Red Hat LINUX ES 2.1, Enterprise Linux ES 2.1 Installation Manual
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 2.1
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
Installation Guide
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 2.1: Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES Installation Guide
Copyright © 2003 by Red Hat, Inc.
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Table of Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................i
1. Document Conventions..........................................................................................................i
2. How to Use This Manual .....................................................................................................iii
2.1. We Need Feedback! ..............................................................................................iii
I. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES ........................................................................................i
1. Steps to Get You Started .......................................................................................................1
1.1. Do You Have the Right Components? ...................................................................1
1.2. Is Your Hardware Compatible?.............................................................................. 1
1.3. Do You Have Enough Disk Space?........................................................................2
1.4. Can You Install Using the CD-ROM?.................................................................... 3
1.5. Which Installation Class is Best For You?............................................................. 5
2. System Requirements Table..................................................................................................9
3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES..............................................................................11
3.1. The Installation Program User Interface..............................................................11
3.2. Starting the Installation Program .........................................................................11
3.3. Selecting an Installation Method ......................................................................... 14
3.4. Beginning the Installation .................................................................................... 15
3.5. Language Selection.............................................................................................. 16
3.6. Keyboard Configuration.......................................................................................17
3.7. Mouse Configuration ........................................................................................... 18
3.8. Welcome to Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES ..........................................................19
3.9. Install Options......................................................................................................19
3.10. Disk Partitioning Setup ......................................................................................20
3.11. Automatic Partitioning.......................................................................................21
3.12. Partitioning Your System ................................................................................... 23
3.13. Partitioning with fdisk .......................................................................................29
3.14. Boot Loader Installation ....................................................................................29
3.15. GRUB Password ................................................................................................32
3.16. Network Configuration ......................................................................................33
3.17. Firewall Configuration .......................................................................................34
3.18. Language Support Selection .............................................................................. 37
3.19. Time Zone Configuration...................................................................................38
3.20. Account Configuration.......................................................................................39
3.21. Package Group Selection ...................................................................................41
3.22. X Configuration — Video Card .........................................................................44
3.23. Preparing to Install ............................................................................................. 45
3.24. Installing Packages.............................................................................................46
3.25. Boot Disk Creation ............................................................................................46
3.26. X Configuration — Monitor and Customization ...............................................47
3.27. Installation Complete .........................................................................................49
4. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES via Text Mode .....................................................51
4.1. Things You Should Know....................................................................................51
4.2. The Installation Program User Interface..............................................................52
4.3. Starting the Installation Program .........................................................................54
4.4. Installation Cross-Reference Table......................................................................55
4.5. Installing from a Hard Drive................................................................................ 56
4.6. Installing over a Network.....................................................................................57
II. Appendixes ...................................................................................................................................61
A. Removing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES ...........................................................................63
B. Getting Technical Support..................................................................................................65
B.1. Remember to Sign Up .........................................................................................65
B.2. An Overview of Red Hat Support .......................................................................65
B.3. Scope of Red Hat Support ................................................................................... 66
B.4. How to Get Technical Support ............................................................................66
B.5. Questions for Technical Support.........................................................................68
C. Troubleshooting Your Installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES..................................69
C.1. You are Unable to Boot Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES .......................................69
C.2. Trouble Beginning the Installation......................................................................69
C.3. Trouble During the Installation ...........................................................................70
C.4. Problems After Installation ................................................................................. 72
D. An Introduction to Disk Partitions .....................................................................................77
D.1. Hard Disk Basic Concepts ..................................................................................77
E. Driver Disks........................................................................................................................ 93
E.1. Why Do I Need a Driver Disk? ...........................................................................93
Index...................................................................................................................................................95
Introduction
Welcome to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES Installation Guide. This guide contains useful information to assist you during the installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES. From fundamental concepts
such as installation preparation to the step-by-step installation procedure, this book will be a valuable
resource as you install Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES.
This manual will walk you through a typical installation using the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES CDROMs. Once you have completed the installation as outlined in this manual, you will have a fully
functioning Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES system.
1. Document Conventions
When you read this manual, you will see that certain words are represented in different fonts, typefaces, sizes, and weights. This highlighting is systematic; different words are represented in the same
style to indicate their inclusion in a specific category. The types of words that are represented this way
include the following:
command
Linux commands (and other operating system commands, when used) are represented this way.
This style should indicate to you that you can type the word or phrase on the command line
and press [Enter] to invoke a command. Sometimes a command contains words that would be
displayed in a different style on their own (such as filenames). In these cases, they are considered
to be part of the command, so the entire phrase will be displayed as a command. For example:
Use the cat testfile command to view the contents of a file, named testfile, in the current
working directory.
filename
Filenames, directory names, paths, and RPM package names are represented this way. This style
should indicate that a particular file or directory exists by that name on your Red Hat Linux
system. Examples:
The .bashrc file in your home directory contains bash shell definitions and aliases for your own
use.
