Installation Do's & Don'ts

[Ramalingam]

Hello Buddies,
As I got enchanted with Linux , I thought of installing it ( I got CD ( Caldera) from College Library )). I presumed that it would be easy...
But I didn't know much details (Partitions etc.,)
I entered some /hd something...
I ended up losing all data...

Can you guide me now ? ( Any Online References ?)

1. About Partitions in detail
2. If there is already an OS ...
3. Do's & Don'ts

Thanks for any help !
Regards,
Ram.

[R. Sri Ram Kishore_1 · Accepted solution]

Hi Ram,

Here are some links:
a) http://www.ibiblio.org/mdw/HOWTO/Installation-HOWTO/
b) http://control-escape.com/obtain_install.html
c)http://www.tldp.org/LDP/gs/gs.html
d) http://www.linux.org/docs/beginner/install.html
e) http://www.pcplus.co.uk/tutorials/default.asp?pagetypeid=2&articleid=16265&subsectionid=377
f) http://www.techtutorials.info/linstall.html

HTH.

Regards,
Sri Ram

[R. Sri Ram Kishore_1]

Hi Ram,

More information about partitioning can be found here:
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/tutorials/3174/1/
http://pages.prodigy.net/jdjd/harddisk/partition.htm
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/tutorials/4269/1/
http://unix.ittoolbox.com/documents/document.asp?i=1439

HTH.

Regards,
Sri Ram

[Ramalingam]

Thanks a lot.
HAND

Regards,
Ram.

[Steven E. Protter]

Linux install comes with a handy little tool called Disk Druid. Its a GUI and it lets you lay out your filesystems with detail.

I strongly recommend that you make the following arrangements, based on my Linux experience.

1) Decide before install what space you need on what filesystem. Its not nearly as much fun making changes after the fact.
2) Swap should be set between 1.5 times and 2.0 times RAM. More will slow you down, less will lead to applications not working correctly.
3) Large /var filesystem. Thats where the logs go, and you need plenty of breathing room there.
4) Define your system purpose. If its learning or play around, any configuration will do. If you want to play with a web server, you need to have that in mind when laying things out. If you want to play with something like Oracle another animal all togetehr.

Most distributions of Linux will set up four primary parititions and the rest will be created in an extended partition.

If there already is an OS, back up the data and blow it away. I don't think dual boot systems are a great idea. Usually too much time is spent in the OS that you know and not enough time is spent learning.

Do's and don'ts

See above.

Don't be afraid to try things.
Don't be afraid to buy a book.
Don't be afraid to post error messages and less broad questions on itrc.

Good start.

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