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Installing Linux only!

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efrain

Programmer
May 17, 1999
35
US
I purchased an old 486 pc that only has dos on it-&nbsp;&nbsp;I would like to remove dos and install linux so that it is the only OS on the system.<br><br>If I use DOS fdisk to fdisk the drive and don't set an active partition or format the drive will that get me set to install Linux?&nbsp;&nbsp;I have red hat linux 5.2 and it comes with a boot disk and a cd-rom that is automatically detected by the linux boot disk.&nbsp;&nbsp;Help! I'm a linux newbie and don't have very much knowledge in this area.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please any step by step instructions would be greatly appreciated.<br><br>Thank you in advance!
 
start instalation with the bootdisk(dont even need to touch DOS if you dont want to keep anything on it) when in the setup you are asked to setup partitions (I use the Linux's version of FDisk so i'll mention that)<br><br>press 'p' to see the list of partitions, then press 'd'(I think) and type in which # partition you want to delete, then type 'n' to create a new partition, type in 0 (if thats the lowest # you can) then type in in megs how big your rams are like if it has 64Megs in it, type +64M, then type 't', then type '1' (or whatever # partition you just created above) then type '82' that'll make it into your linux swap partition, then type 'n' again, then type '2' (for second primary) then type in the lowest number(to put it right after your swap partition) then type the highest numbeR(not megs) that'll fill up the rest of the harddisk, then press 'p' to verify you have a Linux Swap Partition, the size of your rams, and that you have a Linux Native partition filling up the remainding harddisk space, then press 'w' to write the Partition table, and it'll spit you back out to the setup, and press Done that you've created partition, and say yes to formating them, then the rest of the setup is upto you. <p>Karl<br><a href=mailto:kb244@kb244.8m.com>kb244@kb244.8m.com</a><br><a href= </a><br>Experienced in : C++(both VC++ and Borland),VB1(dos) thru VB6, Delphi 3 pro, HTML, Visual InterDev 6(ASP(WebProgramming/Vbscript)<br>
 
What flavour of linux do you want to install. I suggest Mandrake 7.1. It is excellant and easy to use espeshially for beginners. When you get the disk (downloaded from the internet, bought,&nbsp;&nbsp;borrowed(and yes that is legal)) you may or may not have to make boot disks. The cd itself is bootable so if the computer supports bootable cd-roms then you are set! otherwise you will have to use the boot disks. If it didn't come with bootdisks then you have to make your own from the images directory there is documentation on how to create the disks. Remember that you will probably have to use windows to create the bootdisk. After you finished booting the machine by your choosen method, follow the instructions, carefully.<br><br>Good luck <p>Troy<br><a href=mailto:fenris@hotmail.com>fenris@hotmail.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br>
 
I downloaded the ISO images off their site, and man was their FTPs fast, downloaded 1Gig in under an hour(about 255-280kps) , so downloading the ISOs of Mandrake 7.1 will let you burn to two CDs without a prob(I downloaded the distro, non-iso, it was kinda hard to back up not knowing which part was the extention CD and all) I think burning the ISO raw, would make it bootable. <p>Karl<br><a href=mailto:kb244@kb244.8m.com>kb244@kb244.8m.com</a><br><a href= </a><br>Experienced in : C++(both VC++ and Borland),VB1(dos) thru VB6, Delphi 3 pro, HTML, Visual InterDev 6(ASP(WebProgramming/Vbscript)<br>
 
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