The /etc/fstab file contains information about different system devices and filesystems.
Install the webalizer RPM if you want to use a Web server log file analysis program.
application
This style should indicate to you that the program named is an end-user application (as opposed
to system software). For example:
Use Netscape Navigator to browse the Web.
[key]
A key on the keyboard is shown in this style. For example:
To use [Tab] completion, type in a character and then press the [Tab] key. Your terminal will
display the list of files in the directory that start with that letter.
[key]-[combination]
A combination of keystrokes is represented in this way. For example:
The [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[Backspace] key combination will restart the X Window System.
ii Introduction
text found on a GUI interface
A title, word, or phrase found on a GUI interface screen or window will be shown in this style.
When you see text shown in this style, it is being used to identify a particular GUI screen or an
element on a GUI screen (such as text associated with a checkbox or field). Example:
Select the Require Password checkbox if you would like your screensaver to require a password
before stopping.
top level of a menu on a GUI screen or window
When you see a word in this style, it indicates that the word is the top level of a pulldown menu.
If you click on the word on the GUI screen, the rest of the menu should appear. For example:
Under Settings on a GNOME terminal, you will see the following menu items: Preferences,
Reset Terminal, Reset and Clear, and Color selector.
If you need to type in a sequence of commands from a GUI menu, they will be shown like the
following example:
Click on Programs=>Applications=>Emacs to start the Emacs text editor.
button on a GUI screen or window
This style indicates that the text will be found on a clickable button on a GUI screen. For
example:
Click on the Back button to return to the webpage you last viewed.
computer output
When you see text in this style, it indicates text displayed by the computer on the command line.
You will see responses to commands you typed in, error messages, and interactive prompts for
your input during scripts or programs shown this way. For example:
Use the ls command to display the contents of a directory:
$ ls
Desktop axhome logs paulwesterberg.gif
Mail backupfiles mail reports
The output returned in response to the command (in this case, the contents of the directory) is
shown in this style.
prompt
A prompt, which is a computer’s way of signifying that it is ready for you to input something,
will be shown in this style. Examples:
$
#
[stephen@maturin stephen]$
leopard login:
user input
Text that the user has to type, either on the command line, or into a text box on a GUI screen, is
displayed in this style. In the following example, text is displayed in this style:
To boot your system into the text based installation program, you will need to type in the text
command at the boot: prompt.
Additionally, we use several different strategies to draw your attention to certain pieces of information.
In order of how critical the information is to your system, these items will be marked as note, tip,
important, caution, or a warning. For example:
Introduction iii
Note
Remember that Linux is case sensitive. In other words, a rose is not a ROSE is not a rOsE.
Tip
The directory /usr/share/doc contains additional documentation for packages installed on your
system.
Important
If you modify the DHCP configuration file, the changes will not take effect until you restart the DHCP
daemon.
Caution
Do not perform routine tasks as root — use a regular user account unless you need to use the root
account for system administration tasks.
Warning
If you choose not to partition manually, a server installation will remove all existing partitions on all
installed hard drives. Do not choose this installation class unless you are sure you have no data you
need to save.
2. How to Use This Manual
This manual focuses on a CD-ROM based installation, so it is ideal for users (both new and old) who
want a quick and simple installation solution. It will help you prepare your system, walk you through
the installation, and assist you in the configuration of Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES.
If you are an experienced user who wants to perform a Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES CD-ROM installation, and you do not need a review of the basics, you can skip ahead to Chapter 3 to begin the
installation process.
Tip
Refer to the Red Hat Frequently Asked Questions for answers to questions and problems that may
occur before, during, or after the installation. You will find the FAQ online at:
http://www.redhat.com/support/docs/faqs/rhl_general_faq/
iv Introduction
2.1. We Need Feedback!
If you spot a typo in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES Installation Guide, or if you have thought of a
way to make this manual better, we would love to hear from you! Please submit a report in Bugzilla
(http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/) against the component rhel-ig-es-x86.
Be sure to mention the manual’s identifier:
rhel-ig-es-x86(EN)-2.1-HTML-RHI (2003-01-31T11:13-0400)
That way we will know exactly which version of the guide you have.
If you have a suggestion for improving the documentation, try to be as specific as possible when de-
scribing it. If you have found an error, please include the section number and some of the surrounding
text so we can find it easily.
If you have a support question (for example, if you need help configuring X, or if you are not sure how
to partition your hard drive[s]), please register your product at http://www.redhat.com/apps/activate/
and use the online support system for those type of requests.
I. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
Table of Contents
1. Steps to Get You Started.................................................................................................................1
2. System Requirements Table...........................................................................................................9
3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES..................................................................................... 11
4. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES via Text Mode ........................................................... 51
Chapter 1.
Steps to Get You Started
Before you install Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES, you should perform the following steps:
1.1. Do You Have the Right Components?
If you have purchased an Official Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES product, you are ready to go. However,
mistakes occasionally happen, so now is a good time to double-check the contents of your product.
A black, red, and white Registration Information card is included with your product. A list of the
contents of your boxed set version is on the back of the card. Please read over the list and check
to make sure that you have all the CDs and manuals that are included with the version of Red Hat
Enterprise Linux ES that you purchased.
If you have purchased an Official Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES product from Red Hat, Inc. (or one
of its distributors), and you are missing one or more of the items listed, please let us know. Contact
information is also available on the Registration Information card.
How to identify our official boxed set: The bottom of our box has an ISBN number next to one of the
bar codes. That ISBN number should be in this form:
1-58569-x-y
(The x and y will be unique numbers.)
Red Hat partners with companies (international and domestic) so that we can make Red Hat Enterprise
Linux ES available to you in the most convenient form. Because of these partnerships, you might find
that your Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES product may not have been actually produced by Red Hat.
If your product has a different ISBN number (or none at all), you will need to contact the company
that produced it. Normally, third-party producers will include their logo and/or contact information
on the outside of their box; an official Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES boxed set lists only our name and
contact information.
1.1.1. Where to Find Other Manuals
If your particular product did not include all of the printed Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES manuals, you
can find them online or on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES Documentation CD included with your
official Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES product.
To find the manuals in both HTML and PDF formats online, go to http://www.redhat.com/docs.
1.1.2. Registering Your Product
If you have purchased an Official Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES product, you should register your
product. Registration offers many useful services, such as installation support, access to Red Hat
Network, and more.
To register your product, go to http://www.redhat.com/apps/activate/. You will find your Product ID
on the Registration Information card in your Official Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES boxed set. Once
registered, you will have access to all the extras that Red Hat provides to its registered users.
For more information on registering and the scope of Red Hat technical support offerings, see Appendix B.
2 Chapter 1. Steps to Get You Started
1.2. Is Your Hardware Compatible?
Hardware compatibility is particularly important if you have an older system or a system that you built
yourself. Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 2.1 should be compatible with most hardware in systems that
were factory built within the last two years. However, hardware specifications change almost daily, so
it is hard to guarantee that your hardware will be 100% compatible.
The most recent list of supported hardware can be found at http://hardware.redhat.com/hcl/.
1.3. Do You Have Enough Disk Space?
Nearly every modern-day operating system (OS) uses disk partitions, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux
ES is no exception. When you install Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES, you may have to work with disk
partitions. If you have not worked with disk partitions before (or need a quick review of the basic
concepts) read Appendix D before proceeding.
The disk space used by Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES must be separate from the disk space used by
other OSes you might have installed on your system , such as Windows, OS/2, or even a different
version of Linux. At least two partitions (/ and swap) must be dedicated to Red Hat Enterprise Linux
ES.
Before you start the installation process, one of the following conditions must be met:
• Your computer must have enough unpartitioned
1
disk space for the installation of Red Hat Enter-
prise Linux ES.
• You must have one or more partitions that may be deleted, thereby freeing up enough disk space to
install Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES.
1.3.1. Installation Disk Space Requirements
Note
These recommendations are based on an installation that only installs one language (such as English). If you plan to install multiple languages to use on your system, you should increase the disk
space requirements.
See Section 1.5, for further information regarding disk space requirements for your specific installation needs.
Server
For a Server installation, choosing to install GNOME2or KDE3, requires at least 1.0 GB of free
1. Unpartitioned disk space means that the hard drive(s) you are installing to have not been divided into sections
for data. When you partition a disk, each partition will behave like a separate disk drive.
2. Acronym for GNU Network Object Model Environment. GNOME is part of the GNU project and part of
the free software, or open source, movement. GNOME is a Windows-like desktop system that works on UNIX
and UNIX-like systems. The main objective of GNOME is to provide a user-friendly suite of applications and an
easy-to-use desktop.
3. Acronym for K Desktop Environment. A network-transparent, contemporary desktop environmentfor UNIX
workstations, KDE is part of the open source movement. It is free to anyone and its source code is available to
anyone to modify.
Chapter 1. Steps to Get You Started 3
space. Choosing both GNOME and KDE requires at least 1.3 GB of free disk space.
Custom
A Custom installation requires for a minimal installation (without the Server packages) and at
least 3.2 GB of free space if every package is selected.
If you are not sure that you meet these conditions, or if you want to know how to create free disk
space for your Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES installation, please refer to Appendix D.
1.4. Can You Install Using the CD-ROM?
There are several methods that can be used to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES. 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 Enterprise Linux ES 2.1
product, or you have a Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 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.
Your BIOS may need to be changed to allow booting from your CD-ROM drive. For more information
about editing your BIOS, see Section 3.2.1.
1.4.1. Alternative Boot Methods
If you cannot boot from the CD-ROM drive, the following alternative boot method is available:
Local Boot Disk
If you need a local boot disk4, you must create it. The local boot disk image file, boot.img,
is located in the images directory on your Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES CD-ROM. Refer to
Section 1.4.2, for more information on making a boot disk.
Note
USB Floppies — You can also boot the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES installation program using a
USB floppy as a boot disk (if your system supports booting from a USB floppy).
Note
Although it is not required to boot your installation, you may occasionally find that a driver disk is
needed to continue with the installation. Appendix E explains why a driver disk may be necessary for
your installation, and how to obtain one if needed.
4. A boot disk is a diskette you create during an installation that can later be used to boot the operating system.
Normally, your computer boots from a hard disk, but if the hard disk is damaged, you can boot the computer from
a bootable diskette.
4 Chapter 1. Steps to Get You Started
1.4.2. Making Installation Diskettes
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 Enterprise Linux ES errata page
(http://www.redhat.com/apps/support/errata) 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 MSDOS program or the dd utility found on most Linux-like operating systems.
The images directory on your Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES CD-ROM contains the boot images.
Once you have selected the proper image (such as boot.img for a CD-ROM-based installation or
bootnet.img for a network installation), transfer the image file onto a diskette.
1.4.2.1. Using the rawrite Utility
To make a diskette using MS-DOS, use the rawrite utility included on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux
ES 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.
1.4.2.2. Using the dd Command
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 mount5command). After mounting the Red Hat Enterprise
Linux ES CD-ROM, change 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.
5. When you mount a floppy or CD-ROM, you make that device’s contents available to you. See the Official
Red Hat Linux Getting Started Guide for more information.
Chapter 1. Steps to Get You Started 5
1.5. Which Installation Class is Best For You?
Usually, Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES is installed on its own disk partition or set of partitions, or over
another installation of Linux.
Warning
Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES over another installation of Linux (including Red Hat Linux)
does not preserve any information (files or data) from a prior installation. Make sure you save or back
up any important files!
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES provides two different classes, or types, of installations:
Server
The Server configuration includes, at your option, the ability to install a default X Window System environment with management.
Custom
A Custom installation allows you the greatest flexibility during your installation. You choose
your boot loader, which packages you want, and more. Custom installations are most appropriate
for those users more familiar with Red Hat Linux installations and for those afraid of losing
complete flexibility.
These classes give you the option of simplifying the installation process (with some potential for loss
of configuration flexibility), or retaining flexibility with a slightly more complex installation process.
Next, take a detailed look at each class, so you can decide which one is right for you.
1.5.1. Server Installation
Below are the minimum recommended disk space requirements for a Server installation where only
one language (such as English) will be installed.
Note
The minimum recommended disk space requirements as listed below, are just minimum recommendations for the installation itself. You should adjust these disk space requirements as appropriate for
your specific computing needs (such as disk space for personal files, additional applications you may
install at a later time, and so on).
• Server (minimum, no graphical interface): 800 MB
• Server (default, choosing GNOME or KDE): 1 GB
• Server (choosing GNOME and KDE): 1.3 GB
• Server (choosing everything, GNOME and KDE): 1.5 GB
If you plan to choose all group packages, as well as select additional individual packages, you may
want to allow yourself 2.0 GB or more of disk space. This will provide space where additional data
may be written.
6 Chapter 1. Steps to Get You Started
1.5.1.1. What a Server Installation Will Do
A Server installation, with automatic partitioning, will create the following partitions:
Note
The partitions represented below were created on a system with 9 GB of hard drive space and 512
MB of RAM. Depending on the amount of hard drive space and memory you have available, these
values may differ slightly.
• A 47 MB partition (mounted as /boot) in which the Linux kernel and related files are kept.
• A partition of at least 4877 MB (mounted as /usr).
• The size of the swap partition is determined by the amount of RAM in your system and the amount
of space available on your hard drive. If you have 128 MB of RAM, then the swap partition created
can be 128 MB – 256 MB (twice your RAM), depending on how much disk space is available.
