Chapter 1. Steps to Get You Started
 | Note | |
|---|---|---|
Although this manual reflects the most current information possible, you should read the Red Hat Linux Release Notes for information that may not have been available prior to our documentation being finalized. The Release Notes can be found on the Red Hat Linux CD #1 and online at:
|
Do You Have the Right Components?
If you have purchased the Official Red Hat Linux boxed set, 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 Linux that you purchased.
If you have purchased the Official Red Hat Linux boxed set from Red Hat, Inc. (or one of our 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 Linux available to you in the most convenient form. Because of these partnerships, you might find that your Red Hat Linux 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 Linux boxed set lists only our name and contact information.
Where to Find Other Manuals
If your particular product did not include all of the printed Red Hat Linux manuals, you can find them online or on the Red Hat Linux Documentation CD included with your official Red Hat Linux product.
To find the manuals in both HTML and PDF formats online, go to:
http://www.redhat.com/docs |
Registering Your Product
If you have purchased the Official Red Hat Linux boxed set, 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 Linux 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's technical support offerings, see Appendix C.
No Boxed Set? No Problem!
Of course, not everyone purchases a Red Hat Linux boxed set. It is entirely possible to install Red Hat Linux using a CD created by another company, or even via FTP. In these cases, you may need to create one or more diskettes to get started.
For information on downloading and installing Red Hat Linux, refer to:
http://www.redhat.com/download/howto_download.html |
For people installing Red Hat Linux from a CD-ROM not from Red Hat, you may need a boot diskette (also referred to as a boot disk), or if you are using a PCMCIA device during the installation (such as a laptop), PCMCIA boot disks. You may also be able to start the installation directly from the CD. We will discuss this in more detail when we outline the various installation methods. For information on making diskettes, see the Section called Making Installation Diskettes.