VectorLinux HOWTO install it. 01/20/01
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# S E C T I O N 1. Partitioning and installation #
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Splitting your existing DOS/WIN Partition to make room for a linux
partition that will contain the Vector Linux operating system.
NOTE: you can split the C:\ Partition without deleting
anything from your DOS/WIN Partition if you have lots of extra
space:-follow everything below and PLEASE print it out
before or at least write down the pertinent steps.
ALSO NOTE: Some people feel more comfortable using the
program "Partition Magic" or similar for Win9x for creating
or splitting DOS Partitions. My method as illustrated below
uses 'fips20.exe' for splitting Partitions.
Here are my few steps. I will run through them quickly to
give you an idea. Then I recommend you read the ".Doc" file
that comes with the ' fips ' utility that will be used to
split your existing Partition. The FIPS utility resizes msdos fat-12
vfat-16/32 partitions without erasing your games and or Windows
applications. BE SURE TO USE FIPS 2.0, OLDER ONES CAN?T DO FAT32.
(Step.1) run "scandisk" on your C:\ drive <checks for errors>.
(Step.2) Defragment your C:\ drive <it moves all data
to front of the disk> THIS IS IMPORTANT !!
(Step.3) Create a Win95/98 or DOS bootdisk. You can do this from
from the control panel/add remove software icon.
(Step.4) Download the two Vector Linux installation files from:
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/vectorlinux/veclinux-1.8
or
ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/vectorlinux/veclinux-1.8
Unzip veclinux.zip with winzip or whatever unzipping utility you have.
Next move the veclinux.bz2 file into the veclinux directory that
unzipping the veclinux.zip file created for you.
(Step.5) Down load "fips20.zip" from the dostools directory at the
http/ftp site and unzip that file to your newly created DOS/WIN boot
disk.
So now you should have a DOS/WIN floppy boot-disk
with these four files below copied to it.
A:\fips.exe
A:\restorrb.exe
A:\fips.doc
A:\fips.faq
(Step.6) Now is a good time to browse through "fips.doc" file
and jot down some tips from it if you should need to.
(it's straight forward but recommended!.)
***TIP! Don't forget to delete the new 'UNKNOWN' Partition
after using fips***).
What DOS/WIN calls drives C:\ , D:\ etc.. Linux calls them as hard
drive numbered partitions.With the actual hard drive being lettered as
a, b, c, d etc.So if you only have one hard drive and its an ide style
drive then linux labels that drive as hda (hard drive a). If the hard
drive is a scsi style drive it is labeled sda (scsi drive a). Then the
individual partitions on the drive are numbered 1, 2, 3, and so forth.
Therefore /dev/hda1 is the first partition on the first or "A" drive,
/dev/hda2 would be the second partition on the first or "A" drive.
So "/dev/hda1" is actually the first partition which is C:\ in
DOS/WIN. We want to create "/dev/hda2" or D:\ in DOS terms, which will
be converted to the linux partition needed to install Vector Linux.
But before we can, we have to split the main partition C:\ which in
Linux is really /dev/hda1 into 2 partitions. ( seems confusing
at first, but you'll understand after a very
short time). Now were ready for the main step of splitting
the Partition (don't worry its fairly simple to do).
(Step.7) Reboot now and insert the DOS/WIN floppy boot-disk
we created and type "fips.exe". (It's pretty
straight forward from here on in, just answer the
questions fips asks you). The idea here is to split
the C:\ Partition, so you'll end up with 2
Partitions on your Hard Disk, the first will be your
original C:\> Partition and the Second Partition
will be the newly split PRI-DOS UNKNOWN Partition
/dev/hda2 which in time will be the linux Partition.
Remember to create at least a 250 meg second partition with fips as
you will need at least 200 megs for the main linux install and 50 megs
as swap space.
Exit fips now, and run fdisk.exe. Fdisk will show an 'UNKNOWN'
partition, go ahead and delete it. The Vector Linux installation
program will turn that new empty space into a linux and linux swap
partition.You can now reboot your system so all changes will take
effect.After rebooting go into DOS mode, pressing the [F8] will bypass
Windows9x.
(Step.8) Now enter your C:\veclinux directory (cd veclinux) and
type: 'ram.bat' The first screen asks if you would like to use a
different keyboard than the default US keymap, either select a
language or just press enter for the default.
(Step.9) The next screen advises you that Vector Linux assumes that
you already have a linux and linux swap partition prepared for the
installation. If that is the case then skip this section and proceed
with the install by typing 'setup'. If you have been following this
install guide and have only created freespace on your hard drive then
proceed with the following:
1. Hit the alt + F2 keys to give you a new screen.
2. Type cfdisk <enter> Starts linux's cfdisk partition utility.
3. Use the up/down cursor keys to highlight 'freespace'
4 Use the tab key to highlight [ new ] at the bottom of the
screen.
