Hello everyone. My appologies for intruding upon your little community here but I need some help for linux, and it appears you guys have a nice lil community running here. I am completely new to linux, I have watched ppl use it before but never had any first hand experience! I have decided to go with Fedora Core 4 as my window into the linux world, I based this decision upon some input from a good friend of mine who is a network admin for a linux based server.
To get to my question. I have decided to go with a dual boot system, Windows XP with service pack to and Fedora Core 4. I have a 120 gig maxtor HDD that is partitioned, I am in the process now of getting everything off my second partition to make room for fedora. I have read that ppl have had problems doing this because of files that windows place at the end of HDD's, I do not believe I will have this problem before when I did my windows install...my HDD was already partitioned.

I downloaded fedora core 4 from here the fedora core 4 website. I downloaded the 64 bit version because I am running an AMD athlon 64 -bit 3200+ processor socket 754 with an asus K8V Deluxe motherboard. I guess my main question is now...what is my next step. I would assume that I would now burn all those .ISO files onto 5 different CD's and install fedora that way after I am finished getting my partition ready. Now should I also download and install this multi-boot program called "grub" I have been reading about? Is this essential to running a dual boot system? And if I do need to download and install this program where do I install? Sorry I know that probably sounds like a really dumb question but I really have no idea. Also, if I do burn all these .ISO files, when I put them into my CD drive to run them....does fedora setup like a windows would? Like does it take control and go ahead and basically carry on with the installation process itself? Or will I need to be inputting commands and what not as I go along?

Sorry I know thast a lot to read and take in. And I will probably think of more questions, I just want to make sure I do this right and get myself properly prepared!!

Any info would greatly be appreciated!! Thanks in advance

todd

Burn the isos to cd's
Grub is installed during the install.
It will list the Windows partition for you to add to grub during the install.
Very few commands needed.
When it first come up just hit enter to goto anaconda installer. Just answer the question as it goes along. It would be best to do a custom install and when it gets to packages to install goto the bottom of the list and selcet Install everything.

Also, if you'd like a bit of reading with screenshots of the install that will let you know a bit about what you're getting into, check out this: http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/fedora...-guide-en/fc4/

I would NOT go with the x86_64 version until more applications and drivers have been developed to work with 64 bit processing.

I'd be sure to check the integrity of the ISO images. FC4 usually take only 4 CDs. (The easiest way to do this is to take advantage of the opportunity to "test" the cds. This option is offered to you very early in the installation process.)

No need to -- installing grub is another option offered during install, and grub is the default.

Yes

yes

Oh wow thats awesome, that should help me out definetly. Thanks for the link

Thats a good point, I totally forgot about that. Thanks for bringing that to my attention!

Is this to ensure that the installation files are not corrupt in anyway? I guess there is no way to check until I have burned them all to CD's eh?

Thats some good advice guys I appreciate it! I will now need to go ahead and download 32-bit version of fedora core 4. I will maybe try the 64-bit version when I get a little more familiar with OS.

Well not quite true. "md5sum" can verify the integrity of downloaded images... but after you burnt the CDs, you'd probably want to test the integrity of the cdrom.

Oh! if you can spare the $20.00, head straight to the biggest magazine rack you can find and look for "Getting Started with Fedora Linux" magazine. It offers CDs, step by step guide, and good tutorials on how to use FC. You'll be in business -- if it is still available.

http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/

The fifth one is the Rescue CD. Yeah, he might need that.

Thanks for the heads up on that magazine. I don't know if they will have it here in Canada, but I will definetly check around for it! Hopefully I can find it!!

whats "md5sum" exactly? I have never heard of that. I have finished downloading all the 32-bit version .ISO files and will probably trying installing them this weekend since I have it off work. Hopefully I will be able to report back some good luck!!

Thanks again for the help

todd

A quick google search revealed...
http://www.openoffice.org/dev_docs/using_md5sums.html

Oh! remember to burn the CDs as an ISO image.

Yes I will remember to make sure that I am burning them as .ISO files. Just one quick question, I am assuming that this ins't going to be a multiple session disk correct? So should I set it as a "no multisession" burn?

I have my partition all cleared off and ready to accept fedora core 4. I just need to burn the .ISO files to the CD's

Four separate burns

Good Luck, Enjoy. One obvious question -- Uhm backups are made right?

Well I just transfered all of my files off the partition that I am planning to use for fedora onto my external HDD. I am not really to worried about windows...if anything happends to it its not hard for me to reinstall XP. I guess I could do a back up of it anyways. And thanks, I am definetly going to need it lol

Well I burned the .ISO's and that went well. However when I began the install and did the media test, all 4 cd's failed. I am wondering if I possibly did something wrong during the burn process?
I used nero burning rom to burn with. I choose CD-ROM (ISO), I then mounted the .ISO fedora core 4 file I then recieved this message :
" You have added a single image file to an empty compilation. To burn the content of this type of image to a disc, please use the "Burn Compilation" function from the main menu."

Would you like to close the current compilation and burn the image instead?"

The first time I got this message I said no and burn the first fedora core 4 cd, I then tested it in the drive and I was unable to my rig to boot from the CD and begin the install. So the second time around I choose yes and it took me to a new window and an option to burn the CD as a "CD IMAGE". I proceeded to burn it this way, upon completion I tried it and it booted from the CD and started the install. So I went ahead and burned the other 3 files ( which in hind site was dumb), I burned them all in the same manner. So when all were done and I started the install I did the media check and as I said before all 4 CD's failed. Anyone know why this might be? Also when I was burning I choose it not to be a multi-session CD.

Any suggestions would be awesome!

todd

This is correct.

http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/releas...fc4/#id2501928

Well I read that info on the link, I ran the setup with the "linux ide= nodma" and the media check still failed. I read that if you burn the CD to fast that it could corrupt the CD. So I burned the first fedora core 4 ISO file at only 8x, ran that install CD, add the "linux ide= nodma" at the boot command promt at the beginning of the install and I still recieved a media error. I am at a lose here. I would use md5sum to try and narrow down what exactly is causing the problem...it could very well be the CD's themselves. I am just unsure how to use md5sum, the instructions on the site are somewhat difficult to follow...at least for me anyways