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| -rw-r--r-- | chapter_02.xml | 59 |
1 files changed, 36 insertions, 23 deletions
diff --git a/chapter_02.xml b/chapter_02.xml index e399dd6..5f9cf08 100644 --- a/chapter_02.xml +++ b/chapter_02.xml @@ -9,10 +9,11 @@ Slackware's installation is a bit more simplistic than that of most other Linux distributions and is very reminiscent of installing one of the varieties of BSD operating systems. If you're familiar with those, you -should feel right at home. If you've never installed Slackware or used -a distribution that makes use of a non-graphical installer, you may +should feel right at home. If you've never installed Slackware or have +only used distributions that make use of graphical installers, you may feel a bit overwhelmed at first. Don't panic! The installation is very easy -once you understand it, and it works on just about any x86 platform. +once you understand it, and it works on just about any x86 or x86_64 +platform. </para> <para> @@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ enter to let the kernel boot. </para> <screen> -Welcome to Slackware version 13.37 (Linux kernel 2.6.37.6)! +Welcome to Slackware version 14.0 (Linux kernel 3.2.27)! If you need to pass extra parameters to the kernel, enter them at the prompt below after the name of the kernel to boot (huge.s etc). @@ -63,6 +64,8 @@ boot: huge.s root=/dev/sda1 rdinit= ro In the example above, /dev/sda1 is the / Linux partition. +To test your memory with memtest86+, enter memtest on the boot line below. + This prompt is just for entering extra parameters. If you don't need to enter any parameters, hit ENTER to boot the default kernel "huge.s" or press [F2] for a listing of more kernel choices. @@ -70,7 +73,8 @@ for a listing of more kernel choices. </screen> <para> -You should see a lot of text go flying across your screen. Don't be +After pressing <keycap>ENTER</keycap> +you should see a lot of text go flying across your screen. Don't be alarmed, this is all perfectly normal. The text you see is generated by the kernel during boot-up as it discovers your hardware and prepares to load the operating system (in this case, the installer). You can later @@ -98,7 +102,7 @@ matches your keyboard type and continue on. </para> <screen> -Welcome to the Slackware Linux installation disk! (version 13.37) +Welcome to the Slackware Linux installation disk! (version 14.0) ###### IMPORTANT! READ THE INFORMATION BELOW CAREFULLY. ###### @@ -124,7 +128,7 @@ slackware login: <userinput>root</userinput> <para> Unlike other Linux distributions which boot you directly into a -dedicated installer program, Slackware's installer drops you into a +dedicated installer program, Slackware's installer places you in a limited Linux distribution loaded into your system's RAM. This limited distribution is then used to run all the installation programs manually, or can be used in emergencies to fix a broken system that @@ -168,11 +172,23 @@ in their man pages. <para> In order to partition your hard drive, you'll first need to know how to identify it. In Linux, all hardware is identified by a special file -called a device file. These are all (typically) located in the -<filename>/dev</filename> directory. Hard drives, both the older IDE -(PATA) and Serial ATA (SATA) disks are identified as SCSI devices by +called a device file. These are (typically) located in the +<filename>/dev</filename> directory. Nearly all hard drives today, +are identified as SCSI hard drives by the kernel, and as such, they'll be assigned a device node such as -<filename>/dev/sda</filename>. If you don't know which device node is +<filename>/dev/sda</filename>. (Once upon a time each hard drive type +had its own unique identifier such as /dev/hda for the first IDE drive. +Over the years the kernel's SCSI subsystem morphed into a generic drive +access system and came to be used for all hard disks and optical drives +no matter how they are connected to your computer. If you think this is +confusing, imagine what it would be like if you had a system with a +SCSI hard drive, a SATA CD-ROM, and a USB memory stick, all with +unique subsystem indentifiers. The current system is not only cleaner, +but performs better as well.) +</para> + +<para> +If you don't know which device node is assigned to your hard drive, <application>fdisk</application> can help you find out. </para> @@ -460,7 +476,7 @@ step-by-step. In order to do so, just type <para> Here you'll tell the installer where to find the Slackware packages. The most common method is to use the Slackware install DVD or CDs, - but there are various other options are available. If you have your + but various other options are available. If you have your packages installed to a partition that you setup in the previous step, you can install from that partition or a pre-mounted directory. (You may need to mount that partition with @@ -558,7 +574,7 @@ step-by-step. In order to do so, just type <para> The first thing you'll likely be prompted to do is setup a boot disk. In the past this was typically a 1.44MB floppy disk, but today's - Linux kernel is far too larger to fit on a single floppy, so + Linux kernel is far too large to fit on a single floppy, so Slackware offers to create a bootable USB flash memory stick. Of course, your computer must support booting from USB in order to use a USB boot stick (most modern computers do). If you do not intend to @@ -630,22 +646,19 @@ step-by-step. In order to do so, just type <para> You have three options when setting your IP address; you may - assign it a static IP, or you may use DHCP, or you may configure a + assign it a static IP, use DHCP, or configure a loopback connection. The simplest option, and probably the most common for laptops or computers on a basic network, is to let a - DHCP server assign IP addresses dynamically. In practice, this - often results in a consistent address since both - <application>dhcpcd</application> and - <application>dhclient</application> initially request the same - address previously assigned. If the address is unavailable then - the machine gets a new one, but on small networks this may never - happen. + DHCP server assign IP addresses dynamically. Unless you are + installing Slackware for use as a network server, you probably + do not need to setup a static IP address. </para> <para> - If the DHCP server on your network requires a specific DHCP + Rarely DHCP servers requires you specify a DHCP hostname before you're permitted to connect. You can enter this on - the <guilabel>Set DHCP Hostname</guilabel> screen. + the Set DHCP Hostname screen. This is almost always be the same + hostname you entered earlier. </para> <para> |