Help Installing Linux
 

I never used Linux before in my life...
Im totally confused, I bought a CD called Fedora Linux Core 1 Source CD
Yeah, its 3 CDs, I tried 3 of them… no one has a file that can run…
So I thought Linux must be installed in a different way OR the cd I bought is not the one for installation?
So how to install Linux? I have winXP, cant I start installation from this windows or should I go to dos or what?
I want a daul boot
I have winXP on C:\ and I have another one empty for Linux…
Hopefully someone can help me.

when you put the cd in and then restart your computer, nothing happens? sounds like you have a bad disk. The first disk should be bootable. I've never use Fedora but it should be the same for all distro's

When you get to the point that it starts to boot, you have the choice where to put the linux install. usually it give what format the partitions on the hard drive are. For example, if you have windows it will say something like "FAT32" or "NTFS" partitions.
It may also give you a "Windows Format" or DOS format for the Windows partition.

Obviously you don't want to put the linux install there :p

After that, it should just be pretty much just a click fest to the world of Linux.

Be sure to back up your data from Windo$e though. Just incase ;-)

Check bios
 

Also make sure that you bios is set to boot from CD/DVD first, then the HDD. Reboot the pc with the first Fedora Core CD in the drive and see if it runs. If after that it doesn't, then yes you might have a bad disk or set of disks. Try this and see first, then post if you are still having problems or if you are stuck.

well I tried putting CD1 and then CD3 in the DVD Room but nothing happens
it writes
Boot From CD...
(as it always does, it checks if it must boot from CD)
but it continues to WinXP....

bad CDs???:cry:
are u sure??

ammmm..... how to make it boot from CD first?
sorry for dump question, never did this b4

I know that sometimes you need to hit "any" key to boot from some CDs, I don't think you'll need to do this on any Linux distro, however I would try it just to make sure. Also do you have a broadband connection or dail-up? If you have broadband, you may want to try to download a new set of cd's or try returning the cds and say that are a bad set, see if you can get a new set (this may not work since you already opened the cds - someplaces are jerks about this part.....)

to make changes in bios, you need to press either F2, del, or some other key while the pc is restarting . At that point you can move around a menu system to change things. Usually there is a boot up menu where you can change booting from cd, hard drive, floppy, usb, scsi, or network - depending on how new your bios is. check this first, then try what I mentioned earlier about hitting "any" key.

This is just a guess, but you say you bought some Source CDs, so the CDs most likely contain the source code of Fedora Core 1. What you need is the install discs. You can get them from http://fedora.redhat.com/download/#download (assuming you have broadband, of course.

By the way, Fedora Core 3 is now available.

ummm yeah I was afraid this is the source...
how can I know if its the source or not
the CD1 contains
Folder SRPMS
Files
.discinfo
GPL
README
RPM-GPG-KEY
RPM-GPG-KEY-beta
TRANS.TBL

PS: I have dail up 56k
I cant download linux from net, it would take me 4ever

I viewed the Read Me File
My PC is very new, I bought it last summer. P4, DTK PC, Intel Inside
Im must have not configured my system correctly to boot from CD... or something.
btw, I only have CD1, CD2, CD3
please help me:
this is the read Me file:

Fedora Core/x86 0.94 (Severn)
====================================

The contents of this CD-ROM are Copyright © 2003 Fedora Project and
others. Please see the End User License Agreement and individual copyright
notices in each source package for distribution terms.

Fedora, Red Hat, and RPM are trademarks of Red Hat, Inc.

============================================================================
DIRECTORY ORGANIZATION

Fedora Core is delivered on six CD-ROMs (disc 1 through disc
6). Disc 1 can be directly booted into the installation on most modern
systems, and contains the following directory structure (where
/mnt/cdrom is the mount point of the CD-ROM):

/mnt/cdrom
|----> RedHat
| |----> RPMS -- binary packages
| `----> base -- information on this release of Fedora
| Core used by the installation process
|----> images -- boot and driver disk images
|----> isolinux -- files necessary to boot from CD-ROM
|----> dosutils -- installation utilities for DOS
|----> README -- this file
|----> RELEASE-NOTES -- the latest information about this release
| of Fedora Core
`----> RPM-GPG-KEY -- GPG signature for packages from Red Hat

Discs 2 and 3 are similar to disc 1, except that only the RedHat
subdirectory is present.

The directory layout of discs 4, 5, and 6 are as follows:

/mnt/cdrom
|----> SRPMS -- source packages
`----> RPM-GPG-KEY -- GPG signature for packages from Red Hat

If you are setting up an installation tree for NFS, FTP, or HTTP
installations, you need to copy the RELEASE-NOTES files and all files
from the RedHat directory on discs 1-3. On Linux and Unix systems, the
following process will properly configure the /target/directory on
your server (repeat for each disc):

1) Insert disc
2) mount /mnt/cdrom
3) cp -a /mnt/cdrom/RedHat /target/directory
4) cp /mnt/cdrom/RELEASE-NOTES* /target/directory
5) umount /mnt/cdrom

============================================================================
INSTALLING

Many computers can now automatically boot from CD-ROMs. If you have such a
machine (and it is properly configured) you can boot the Fedora Core CD-ROM
directly without using any boot diskettes. After booting, the Fedora Core
installation program will start, and you will be able to install your
system from the CD-ROM.

