Fedora Linux

machine architecture (i386, PPC, or x86_64), select the os directory, and then select the images directory. Download the file named boot.iso . (You can also find this file in the images directory of the Fedora Core DVD or CD disc 1).

Once you have the image files, burn them onto optical media using the CD-creator program available on the platform used for downloading. For example, on Windows you could use Nero or Roxio Easy Media Creator; on a Linux system (such as Fedora Core 4), right-click on the file and select 'Write to disc,' or use a tool such as K3B , xcdroast , or growisofs .

When burning a CD or DVD, use the ISO image file as the disc filesystem, but do not place the ISO image inside another filesystem on the disc. You will usually get the correct results if you save the ISO file to the desktop and then double-click on it.

To verify that the disk was created correctly, open it after you burn it: you should see several files and directories. If you see a single file with a .iso extension, the disc was not created correctly.

1.2.1.4. Buying Fedora Core CDs or DVDs

Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, it may be faster and cheaper to purchase a set of Fedora discs than to download the software. A list of online Fedora Core vendors is available at http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Distribution/OnlineVendors , and a list of local retailers carrying Fedora Core is at http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Distribution/LocalVendors .

1.2.1.5. Preparing files for a hard disk installation

To install Fedora Core from a FAT, ext2, or ext3 partition, simply copy the ISO image files for the DVD or CD set onto that disk partition. For example, on a Windows system with a FAT32 disk partition D: , download the DVD image file as though you were going to burn it onto a DVD but place the image file on drive D: (be sure to record the name of the directory/folder containing the images!).

1.2.1.6. Preparing a USB flash disk, network installation server, or PXE boot server

Each of these tasks is most easily performed on a running Linux system; see Chapter 10 for instructions. (Similar software is available for other platforms.)

1.2.2. How Does It Work?

An ISO image file is an exact copy of the contents of an optical disk. The name comes from the fact that data on optical discs is stored using a standard known as ISO 9660 .

Each type of boot media has a unique standard for specifying how boot data is stored. On optical discs, the El Torito standard permits the system BIOS to find the boot software. For USB disks, a standard hard disk boot sector is used. For PXE network booting, a boot protocol (bootp) server is used to identify the boot files, and a trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP) server is used to serve them to the client system.

The first piece of software that loads from the boot media is the bootloader: isolinux for optical discs, syslinux for USB flash drives, or pxelinux for PXE boot servers.

After accepting boot parameters from the user, the bootloader subsequently loads two files:

vmlinuz

A compressed Linux kernel; the heart of the Fedora Core operating system.

initrd.img

A filesystem image that is loaded into memory and used as a ramdisk. This provides the drivers, startup scripts, and programs to get the system started.

Once these files have been loaded, the kernel is executed and begins the install process.

1.2.3. What About...

1.2.3.1. ...installing from a floppy disk?

The Fedora installer has grown to the point that it no longer fits on a floppy disk. The USB flash disk method has replaced the floppy-disk boot procedure.

1.2.4. Where Can I Learn More?

? The Fedora Core release notes: http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/release-notes/ or in the root directory of Fedora Core CD disc 1 or DVD

? The Fedora Core installation guide: http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/fedora-install-guide-en/

? Documentation on syslinux , isolinux , and pxelinux : http://syslinux.zytor.com/

? Burning ISO images to CD/DVD: http://www.linuxiso.org/viewdoc.php/howtoburn.html

? Fedora on Macintel: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FedoraOnMactel

1.3. Installing Fedora Core

Installing Fedora Core is a simple and straightforward task on most modern computers.