Chapter 2 Linux Installation and Usage. Objectives Install Red Hat Fedora Linux using good...

Chapter 2Linux Installation and Usage

Objectives

Install Red Hat Fedora Linux using good practices

Outline the structure of the Linux interface

Enter basic shell commands and find command documentation

Properly shut down the Linux operating system

Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 3e 2

Installing Linux: Preparing for Installation All OSs require a minimum set of

hardware components to function properlyCan be obtained from manual or file in DVD

of OS, or from vendor website

Each individual hardware component should be checked against the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) found on the vendor’s Web site


Installing Linux: Preparing for Installation (continued)

4Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, 3e

Table 2-1 Fedora 13 hardware requirements

Installing Linux: Preparing for Installation (continued) Need to identify software that will be

used in the Linux operating systemComputer’s host nameNetwork configuration parametersSpecific software packages to be installed

Create preinstallation checklist to document hardware and software information



Table 2-2 Sample preinstallation checklist

Installing Linux: Installation Methods DVD media FTP server HTTP Web server NFS server SMB server Packages on hard disk CD-ROM media


Starting the Installation and Checking Media for Errors Boot from first Red Hat Fedora Linux DVD A Welcome screen is displayed, can select

option:Default graphical installationInstallation with basic video driverRescue installed itemsBoot from local driveMemory test

Check media for errors prior to installationOptional, but recommended


Starting the Installation and Checking Media for Errors (continued)


Figure 2-1: Beginning a Fedora installation

Starting the Installation and Checking Media for Errors (continued)


Figure 2-3: Testing DVD media

Choosing the Language, Keyboard, and Storage Type Allowed to choose installation language Choose keyboard configuration

Keyboard model and layout automatically detected

Select types of storage devices used to host the Linux OSFor internal or locally attached hard drive

installation, select Basic Storage DevicesFor installation on SAN or DASD, select

Specialized Storage Devices


Choosing the Language, Keyboard, and Storage Type (continued)


Figure 2-4: Selecting an installation language

Choosing the Language, Keyboard, and Storage Type (continued)


Figure 2-5: Verifying keyboard configuration

Selecting a Host Name, Time Zone, and Root Password Supply a host name that will identify system on

the networkBy default use localhost.localdomain

Important to select correct time zone for the local system

Authentication: Users log in via valid user name and password

Configure two user accountsAdministrator account (root): full rights to systemRegular user account


Selecting a Host Name, Time Zone, and Root Password (continued)


Figure 2-7: Selecting a host name



Figure 2-8: Selecting a time zone



Figure 2-9: Setting a root password

Configuring Storage Devices Most common storage devices for storing

Linux OS are hard disksParallel Advanced Technology Attachment

(PATA)Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI)

Each hard disk is divided into partitionsPartitions formatted with filesystemsMaximum four primary partitionsExtended partition can be divided into logical

drives


Configuring Storage Devices (continued)


Table 2-4: Example of a partitioning scheme for a primary master IDE hard disk

Configuring Storage Devices (continued) Filesystems can be accessed if attached

(mounted) to a directory Minimum of two partitions

Partition for root directoryPartition for virtual memory (swap memory)

○ Area on hard disk used to store information normally residing in physical memory (RAM)

Automatic or manual partitioningBetter to manually partition



Table 2-5: Common Linux filesystems and sizes

Configuring Storage Devices (continued) Different types of filesystems

Ext2: used on most Linux computersExt3, Ext4: performs journalingVfat: compatible with Windows’ FAT

filesystemREISER: performs journaling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparasons_of_file_systems

Journaling: keeps track of the information written to the hard drive


Configuring Storage Devices (continued)


Figure 2-10: Selecting a partition strategy

Configuring Storage Devices (continued) When creating a partition, specify the

partition technology For standard disk partitions need to provide

information regarding size, filesystem type, encryption options and mount point

Instead of standard partitions, can create volumes that span multiple disksLogical Volume Manager (LVM)Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID)


