[Novalug] Beartoooths install ( if F12 )

Walt Smith waltechmail@yahoo.com
Fri Feb 19 20:50:09 EST 2010


hi,

I installed F12 recently.
A quick rehash of things I've already mentioned prior.

First, each PC may have their own bios name for the drives.
However, device names ( for drives) will be different than the older "hda"
names.  For example, an IDE parallel drive may be /dev/sda1.
You may already remember this, but I thought I'd mention it since
you did refer to "hda"..  So you may wish to check on names for
drive interfaces for Sata, USB etc...(I don't have sata or a usb drive).

The live CD ( about 700 megs) will simply copy over a 
binary image of an entire system.  The default hard disk install turns on 
LVM ( logical volume management ) and uses ext4.  I don't recall how
detailed the installation is since it's been a couple months now.  
When I say copy, I mean it writes over anything/everything on that
partition. It doesn't upgrade, it doesn't check for files... the live
CD simply plops the OS into the partition --- all new info.
i.e a big new binary image of an OS.

You may want to do some reading ahead of time on these issues.

The live CD may not install everything that the regular install CD does.
The Live CD I chose installed the gnome stuff, and NONE of the kde
stuff, including not installing any qt libraries.  Usually, a virgin
install from a "normal" fedora install CD/DVD will also install the kde
libs, and perhaps a kde app or 2. 

As I recall, Evolution emailer was installed by default, as well as
the Firefox web browser.  I recall installing separately ( and later)
Thunderbird emailer and all the kde qt libs ( including kdebase which
includes the browser konqueror).   So if you do a live CD install,
and want any kde/qt apps, expect to have to grab a bunch of
rpms or use yum and wait awhile...  

I later received a standard install DVD ( 3 gigs ) of F12, but did
not try to install that on top of the live install.  That may
be an interesting experiment.  Don't recall if it had the qt libs.
([post edit]  I just went and checked my F12 DVD package dir and it has
all the basic kde/qt stuff ).

The install isn't a big deal by itself.
Getting it ready for use is more effort.  You may want to install
with the intent of reinstalling later in order to screw around
for the education.   I used to do that: install once and examine
the choices, then do it all again.

I have a 512 meg ram box with approx a 40 gig partition.
I have a 1 gig swap partition, and the max useage I've seen is
about 100 megs, while running Firefox, gterm, gedit, and an
open office spreadsheet ( or 3).


Expect SELinux and "firewall" to be installed and enabled.
I disabled SELinux.  I allowed LVM/ext4, even though I haven't a clue
how LVM works, and no intention to learn in the near term.

In addition to RedHats doc's/man's online, here's a pretty useful guide:
http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mjm-fedora-f12.html

PS: re: NVidea-- I recently tried plugging in an older Nvidia AGP card
into the Fedora 12 box because of recent discussions, and the thing won't
boot at all..  The PC bios finds the NVidea card bios, and then the kernel
tries and tries and gives up.   Nope, didn't try any kernel options.
Didn't look for any either.


Walt.......




      



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