This details the install of RedHat 5.2 on one of the lab machines.
It may not be right for your home machine (it may not be right for
this machine, either) --- it is just meant to lead someone through
a first try at installing Linux.


Step 1: Set BIOS to boot off of CDROM

  - Go into the BIOS (the menu after the CMOS on our machines)
    and make sure the boot sequence has CDROM first.

Step 2: Install OS

  Part 1: Install information

    After booting off of the cdrom, you will be presented with
    a "boot:" prompt.  Hit Enter (or <CR>).

    At the welcome screen, select "ok".

    Select "english" as the language.

    Select "us" as the keyboard.

    Select "Local CDROM" for the media.

    Your CDROM should already be in, so just select "ok" when it
    asks you to insert it.

  Part 2: Filesystem information

    Select "initial" install.

    Select "custom" as your install type (the others will lay out
    the filesystem for you, but we want to learn about that, so
    we will do it manually).

    No SCSI.

    Select "Disk Druid" for the layout editor.

    Delete all of the partitions.

    Add the following filesystems:

    Mount point    Size    Type    (all: not growable, allow drive a)
    /              2024    Linux Native
    /opt           2024    Linux Native
    /home          2024    Linux Native
    /var           1753    Linux Native
    [blank]         109    Linux Swap

    Now you are done laying out the filesystems.

    Confirm swap space.
    - in practice, check for bad blocks.  don't bother here.

    Select all filesystems for formatting.
    - in practice, check for bad blocks.  don't bother here.

  Part 3: Software packages 

    Select: Printer Support
            File Managers
            Networked workstation
            TeX
            Emacs (not with X)
            C Development
            Development Libraries
            C++ Development
            Extra Documentation

    This will occupy 300MB.

    Select "ok" when it tells you it will log the install.

    [here it formats the filesystems and starts to install
     the software]

  Part 4: Hardware

    Confirm PS/2 mouse
    - select generic ps/2, emulate 3 buttons

    X configuration (we avoid it):

    - Select "Unlisted Card" for your video card
    - Select "VGA-16" as your X server
    - Select "Custom monitor"
      - Select "50-70"
      - Select "Don't probe"
      - Select "256k"
      - Select "No clockchip settings"
      - Select "Skip"

    Network configuration:

    - Select to configure networking now.
    - Select the "Digital 21040 (Tulip)" driver.
    - Select "Autoprobe"
    - Select "DHCP"

  Part 5: Services and final setup

    Time configuration:

    - Select "US/Central"

    Services configuration:

    - Select: atd-network (everything between these)
              portmap
              random
              syslog

      [uncheck any of the others]

    Don't configure a printer.

    Give a root password (and confirm it).

    Don't make a boot disk.

    Select "Master boot record" for the place for the boot loader.

    Select "ok" when it says that it is done.

Step 3: Verify successful installation

  Part 1: Booting

    Eject the CDROM before the machine tries to boot off of it,
    or reset the BIOS to boot off of the C drive.

    At the "boot:" prompt, press "Enter".

    Verify that you can login as root when the login prompt arrives.

     
  Part 2: Celebration

    You are done.