If your computer must use a boot diskette to start the Fedora Core
installation process, you must use one or more image files to create
the necessary diskettes. You can find the necessary image files in
the images directory. This directory contains the following image
files:

- bootdisk.img - primary boot diskette image file

- drvblock.img - image file containing supplemental block device
drivers

- drvnet.img - image file containing supplemental network drivers

- pcmciadd.img - PCMCIA driver image file

A diskette created from the the bootdisk.img file is used to boot all
installations, no matter what installation method you select.

In addition, if you are performing anything other than a CD-ROM or
hard disk installation using only IDE/ATAPI devices, you will also
need to create one or more driver diskettes using one or more of the
driver diskette image files.

A diskette created from the drvblock.img file is required when the
system contains any non-IDE mass storage devices (such as SCSI disk
or CD-ROM drives) that are to be used during the installation.

A diskette created from the drvnet.img file is required when a
network-based installation method is to be used.

A diskette created from the pcmciadd.img file is required when
PCMCIA devices (such as a PCMCIA-based CD-ROM drive or network
adapter) are to be used during the installation.

To write any of these image files to a diskette, use either the
rawrite program in the dosutils directory, or 'dd' under any
Linux-like system. These programs will transfer the contents of the
image file to a diskette. Once the necessary diskettes have been
created, insert the boot diskette and boot your machine.

Also in the images/ directory is boot.iso. This file is an ISO
image that can be used to boot the Fedora Core installation
program. It is a handy way to start network-based installations
without having to use multiple diskettes. To use boot.iso, your
computer must be able to boot from its CD-ROM drive, and its BIOS
settings must be configured to do so. You must then burn boot.iso
onto a recordable/rewriteable CD-ROM.

============================================================================
GETTING HELP

For those that have web access, see http://fedora.redhat.com. In particular,
access to our mailing lists can be found at:

https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/

============================================================================
EXPORT CONTROL

The communication or transfer of any information received with this product
may be subject to specific government export approval. User shall adhere
to all applicable laws, regulations and rules relating to the export or
re-export of technical data or products to any proscribed country listed in
such applicable laws, regulations and rules unless properly authorized. The
obligations under this paragraph shall survive in perpetuity.

Hi,

Just had a look at some old FC2 discs. The first install disc contains the following:

autorun README-Accessibility RPM-GPG-KEY-beta
eula.txt README-en RPM-GPG-KEY-fedora
Fedora README-en.html RPM-GPG-KEY-fedora-rawhide
GPL RELEASE-NOTES-en RPM-GPG-KEY-fedora-test
images RELEASE-NOTES-en.html RPM-GPG-KEY-rawhide
isolinux RPM-GPG-KEY TRANS.TBL

a few of which you seem to be missing (which leads me to believe that your discs are, indeed, source CDs).

Just to clear up the booting from cd thing, do you have your XP CD (or recovery disc, or whatever)? Can you boot from that?

If you find you're able to boot from CDs generally, then it would seem that the discs you have bought are not the ones you need to install Fedora.

Are you able to get a copy of Linux Format magazine (or similar) in your area? It has a cover DVD which usually has a distro or two ready to insall off the disc (the latest one I've seen has SUSE 9.2 on it).

Unless you're certain that it's FC1 you want to install, I'd go for a more recent distro than that anyway (given that your computer is very new).

How about something like Point and Click Linux? It's an introductory book which includes a copy of SimplyMEPIS (you'll find it if you Google for it). Just an idea.

Failing that, if you're in the UK, I can post those FC2 discs to you (don't use Fedora myself). PM me if you want them.

Hope you get it sorted.

Hey Rubedogg, we have the exact same computer setup. Except I only have one 80 gig maxtor hdd. Lol well I thought it was cool. AMD rulz man.

Oh and, Instantly, many storebought computers are very hard to configure. If you do get it to boot I'll bet you'll have driver issues because of all the intergrated stuff.

lol, thx for your reply,
I'll try to boot from WinXP CD now...
but I dont live in UK or USA... and where I live 99% or ppl use Linux so it was hard to find a copy of the CDs...
I hope I can get a new release if this didnt work...
thanks agian

hey, I just saw Linux Suise Prof. or something like that.
since its prof. and I never used Linux b4 I didnt buy it.
is it hard to work with? and should I buy it?
it costs hear 13.5$
its 2 DVDs.

should I buy it or is it too advanced?:confused: