Installing Slack...Just a couple of questions
 

Hi Everybody,

I have decided to install Slack 10.2 as a second Linux along with FC4, which I mainly use for most purposes. I want Slack because I know it is stable and a good learning tool because it is an advanced system. I have just a couple of questions before I proceed:

1. I have gotten instructions on another post on how to enter Slack in my FC4 grub.conf file so that I can boot into it. However, in the Slack installation instructions, it lists a number of choices of kernels for various support. I will be using it on sda2 partion of my first hard drive with WinXP on it, a 160GB SATA (first drive). I have FC4 on the second SATA drive. My question is, which kernel do I choose for a fairly up-to-date system (AMD64 3400+, 1.5GB memory, 2 DVD writers, nVidia 5700LE graphics.)?

2. I have already partitioned the drive and allocated 12GB of space for Slack in ext3. A large part of the installation instructions are dedicated to partitioning. Will I need to do any additional partitioning?

3. I am assuming that the installation for Slack is mainly text based. Am I likely to run into anything that a relatively new Linux user will have extreme difficulty with? (Using Linux for about six months.)

Any help with the above will be greatfully appreciated.

Bob

1) Slackware 10.2 comes with 2.4.31 and with 2.6.13 under testing I really think you should go on 2.4.31 and after you got the system running compile 2.6 kernel yourself it isn't that hard, when you boot the cd be sure to use sata.i (http://www.slackware.org/install/bootdisk.php).
2) I think 12GB's is fine you don't have to partition more, Slackware will work fine, there're ppl that like that their /home folder is partition this way if they format or uninstall they don't loss their data but that's up to your choice.
3) Useful links: http://www.bitbenderforums.com/vb22/...?postid=311808
http://www.slackbasics.org/html/installation.html
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=174447

GL with Slackware.

Thank you. I don't know what difference I am going to see (I run FC4 with kernel 2.6.14 great). Still faily new, but installing this afternoon. As I mentioned, I am installing Slack to learn linux to eventually become an andvanced user and Slack was recommended for that purpose.

Thank you for your help..

Bob

Is looking at the link you provided, I could not see a step to by-pass partitioning move into the installation process. What would be the command line instructions to by pass partioning?

Thank you for your help.

Bob

Hi,

One, you will be installing using a curses based installation. You should do a full install, therefore preventing some mis-haps.
Later you can trim your OS with pgktool to rid things that you don't need. As a new user to a cli based install you might want to look at my sig for some good reference material. The Slackware Guide (#10) is a good place to start.

References 3,4,5, and 6 are real good. The guide #6 will help you with 10.2 setup, check it out. The RUTE is a real good read for general linux.

Yes, Slackware is a great distribution to use and know. The learning curve can be steep for some users. Your not going to get hand holding with this OS. Nothing between you and the system using the cli. Sure you can choose a GUI of your choice but to really get the girl to see the high notes, you will need to get to know how to tweak the system.

Out of the box the install is straight for some but others tend to get in trouble because they don't read or reference what should be done. LQ, Google searches will get you a lot of help with problems you might come across. Sure the Slackware forum is a good reference but to learn something you should investigate the problem and learn how to resolve it. If you get to a road block or stumble from a mistake you make then post here at LQ.

I like to offer the advice of using a system admin log to assist in the trouble shooting of any problems. A written entry is more reliable than one's memory. See;

http://learnlinux.tsf.org.za/courses...min/index.html

A guide that will get you on the trail of SyS admin. The system log can be used to back trail or show a history for what you have done. That way changes can be un-done in a manner to prevent you from corrupting the OS.


BTW, Welcome to Slackware!

HTH!

Thank you, gwsandvik. What a terrific reply! A lot of great info to get me started. I will be reading your links first, this I am attempting the install shortly thereafter. Even though I am still new to Linux, I believe I have learned enough about the command line to get through an install from the command line. As I mentioned, I have already allocated 12GB for Slack installation so I want to skip the partitioning steps. I hope I am able to do that because all of the instructions I have read thus far have included length details about partitioning. Time will tell. In any case, this will be the third install on my system (WinXP and FC4) so I will have to edit my grub.conf file, which I believe I can do now.

Thank again for your generous time answering my post.

Bob

One last question about installation of Slack. In the setup dialogue, I am asked whether or not to identify a DNS server. I connect to the net with a ADSL wireless router (the Slack machine is wired), and DHCP through the router gateway. I have never been asked about DNS on an installer for the network. Is this going to affect my connection with my ISP?

To the extent that the DHCP server is running properly on the router I believe you don't have to fill anything in and it will use settings provided by DHCP automatically.

Thank you for that. I was concerned that my net connection would be lost or unobtainable. Finally started the install and all seems to go well til I tried to boot to it.

I am using Grub as my bootloader in Fedora Core 4 and add the following to the Grub.conf file to add Slackware:

title Slackware
kernel (hd0,1) /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.31 root=/dev/sda2 vga-788 ro

This entry will not boot Slackware. Please note that this installation is on my first hard drive, a 160GB SATA drive with 142GB NTFS, 12GB ext3, and 3GB linux swap(82). I was guided in another post that Slackware does not use an init.img by default and to leave that out of the grub.conf file.

Could anyone guide me as to the exact way that the grub.conf file should be edited to boot Slack? I believe that is all I am missing.

Any help appreciated very much.

Bob

what error message are you getting when you try to boot the slackware install?

kernel (hd0,1) /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.31 root=/dev/sda2 vga-788 ro
---------------^ take this space out...but other then that it looks right.

Thank you for replying. The error I am getting IS:

Error 15: file not found

I believe it could be how I have put in (hd0,1), or it could be that I have left out the init.img line. I can boot into Slack with a boot disk just (I have done a little exploring, looks like just the distro I wanted to learn some of the more advanced stuff). Just need to figure out how to boot from Grub. I will try to change it to (hd0,2) and see what difference that makes. I guess this is one of those learning experiences I was looking for.

Bob

Hi,

Try Darrell Anderson's guide. In my sig ref #10.

He has a good grub section.

HTH!

Thank you for your reply, this is a good reference for grub. However, that is almost precisely the entry I have for the grub.conf for slack. The only difference is that he does /vmlinuz-ide, but mine is a SATA drive. He doesn't, however, include the /boot directory where I had. I tried again without the reference to the boot directory (since I did not install a boot loader with slack, I thought this may be the problem) but the results where the same: file not found. I believe it may have something to do with the way I have named the slack kernel (2.4.31), but I have rooted around the boot directory in slack, but found nothing revealing.

Looks like I may just have to boot slack from a floppy to use it. This one has me stumped.

Thank you for your help.

Bob

kernel (hd0,1) /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.31 root=/dev/sda2 vga-788 ro

i still think your problem is the "space" between kernl(hd0,1)"space"/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.31

take the space out.

when you leave the space in it like that your are telling grub to make your kernel be (hd0,1) (a partition boundary) and /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.31 is now a kernel option to be passed to the kernel ... this wont work.

the error file not found ... means it cant find your kernel image
you dont need an initrd in slackware or any linux for that matter its just a way to load modules that arent compiled into the kernel at boot time before any fs is mounted. you can use one but its not there by default.