Configuring the Boot Loader Boot loader: program started by BIOS at

system startupLoads Linux kernel into memory from hard

diskCan also boot other existing OSs

GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB): boot loader configured during Fedora Linux installation

Dual booting: choose OS to boot at startup


Configuring the Boot Loader (continued)


Figure 2-14: Configuring a boot loader

Configuring the Boot Loader (continued) Boot loader usually resides on the MBR

or on first sector of / or /boot partition

Kernel parameters: information passed to Linux kernel via the boot loader

Large Block Addressing 32-bit (LBA32): enables Large Block Addressing in boot loaderFor large hard disks not fully supported by

the BIOS


Selecting and Installing Packages


Figure 2-15: Selecting system role and software repositories

Selecting and Installing Packages (continued)


Figure 2-16: Selecting individual packages

Completing the Firstboot Wizard Complete the installation

License agreementUser accounts and authenticationDate and time

○ Network Time Protocol (NTP)Confirmation of hardware to be used

Log in with user account for daily tasks Use Network Login: authenticate users

based on an external database


Completing the Firstboot Wizard (continued)


Figure 2-18: Creating a regular user account



Figure 2-19: Choosing authentication options



Figure 2-20: Advanced authentication options



Figure 2-21: Setting the date and time



Figure 2-22: Viewing the hardware profile

Basic Linux Usage: Shells, Terminals, and the Kernel Terminal: channel allowing users to log on

to the kernel locally or across a network Shell: user interface which accepts user

inputs and transfers them to the kernel BASH Shell (Bourne Again Shell): default

Linux shellCommand line shell

Linux allows multiple terminals, each with its own shell


Basic Linux Usage: Shells, Terminals, and the Kernel (continued)


Figure 2-23: Shells, terminals, and the kernel

Basic Linux Usage: Shells, Terminals, and the Kernel (continued) Graphical interface

Start GUI environment on top of BASH shellOr, switch to a graphical terminal

○ e.g., GNOME Display Manager (gdm) From the local server, use key combinations to

change to separate terminal Command-line terminal may be accessed from

GUI environment Command line prompt:

Root user: #Regular user: $




Table 2-6: Common Linux terminals



Figure 2-25: Accessing a command-line terminal in a GUI environment

Basic Shell Commands Commands: indicate name of program

to execute

Case sensitive Options: specific letters starting with “-”

appearing after command name Alter way command works

Arguments: specify a command’s specific working parameters


Basic Shell Commands (continued)


Table 2-7: Some common Linux commands

Shell Metacharacters

Metacharacters: characters with a special meaninge.g., $

○ Refers to a variableAvoid use of metacharacters when typing

commands unless using their special functionality

Single quotation marks ‘ ’ protect metacharacter from being interpreted specially by the shell


Shell Metacharacters (continued)


Table 2-8: Common BASH Shell metacharacters

Getting Command Help

Manual (man) pages: most common form of documentation for Linux commandsAt command prompt, type “man” followed by

command nameContain different sectionsSearchable by keyword

Info pages: set of local, easy-to-read command syntax documentationAt command prompt, type “info” followed by a

command name


Getting Command Help (continued)


Table 2-9: Manual page section numbers

Shutting Down the Linux System


Table 2-10: Commands to halt and reboot the Linux operating system

Summary

Prior to installationVerify hardware requirements using HCLCreate preinstallation checklist

DVD–based installationEasiestMost common


Summary (continued)

Installation prompts for language, host name, date, time zone, keyboard layout, user account configuration, storage configuration, boot loader configuration, and package selection

Users must log in to a terminal and receive a shell before they are able to interact with the Linux system and kernel


Summary (continued)

From any type of terminal you can enter commands, options, and arguments at a shell prompt to perform system tasks, obtain command help, or shut down the Linux system

The shell is case sensitive and understands a variety of special characters called shell metacharacters, which should be protected if their special meaning is not required


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Chapter 2 Linux Installation and Usage. Objectives Install Red Hat Fedora Linux using good...

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