For this example, a 1020 MB swap partition (mounted as
swap) is created.
• A 2738 MB ext partition.
• A partition of at least 2094 MB (mounted as /home).
• A 384 MB partition (mounted as /).
• A 259 MB partition (mounted as /var).
This partitioning scheme offers a reasonably flexible filesystem configuration for most server tasks.
1.5.2. Custom Installations
The Custom installation allows you the most flexibility during your installation. During a Custom
installation, you have complete control over the packages that will be installed on your system.
The recommended disk space requirements for a Custom installation are as follows:
Note
The minimum recommended disk space requirements as listed below, are just minimum recommendations for the installation itself. You should adjust these disk space requirements as appropriate for
your specific computing needs (such as disk space for personal files, additional applications you may
install at a later time, and so on).
• Custom (minimum, without Server packages): 350 MB
• Custom (minimum, with Server packages): 500 MB
• Custom (default): 1 GB
• Custom (choosing everything): 3.2 GB
Chapter 1. Steps to Get You Started 7
1.5.2.1. What a Custom Installation Will Do
As you might guess from the name, a custom installation puts the emphasis on flexibility. You have
complete control over which packages will be installed on your system.
If you choose automatic partitioning, a Custom installation will create the following partitions:
Note
The partitions represented below were created on a system with 9 GB of hard drive space and 512
MB of RAM. Depending on the amount of hard drive space and memory you have available, these
values may differ slightly.
• The size of the swap partition is determined by the amount of RAM in your system and the amount
of space available on your hard drive. If you have 128 MB of RAM, then the swap partition created
can be 128 MB – 256 MB (twice your RAM), depending on how much disk space is available.
For this example, a 1020 MB swap partition (mounted as
swap) is created.
• A 47 MB partition (mounted as /boot) in which the Linux kernel and related files reside.
• A 2609 MB root partition (mounted as /) in which all other files are stored (the exact size of this
partition is dependent on your available disk space).
8 Chapter 1. Steps to Get You Started
Chapter 2.
System Requirements Table
The most recent list of supported hardware can be found at http://hardware.redhat.com/hcl/.
This chapter provides you with a system requirements table, which will help you keep a record of your
current system settings and requirements. Enter information about your system in the table provided
as a handy reference to help make your Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES installation go more smoothly.
hard drive(s): type, label,
size; ex: IDE hda=1.2 GB
partitions: map of
partitions and mount
points; ex:
/dev/hda1=/home,
/dev/hda2=/ (fill this in
once you know where they
will reside)
memory: amount of RAM
installed on your system;
ex: 64 MB, 128 MB
CD-ROM: interface type;
ex: SCSI, IDE (ATAPI)
SCSI adapter: if present,
make and model number;
ex: BusLogic SCSI
Adapter, Adaptec
2940UW
network card: if present,
make and model number;
ex: Tulip, 3COM 3C590
mouse: type, protocol, and
number of buttons; ex:
generic 3 button PS/2
mouse, MouseMan 2
button serial mouse
monitor: make, model,
and manufacturer
specifications; ex:
Optiquest Q53, ViewSonic
G773
video card: make, model
number and size of
VRAM; ex: Creative Labs
Graphics Blaster 3D, 8MB
10 Chapter 2. System Requirements Table
sound card: make, chipset
and model number; ex: S3
SonicVibes, Sound Blaster
32/64 AWE
IP, DHCP, and BOOTP
addresses: four numbers,
separated by dots; ex:
10.0.2.15
netmask: four numbers,
separated by dots; ex:
255.255.248.0
gateway IP address: four
numbers, separated by
dots; ex: 10.0.2.245
one or more name server
IP addresses (DNS): one
or more sets of
dot-separated numbers; ex:
10.0.2.1
domain name: the name
given to your organization;
ex: for Red Hat, this
would be redhat.com
hostname: the name of
your computer; your
personal choice of names;
ex: cookie, southpark
Table 2-1. System Requirements Table
If any of these networking requirements or terms are unfamiliar to you, contact your network administrator for assistance.
Chapter 3.
Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
This chapter explains how to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES from the CD-ROM using the graphical, mouse-based installation program. The following topics are discussed:
• Getting familiar with the installation program’s user interface
• Starting the installation program
• Selecting an installation method
• Configuration steps during the installation (language, keyboard, mouse, etc.)
• Finishing the installation
3.1. The Installation Program User Interface
If you have used a graphical user interface (GUI) before, you will be familiar with this process;
simply use your mouse to navigate the screens, "click" buttons, or enter text fields. You can also
navigate through the installation using the [Tab] and [Enter] keys.
