Thread: Getting ready to install slackware linux

This thursday is the big day! Installing linux! Alright, I need to prepare so I don't waste time on thursday. I'm going to download slackware from www.slackware.org. I'm going to use fdisk to format the 20 GB hard drive (windows is not installed on that one).

At this point, there will be my 100 GB hard drive with windows on it.

How do I make a boot disk for installing linux? Also, when and where do I need to install [LILO?] for a dual boot setup? Is LILO the only option? How do I set it up?

Any tutorials on this would be helpful as well.

>> How do I make a boot disk for installing linux?

use the rawrite util that is on the cd to copy the right image (again, on the cd) to the disk. There should be a readme or something on the cd telling you which image you should copy onto it and how to use rawrite. Once thats done place the floppy in the floppy drive and the cd in the cd drive then restart + pray.

//I'm going to download slackware from www.slackware.org
Nice selection, slack, is one of the most big distros, and for a lot of users, is the best distro ever.

How do I make a boot disk for installing linux? Also, when and where do I need to install [LILO?] for a dual boot setup? Is LILO the only option? How do I set it up?

Slack will install this alone, you can make a system boot disk using rawrite, but do not worry, slack will install alone the LILO in /mbr (choose mbr, or else, if you know what you're doing).

So I don't even need to create a boot diskette? I've got two physical hard drives right now, neither have partitions. They are the c: and f:. I am going to format the f:. After that I just go into the BIOS, change boot order to boot from CD-ROM first, put in slackware CD that I get from www.slackware.org (download of course), then the install should start up?

And I get to select the hda2 or whatever it is called?

So I don't even need to create a boot diskette?

No, you dont need, the only case that you'll need is if the cd-rom, isnt making any boot.

Remember, linux don't work under FAT's or NTFS.
You'll need to create an special partition with EXT as file system.

You can do this, trough the fdisk, during the linux installation, it may require you some hability with working in Fdisk, but this fdisk is more difficult than the Window's one.

is there anything special i need to do or prepare prior to installation that will enable me to have a dual-boot with windows and linux?

pray

Someone above said slack will install LILO. What do I set for the boot order in BIOS after I've installed?

hey man i'll be fine, im good at figuring things out

Originally posted by Scourfish
On the contrary, you can install linux on a FAT partition.

Also, instead of messing up your hard drive, I'd try a cd rom bootable linux distro like demolinux or knoppix first.

Not all the linux dude, not all!