[Alpha Systems: Alpha owners should take a moment to review the Red Hat Linux Alpha Installation Addendum, particularly the first chapter. It covers aspects of the installation process that differ from a typical Red Hat Linux/Intel installation.]
[SPARC Systems: People with SPARC systems should take a moment to read Appendix F. This appendix covers aspects of the installation process that differ from a typical Red Hat Linux/Intel installation.]
You can install or upgrade Red Hat Linux via any of several different methods. Each method works best in different situations, and has different requirements. But before we discuss each installation method, let's take a look at an issue that may affect some of you.
[Intel Systems: This section is specific to Intel-based computers only]
Most Intel-based laptop computers support PCMCIA (also known as PC Card). Computers that support PCMCIA devices contain a controller having one or more slots in which a PCMCIA device can be installed. These devices may be modems, LAN adapters, SCSI adapters, and so on.
When installing Red Hat Linux/Intel on a PCMCIA-capable computer, it is important to note if a PCMCIA device will be used during installation. For example, if you want to install Red Hat Linux/Intel from a CD-ROM, and your CD-ROM drive is connected to a PCMCIA adapter, the installation program will require PCMCIA support. Likewise, if you are going to use one of the network-based installation methods, you will need PCMCIA support if your network adapter is PCMCIA-based.
Please Note: You don't need install-time PCMCIA support if you're installing Red Hat Linux on a laptop, and using the laptop's built-in CD-ROM drive.
PCMCIA support is dependent on two things:
While nearly every PCMCIA controller and most popular PCMCIA devices are supported, there are some exceptions. For more information, please consult the Red Hat Linux Hardware Compatibility List at http://www.redhat.com/hardware.
The main thing to keep in mind is that if you require install-time PCMCIA support, you will need a support diskette. We'll show you how to do this after you've determined which installation method is best for you.
[Alpha Systems: PCMCIA support is not available for the Alpha.]
[SPARC Systems: PCMCIA support is not available for the SPARC.]
If you have a Red Hat Linux CD-ROM, and your computer has a supported CD-ROM drive, you should consider this installation method. Installing directly from CD-ROM is the most straightforward approach. When installing from CD-ROM, the packages you select are read from the CD-ROM, and are installed on your hard drive.
As the name implies, you'll need a Red Hat Linux CD-ROM, a supported CD-ROM drive, and a means of starting the installation program.
[Intel Systems: Intel systems will need to use the boot diskette (and the PCMCIA support diskette if a PCMCIA device is used during the install). There is an alternate method of installing from CD-ROM that uses no diskettes, but requires that the system be running DOS. We'll discuss this approach (known as autoboot) in Section 3.2.1. For now, note that PCMCIA support is not available when using autoboot.
Please Note: The Red Hat Linux/Intel CD-ROM can also be booted by newer computers that support bootable CD-ROMs. Not all computers support this feature, so if yours can't boot from CD-ROM, you'll have to use a boot diskette (or autoboot from DOS) to get things started. Note that you may need to change BIOS settings in your computer to enable this feature. ]
If you've determined that this installation method is most applicable to your situation, please skip ahead to Section 2.6.
If you don't have a Red Hat Linux CD-ROM or a CD-ROM drive, but you do have network access, then an FTP installation may be for you. When installing via FTP, the Red Hat Linux packages you select are downloaded (using FTP) across the network to your computer, and are installed on your hard drive.
When doing an FTP install, you'll need LAN-based access to a network; a
dialup connection via modem won't cut it. If your Local Area Network has
Internet access, you can use one of the many FTP sites that mirror Red Hat Linux.
You can find a list of mirror sites at
http://www.redhat.com/mirrors.html.
If your LAN doesn't have Internet access, all is not lost. If there is a computer on your LAN that can accept anonymous FTP requests, simply put a copy of the Red Hat Linux distribution on that system, and you're ready to go.
Please Note: Your FTP server must be able to handle long filenames.
[Intel Systems: For an FTP installation, you must use the network installation boot diskette specific to, and a PCMCIA support diskette if using a PCMCIA device during the installation. You will need to have a valid nameserver configured or you must specify the IP address of the FTP server you will be using. You will also need the path to the Red Hat Linux directory on the FTP server.]
If you've determined that this installation method is most applicable to your situation, please skip ahead to Section 2.6.
If you don't have a Red Hat Linux CD-ROM or a CD-ROM drive, but you do have network access, then an HTTP installation may be for you. When installing via HTTP, the Red Hat Linux packages you select are downloaded (using HTTP) across the network to your computer, and are installed on your hard drive.
[Intel Systems: For an HTTP installation, you must use the network installation boot disk and if you are using a PCMCIA device during the installation, a PCMCIA support diskette. You will need to have a valid nameserver configured or you must specify the IP address of the HTTP server you will be using. You will also need the path to the Red Hat Linux directory on the HTTP server.]
If you've determined that this installation method is most applicable to your situation, please skip ahead to Section 2.6.
If your system doesn't have a CD-ROM drive, but you do have network access, then an NFS installation may be for you. When installing via NFS, the Red Hat Linux packages you select are NFS-served to your computer from an NFS server system. The packages are then installed on your hard drive.
Please Note: Your NFS server must be able to handle long filenames.
[Intel Systems: For an NFS installation, you'll need a boot diskette only.]
If you've determined that this installation method is most applicable to your situation, please skip ahead to Section 2.6.
If none of the other installation methods will work for you, but you have some means of getting the Red Hat Linux package files written to your system's hard drive, you can install from your hard drive. In this installation method, the Red Hat Linux packages you select are read from one partition on a hard drive, and are installed on another partition (or set of partitions).
Next, copy the packages you want to install to another subdirectory called RPMS. You can use available space on an existing DOS partition or a Linux partition that is not required in the install procedure (for example, a partition that would be used for data storage on the installed system).
[Intel Systems: If you are using a DOS filesystem, you will not be able to use the full Linux filenames for the RPM packages. The installation process does not care what the filenames look like, but it is a good idea that you keep track of them.
You'll need a boot diskette, and if using a PCMCIA device during the installation, a PCMCIA support diskette, when installing from a hard drive.]