3.1.1. A Note about Virtual Consoles
The Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES installation program offers more than the dialog boxes of the installation process. Several different kinds of diagnostic messages are available to you, in addition
to providing a way to enter commands from a shell prompt. The installation program displays these
messages on five virtual consoles, among which you can switch using a single keystroke combination.
These virtual consoles can be helpful if you encounter a problem while installing Red Hat Enterprise
Linux ES. Messages displayed on the installation or system consoles can help pinpoint a problem.
Please see Table 3-1 for a listing of the virtual consoles, keystrokes used to switch to them, and their
contents.
Console Keystrokes Contents
1 [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[F1] installation dialog
2 [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[F2] shell prompt
3 [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[F3] install log (messages from
installation program)
4 [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[F4] system-related messages
5 [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[F5] other messages
7 [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[F7] X graphical display
Table 3-1. Console, Keystrokes, and Contents
Generally, there is no reason to leave the default console (virtual console #7) unless you are attempting
to diagnose installation problems.
12 Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
3.2. Starting the Installation Program
To start the installation, you must first boot the installation program. Please make sure you have all the
resources you will need for the installation. If you have already read through Chapter 1, and followed
the instructions, you should be ready to begin.
Note
Occasionally, some hardware components require a driver disk during the installation. A driver disk
adds support for hardware that is not otherwise supported by the installation program. Refer to Appendix E for more information.
3.2.1. Booting the Installation Program
Note
To create a boot disk, refer to Section 1.4.2.
You can boot the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES installation program using any one of the following
media (depending upon what your system can support):
• Bootable CD-ROM — Your machine supports a bootable CD-ROM drive and you want to perform
a local CD-ROM installation.
• Local boot disk — Your machine will not support a bootable CD-ROM and you want to install from
a local CD-ROM or a hard drive.
• Network boot disk — Use a network boot disk to install via NFS, FTP, and HTTP.
Insert the boot disk into your computer’s first diskette drive and reboot (or boot using the CD-ROM,
if your computer supports booting from it). Your BIOS settings may need to be changed to allow you
to boot from the diskette or CD-ROM.
Tip
To change your BIOS settings, watch the instructions provided on your display when your computer
first begins to boot. Often you will see a line of text telling you to press the [Del] or [F1] key to enter
the BIOS settings.
Once you’ve entered your BIOS setup program, find the section where you can alter your boot sequence. The default is often C, A or A, C (depending on whether you boot from your hard drive [C]
or a diskette drive [A]). Change this sequence so that the CD-ROM is first in your boot order and that
C or A (whichever is your typical boot default) is second. This instructs the computer to first look at
the CD-ROM drive for bootable media; if it does not find bootable media on the CD-ROM drive, it will
then check your hard drive or diskette drive.
Save your changes before exiting the BIOS. For more information, please refer to the documentation
that came with your system.
After a short delay, a screen containing the boot: prompt should appear. The screen contains information on a variety of boot options. Each boot option also has one or more help screens associated
with it. To access a help screen, press the appropriate function key as listed in the line at the bottom
of the screen.
Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 13
As you boot the installation program, be aware of two issues:
• Once you see the boot: prompt, the installation program will automatically begin if you take no
action within the first minute. To disable this feature, press one of the help screen function keys.
• If you press a help screen function key, there will be a slight delay while the help screen is read
from the boot media.
Normally, you only need to press [Enter] to boot. Watch the boot messages to see if the Linux kernel
detects your hardware. If your hardware is properly detected, please continue to the next section. If it
does not properly detect your hardware, you may need to restart the installation in expert mode.
3.2.1.1. Additional Boot Options
If you do not wish to perform a CD-ROM GUI installation, you can start a text mode installation using
the following boot command:
boot: text
For text mode installation instructions, please refer to Chapter 4.
If you are having trouble booting into the graphical installation program, you can try to boot using the
no framebuffer (nofb) boot option.
At the boot command, enter the following:
boot: nofb
This option allows you to use the graphical installation program without using a framebuffer.
Enter expert mode using the following boot command:
boot: linux expert
If you need to perform the installation in serial mode, type the following command:
boot: linux console=
device
In the above command,deviceshould be the device you are using (such as ttyS0 or ttyS1). For
example, linux console=ttyS0,115200n8.
3.2.1.2. Kernel Options
Options can also be passed to the kernel. For example, to instruct the kernel to use all the RAM in a
system with 128 MB of RAM, enter:
boot: linux mem=128M
After entering any options, press [Enter] to boot using those options.
If you need to specify boot options to identify your hardware, please write them down. The boot
options will be needed during the boot loader configuration portion of the installation (please see
Section 3.14 for more information).