5. Press <enter> This will give you the freespace size in mb's.
6. Press <delete> then enter the size you want for the linux
partition ( at least 250). The next screen asks beginning or end,
Choose beginning.
7. Again highlight the remaining freespace and tab to [ new ]
press <enter>
8. This shows you the remaining freespace in MB's (at least 50 )
press <enter>
9. You now have two linux partitions displayed in cfdisk,
highlight the smaller (50 mb)and tab to [ type ] and press <enter>
10. You will be offered several different file system types with a
corresponding number.Please choose or type "82" for the file system
type, this is linux swap.
11. Now go ahead and tab to [ write ] press <enter> which writes the
new partitions to the hard drive. The partitioning is done so select [
quit ] and exit cfdisk.
12. Use the alt + F1 keys to get you back to the installation
program and type 'setup' <enter>.
(Step.10) The next screen offers you a choice of partition types or
cdrom that the installation files reside on. The most likely choice is
VFAT, if you are installing from your Win95/98 partition. If you have
purchased or burned a CD then choose Acdrom ( ide atapi style) or
Scdrom (scsi style). Use the cursor keys to highlight your choice
and the space bar to select.
(Step.11) The next screen asks which partition the installation files
reside on. If you have the veclinux directory on drive c:\ then type
in ' /dev/hda1' then press <enter>. If you are installing from a CD
then /dev/hdb or /dev/hdc should work depending on the number of hard
drives on your system. Just pressing enter without entering a value
displays auto-detected partitions/CD's to choose from.
(Step.12) This screen wants to know where you want to install the
main installation file.You need to enter the target or installation
partition here. If you have just created a new linux partition from
the previous section than /dev/hda2 should work here. Again, just
pressing <enter> will give you a list of available linux partitions to
install to.
Step.(13) The final screen wants to know where the swap partition is.
Enter it's value or just press <enter> to see a list of available swap
partitions.
The next part of the installation should be self explanatory as it
simply asks to test the veclinux.bz2 file (which you should do unless
installing from a CD) then installs the contents of veclinux.bz2 to
your linux partition.
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# S E C T I O N 2. Final Configuration #
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Your final option after the bz2 file has been uncompressed and copied
to the linux partition is to do final configuration. Answer yes here.
You will be presented with a graphical screen that offers several
configuration options.We will step briefly through the different
configurations that are available.
1) comset Use this to set up your mouse and modem ports
2) cdset Use this to assign your cd to the proper linux device
(/dev/hdc /dev/hdd etc)
3) keymap Use this to assign a different language to the keyboard
besides the default (US)
4) liloconfig Use this to set up lilo to boot your new Linux from the
main hard drive. This can be used to create a dual boot system i.e to
have the option to boot windows or linux when you first power up the
pc.If you have reservations about doing this than use the option to
create a linux boot disk on a floppy and your hard drive will not be
touched.
5)netconfig Use this to set your network parameters and addresses.
This program is only needed if you are connected to a lan or a cable
modem network
6)autonic This program will attempt to identify and install your
network ethernet card. Note this program only works for pci style
nic's. If you know yours is an isa style nic then you will need to
hand configure it.
7)pppsetup This program sets up your modem to dial an isp of your
choice.
8)Xset Presents a graphical set up tool to configure your system to
use the linux X window system.
9)Xtext This does as above but in text mode in case the graphical set
up fails on your system.
10)mcedit This will take you to the rc.modules file where you can
select hardware modules (drivers) to load on bootup. Use this for
sound card set up or ethernet cards that cannot be autodetected.
11)exit This saves and exits all of the above configuration
information and programs.
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# Section Three Let the games begin #
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Ok your new Vector-Linux system is now installed and configured.There
are a couple of recommended things you do IMMEDIATELY after you boot
into your new system. First you need to leave the install program so
type reboot and the system will do just that and restart your pc. If
you installed lilo to your hard drive or made a lilo boot disk (make
sure it's installed in the floppy drive)then lilo will boot the new
system for you. If you did not install lilo and wish to start your
linux from DOS than get back into DOS,change to the veclinux directory
and run the linux2.bat program. With any luck you should now be
loading Vector Linux and be ready to start your new system.After the
system boots and go's through it's internal configurations you will be
presented with a login prompt, type 'root' to login. The next thing
you should do is issue the command passwd. This will set up a password
for 'root' to give your new system better security.Lastly run the
'adduser' program which will set up a normal user (without all the
power that root posseses) that you should use on a a day to day basis
unless you need to add programs or do some system configuration.Now
you may want to try out the X window system that comes with linux,
type 'startx' to run the X system.
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thats all folks.........