Computing Division
Operating Systems Support Department
Pre Install Checklist for Fermi Redhat Linux 5.0
1. Fermi Redhat Install floppy from the PREP counter at FCC3W or from Yolanda at WH8NW. (this is a specially modified install floppy for Fermi network installations) 2. What type of Video Card you have. (make, model, and amount of memory it has.) 3. Ethernet Card you have. (make and model) 4. Ethernet Address (MAC Address)(Needed to optain an IP from Network Group.) To do this you will need to use the Redhat Fermi Install floppy obtained from FSS. Boot up to step 6 of the installation instructions below and type [alt][clt][F4]. From this screen you will be able to fine the address. The number looks something like 00:60:08:3e:34:ba It will be in one of the lines that begin with the the name of the ethernet device "eth0". 5. Machine Name (Needed to optain IP address from Networking Group.) 6. Optain an IP address from Networking Group. 7. The network's Netmask (supplied by Networking with IP address) 8. The network's Default Route (supplied by Networking with IP address) 9. If this machine will be "dual boot" Then you will need to decide which boot manager you will be installing. Boot manager info.
These instructions are compiled such that each numbered steps correspond with a new input display window. Install the Fermi boot floppy and turn on your system. Wait for system to boot to first window. You will need to use tab key to navigate the windows and the space bar to check and uncheck setting. A full explaination of the install program's user interface is availible here 1. Are you using a color monitor: y/n (Hopefully yes) 2. Install manual/registration Info screen: [ok] 3. Pick a Keyboard type: us 4. PCMCIA support: [n] (yes if notebook computer) 5. Install type: nfs 6. Network interface card type. This will be automatically detected for you. Verify that this is your actual card. [ok] 7. Configure tcp/ip Screen a. IP Address (that you obtained from the Network Group) b. netmask (that you obtained from the Network Group) c. default gateway (that you obtained from the Network Group) d. primary nameserver IP (131.225.8.120) 8. Configure Network (NOTE: This screen will show up if it has trouble contacting the Primary Name Server or the your machine is not connected to the network. If your machine is not communicating with the network correctly you will find this out for sure in step 9.) a. Domain name (fnal.gov) b. Host name (that you obtained from the Network Group) c. Secondary Nameserver IP (131.225.17.150) d. Tertiary Nameserver IP (leave blank) 9. NFS Setup a. NFS server name (where you are going to install from. Use the Fermi install server. (linux.fnal.gov) b. Redhat Directory (/export/linux/current/i386) 10. Install or Upgrade [install] 11. SCSI Configuration Do you have a SCSI adapter? y/n 12. Disk setup You will now need to create your disk partitions. The following are recommended sizes. (Note:All partitions should be non-growable) If your drive is smaller then 2.5gb contact FSS for suggestions. The partition list below is what you will need to get Linux running. Dual Boot: If the machine will be a dual boot machine you will need to create partition(s) for the 2nd OS as well. We are recommending a minimum partition size of 1gb for NT or WIN95 OS's. Partition Mount Point Size Partition Type ============================================================= 1st / 2000mb Linux Native 2nd linux swap 127mb Linux Swap 3rd /usr/vice 64mb Linux Native 4th /home 750mb+ Linux Native 5th /scratch (optional) Linux Native Partition Disks with Druid a. First delete all of the existing partitions with [Delete] (WARNING: THIS WILL DELETE ANY DATA THAT YOU HAVE ON THE DRIVE. DO NOT DELETE YOU WINDOWS/NT PARTITIONS IF THIS MACHINE WILL BE A DUAL BOOT MACHINE!!!) b. Use ADD to add a partition. Enter its mount point, size and type. c. Do the above until all partitions are created. d. Note your swap partition. You will need it for the next screen. 13. Active Swap Space Here it will ask which partition you want it to use for swap. It should come up with the partition that you labeled with "linux swap". Allow it to check for bad blocks during format. 14. Format Partition Screen Format all the partitions and check for bad block errors. 15. Components to Install screen Used the default install. [ok] 16. Install Status Screen This will start the install. An install log will be named /tmp/install.log We will move this file to /etc after the install. The installation will take roughly 30 minutes. 17. Probe mouse results Verify that the installation of the right kind of mouse is being attempted. 18. Emulate Three Buttons X-Windows generally works best with a three button mouse. If your mouse only has two buttons you can emulate the third by pressing both at the same time. y/n 19. Video Card Screen It will be automatically detected for you. If it is not detected it will give you a list a available video drivers. If you do not find your card in the list pick "Generic VGA". You may also be promted for the amount of memory on the video card. 20. Choose the type of monitor you have. (if your monitor is not listed select: Generic Multisync ) 21. Video X-server auto probing. [probe] 22. Video Probing to begin. [ok] 23. Select the Default video Mode it found. [Use Default] 24. Network Configuration Screen It will ask you if you want to change the setups that you used to build the machine. You can also uninstall the networking to make the machine standalone. [Keep this setup] 25. Configure Timezone Screen Single Boot: Set it to "US/Central". Set your hardware clock to GMT. This will allow your Linux system to properly handle daylight savings time. Dual Boot: Set it to "US/Central". This will allow the time to be correct on the NT side. 26. Services that will be automatically started at boot time. Use the defaults. [ok] NOTE: 1. CHECK autofs IS YOU PLAN ON USING THE AUTOMOUNTER. 2. CHECK ypbind IF YOU PLAN ON USING YP MAPS FROM ANOTHER MACHINE. 27. Do you want to configure a printer? y/n 28. Root Password Screen Set your root passwd. 29. Lilo Installation Screen Single Boot and Dual Boot machines: Using Lilo as their Boot Manager - Install the bootloader in the "Master boot sector".(Preferred) Dual Boot machines: Using NT's Boot Manager - Install the bootloader in the "First sector of boot partition" Click here if you are going to chose to use the NT boot manager and not Lilo. 30. Lilo Installation Special Options Screen No special options. [ok] Dual Boot: Bootable Partitions Screen This screen will allow you to see what bootable partitions you have. Here you can edit the boot labels and the default boot partition. 31. Installation Complete Remove the floppy and hit return to start your newly installed Linux 5.0 system.