14 Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
3.2.1.3. Booting Without Diskettes
The Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES CD-ROM can be booted by computers that support bootable CDROMs. Not all computers support this feature, so if your system cannot boot from the CD-ROM, there
is one other way to start the installation without using a boot disk. The following method is specific
to x86-based computers only.
If you have MS-DOS installed on your system, you can boot directly from the CD-ROM drive without
using a boot disk. To do this (assuming your CD-ROM is drive d:), use the following commands:
C:\
d:
D:\cd \dosutils
D:\dosutilsautoboot.bat
This method will not work if run in a DOS window — the autoboot.bat file must be executed with
DOS as the only operating system. In other words, Windows cannot be running.
If your computer cannot boot directly from CD-ROM (and you cannot use a DOS-based autoboot),
you will have to use a boot diskette to get things started.
3.3. Selecting an Installation Method
What type of installation method do you wish to use? The following installation methods are available:
CD-ROM
If you have a CD-ROM drive and the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES CD-ROM, you can use this
method. You will need a boot disk or a bootable CD-ROM. PCMCIA boot and driver disks may
also be used. Continue reading this chapter for further instructions.
Hard Drive
If you have copied the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES ISO images to a local hard drive, you can
use this method. You will need a boot disk. PCMCIA boot and driver disks may also be used.
Refer to Chapter 4, for hard drive installation instructions.
NFS Image
If you are installing from an NFS server which is exporting the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
CD-ROM(s) or a mirror image of *PROD;, you can use this method. You will need a network
boot disk. PCMCIA boot and driver disks may also be used. Refer to Chapter 4, for network
installation instructions. Please note that NFS installations may also be performed in GUI mode.
FTP
If you are installing directly from an FTP server, use this method. You will need a network boot
disk. PCMCIA boot and driver disks may also be used. Refer to Chapter 4, for FTP installation
instructions.
Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 15
HTTP
If you are installing directly from an HTTP (Web) server, use this method. You will need a
network boot disk. PCMCIA boot and driver disks may also be used. Refer to Chapter 4, for
HTTP installation instructions.
3.4. Beginning the Installation
If you are planning to install via CD-ROM using the graphical interface, please continue reading.
If you would rather perform a text mode installation, reboot your system and at the boot: prompt,
type text. Refer to Chapter 4, for more information.
3.4.1. Installing from CD-ROM
To install Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES from a CD-ROM, choose the CD-ROM option from the boot
loader screen and select OK. When prompted, insert the Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES CD into your
CD-ROM drive (if you did not boot from the CD-ROM). Once the CD is in the CD-ROM drive, select
OK, and press [Enter].
The installation program will then probe your system and attempt to identify your CD-ROM drive. It
will start by looking for an IDE (also known as an ATAPI) CD-ROM drive. If found, it will continue
to the next stage of the installation process (see Section 3.5).
Note
To abort the installation process at this time, reboot your machine and then eject the boot diskette or
CD-ROM. You can safely cancel the installation at any point before the About to Install screen. See
Section 3.23, for more information.
If a CD-ROM drive is not detected, you will be asked what type of CD-ROM drive you have. Choose
from the following types:
SCSI
Select this if your CD-ROM drive is attached to a supported SCSI adapter; the installation
program will then ask you to choose a SCSI driver. Choose the driver that most closely resembles
your adapter. You may specify options for the driver if necessary; however, most drivers will
detect your SCSI adapter automatically.
Other
If your CD-ROM drive is neither an IDE nor a SCSI, it is an "other." Sound cards with proprietary CD-ROM interfaces are good examples of CD-ROMs in the Other category. The installation program will display a list of drivers for supported CD-ROM drives — choose a driver and,
if necessary, specify any driver options.
Tip
A partial list of optional parameters for CD-ROM drives can be found in the Official Red Hat Linux
Reference Guide, in the General Parameters and Modules appendix.
16 Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
3.4.1.1. What If the IDE CD-ROM Was Not Found?
If you have an IDE (ATAPI) CD-ROM, but the installation program fails to find your it and asks you
what type of CD-ROM drive you have, try the following boot command. Restart the installation, and
at the boot: prompt enter linux hdX =cdrom. Replace the X with one of the following letters,
depending on the interface the unit is connected to, and whether it is configured as master or slave:
• a — first IDE controller, master
• b — first IDE controller, slave
• c — second IDE controller, master
• d — second IDE controller, slave
If you have a third and/or fourth controller, continue assigning letters in alphabetical order, going from
controller to controller, and master to slave.
3.5. Language Selection
Using your mouse, select the language you would prefer to use for the installation and as the system
default (see Figure 3-1).
Selecting the appropriate language will also help target your time zone configuration later in the
installation. The installation program will try to define the appropriate time zone based on what you
specify on this screen.
