's and have absolutely no idea as to what components your computer actually consists of.

I have devised a check list below.  This is, in the author's opinion, not a comprehensive listing of the information you need.  This list relates to a generic off-the-shelf computer.

A good rule of thumb is "If you have a piece of hardware, record all the information you have on it".  Some may say this is a little excessive, but it will make sure that your install will not fail on the basis of not having the information available.  An example record sheet for system and setup information.

Note: Those of you with SCSI based systems may well need to collate information a little differently.  For example, you will need SCSI bus ID's.

Your Storage Hardware (whether it be IDE, SCSI etc)

SCSI adapter (if you have one) make:                        model:

model:                               make:                            SCSI bus ID (if relevant):

Capacity:                    Cylinders:          Sectors:           Heads:

Drivers used with current OS:

Controller:                       Primary:  Y/N     Secondary:  Y/N

CD-ROM make:                      model:

Driver used with current OS:

Amount of RAM:                                            Type:

Floppy drive:  i.e. generic 1.44 3.5"

Generic Networking

Network Interface Card make:                           model:

I/O Range in current OS:

IRQ in current OS:

ISP username:

ISP password:

ISP account authentication procedure:  i.e. PAP, CHAP etc

ISP DNS Servers:

ISP phone number:

Useful Hosts:  SMTP host:
               POP host:
               news host:
               proxy host:
               port:

Modem make:                              model:

Port used:  i.e.  com1, com2 etc

Driver used in current OS:

Sound and graphics

Sound card make                                   model:

I/O range:            IRQ:             DMA:             Port:

Graphics card make:                         model:

I/O range(s):

Amount of RAM on Graphics card:

Monitor make:                                     Model:

Monitor's vertical refresh rates:

Monitors Horixzontal refresh rates:

Other hardware

CPU make:                             speed:

Display adapter used in current OS:

Mouse make:                           Type:  i.e. PS/2, serial etc                No. of Buttons:  2 / 3

port:             IRQ:

Joystick make:                        model:

I/O range:

Printer make:                                                          model:
 

The above hopefully covers the main points.  A few points here; Windows is a good OS for finding this information out, device manager should contain all you need to know.  And as windows comes pre-loaded on many machines this can be advantageous to the Linux user.  However, in the authors opinion, you cannot get any better information than that which comes with your hardware.  Keep those manuals handy!
Once you have all this information gathered, you should check to see if your hardware is compliant with Linux.  Most hardware components are fully compliant with Linux, but modems have proven to be a big problem, in that some modems have been created specifically with Windows in mind, passing the Modulation/Demonulation tasks on to the CPU, which creates cheaper hardware, but those cards are not technically modems at all.  Your supplier may be able to help you with this information, but if you have no luck, try posting on the discussion forum.  There are plenty of people there to help you...

Step 2:  Your BIOS

There a few features in your BIOS that may affect how linux can be installed, and how Linux will perform with your computer.

1.  Boot device:    This determines what devices are checked and in what order, for a bootable OS.  If you are planning on booting and installing from your CD-ROM, then make sure
the CD-ROM is the first medium to be checked, same for a floppy boot.

2.  Shadow RAM:    This feature should be disabled.  It may also be labeled as "Video BIOS shadow", and it is best disabling, as ram allocated to shadow ram is not used by Linux.

3.  Advanced Power Management:    It is best to turn off the support for APM in your BIOS.  Linux does not work with it, and has been known to cause problems

Step 3:  Planning the system Layout and use

The systems use is an issue to address, as it will help you to choose which packages to install.  Is your computer to be a server? a workstation? for scientific programs? for software development?
This leads us on to planning the space you will need to store your Linux install, and this also involves partitioning.  you should read the relevant documentation that comes with your distribution to understand what you need to do.
Normally, computers are purchased with one OS in one partition which is equal to the size of the Hard Disk it resides on.  There are number of ways to work around this
to find some room on your hard disk to install linux onto....

1.  use a tool called FIPS to resize FAT partitions your hard disk.  I have absolutely no qualms with using this, and have never incurred any setbacks through using this, but i have also heard numerous reports of people who have.  It can be a dangerous tool so be warned!

The procedure for using it is as follows:

 1.  Read the documentation that comes with FIPS (it will be on your Distributions CD, or can be located on almost all Linux FTP sites.
2.  Make a DOS boot-disk (not a windows 95/98 one) and place the files fips.exe, restorrb.exe, and errors.txt
3.  Run Defrag on your windows/DOS partition.
4.  Boot from the DOS disk you created
5.  type 'fips', and follow the on screen instructions

2.  Use some commercial software.  I have heard that Partition Magic is a reliable way of performing this task, and it is also more user friendly than FIPS.

3.  Install on a separate Hard Disk i.e. a secondary drive that is going spare

4.  Select a distribution that does not require its own partition.  For example, Slackware does a distribution called ZipSlack.  It is a 30 odd meg zip file that will install in
a DOS partition.

Summary

Planning your install will help you learn about Linux, as well as save you time (and heartache? :)).  There are plenty of books and web sites which will help you obtain the information you will need.  A few are listed below..

http://www.linuxnewbie.org - a good place to ask questions, without having to worry about hostile attitudes.  Everyone there is willing to help, and as you have found out, the NHF's are very helpful! :)

http://www.linuxcentral.com/linux/LDP/ - a mirror of the Linux documentation project.  It is filled with how-to's and FAQ's.

http://www.linuxhardware.net -  a good place to find out if your hardware is supported.

7DS