Once you select the appropriate language, click Next to continue.
Figure 3-1. Language Selection
Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 17
3.6. Keyboard Configuration
Choose the keyboard model that best fits your system (see Figure 3-2). If you cannot find an exact
match, choose the best Generic match for your keyboard type (for example, Generic 101-key PC).
Next, choose the correct layout type for your keyboard (for example, U.S. English).
Creating special characters with multiple keystrokes (such as Ñ, Ô, and Ç) is done using "dead keys"
(also known as compose key sequences). Dead keys are enabled by default. If you do not wish to use
them, select Disable dead keys.
Tip
The following example will help you determine if you need dead keys enabled. An example of a dead
key is the backspace (^H) key on a US English 101 Standard Keyboard. Dead keys are not exclusive
to non-English keyboards.
To test your keyboard configuration, use the blank text field at the bottom of the screen to enter text.
Once you have made the appropriate selections, click Next to continue.
Figure 3-2. Keyboard Configuration
Tip
To change your keyboard type after you have installed Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES, log in as root
and use the /usr/sbin/kbdconfig command. Alternatively, you can type setup at the root prompt.
18 Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
To become root, type su - at the shell prompt in a terminal window and then press [Enter]. Then,
enter the root password.
Tip
To re-enable dead keys (assuming you chose to disable them during the installation), you will also
need to comment out the line enabling dead keys in the XF86Config-4 file (or, it you are using
XFree86 version 3, the XF86Config file) in /etc/X11.
An InputDevice section, that would disable dead keys on a keyboard layout that used dead keys (for
example, German), would look similar to the following:
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc101"
Option "XkbLayout" "de"
Option "XkbVariant" "nodeadkeys"
EndSection
By default, the keyboard layout for various languages which use dead keys should have them enabled
unless the nodeadkeys option is present.
3.7. Mouse Configuration
Choose the correct mouse type for your system. If you cannot find an exact match, choose a mouse
type that you are sure is compatible with your system (see Figure 3-3).
To determine your mouse’s interface, follow the mouse cable back to where it plugs into your system.
If the connector at the end of the mouse cable plugs into a rectangular connector, you have a serial or
USB mouse; if the connector is round, you have a PS/2 mouse or mouse port.
If you are not sure if your mouse is a serial or USB mouse, check the vendor documentation.
If you cannot find a mouse that you are sure is compatible with your system, select one of the Generic
entries, based on your mouse’s number of buttons, and its interface.
Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 19
Figure 3-3. Mouse Configuration
If you have a PS/2 or a bus mouse, you do not need to pick a port and device. If you have a serial
mouse, you should choose the correct port and device that your serial mouse is on.
The Emulate 3 Buttons checkbox allows you to use a two-button mouse as if it had three buttons. In
general, the X Window System is easier to use with a three-button mouse. If you select this checkbox,
you can emulate a third, "middle" button by pressing both mouse buttons simultaneously.
Tip
To change your mouse configuration after you have completed the installation of Red Hat Enterprise
Linux ES, become root; then use the /usr/sbin/mouseconfig command from a shell prompt.
To configure your mouse to work as a left-handed mouse, reset the order of the mouse buttons. To
do this, after you have booted your Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES system, type gpm -B 321 at the
shell prompt.
3.8. Welcome to Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
The Welcome screen does not prompt you for any input. Please read over the help text in the left panel
for additional instructions and information on where to register your Official Red Hat Enterprise Linux
ES product.
Please notice the Hide Help button at the bottom left corner of the screen. The help screen is open
by default. If you do not want to view the help information, click on Hide Help to minimize the help
portion of the screen.
Click on the Next button to continue.
20 Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES
3.9. Install Options
Choose the type of installation you would like to perform (see Figure 3-4). Red Hat Enterprise Linux
ES allows you to choose the installation type that best fits your needs. Your options are Server and
Custom.
Note
The choices for Installation Type presented on the Install Options screen vary depending on which
product you are installing.
Figure 3-4. Choosing Your Installation Type
For more information about the different installation classes, please refer to Section 1.5.
3.10. Disk Partitioning Setup
Partitioning allows you to divide your hard drive into isolated sections, where each section behaves
as its own hard drive. Partitioning is particularly useful if you run more than one operating system. If
you are not sure how you want your system to be partitioned, read Appendix D for more information.
On this screen, you can choose to perform automatic partitioning, or manual partitioning using Disk
Druid or fdisk (see Figure 3-5).
Automatic partitioning allows you to perform an installation without having to partition your drive(s)
yourself. If you do not feel comfortable with partitioning your system, it is recommended that you do
not choose to partition manually and instead let the installation program partition for you.
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