For dual boot with windows, first install the windows in the C drive then the linux in any logical partition.
Select to download the fedora latest iso's from the fedora core mirrors.
B: Once downloaded the iso's, check the iso images for inegrity with sha1sum, to check in a linux terminale run the command:
sha1sum <fedora_ iso_name>
For windows download the digsum.zip, unzip and run the sha1sum in dos. Compare the result of sha1sum with the sha1sum from the fedora iso's directory.
Now the iso's can be brun to cd's or if there is no cd burning facilites, can be install from the hard disk, for installation from hard disk visit HD INSTALLATION.
The option for burning cd's should be as 'disc image' or 'Burn Image' or any similar option from the cd burning software. C:Change the first boot device to cdrom and put the first cd of fedora, if bios doesn't support the cdrom, download the smart boot manager, and write to the floppy, for writing details read the faq 7.
For graphical installation hit the retrun, for text installlaion which need less memory, in the boot prompt type:
linux text
For other linux installation options like from hard dirve or netwrok Write:
linux askmethod
Select the installatin Language and keyboard layout the defaults are englisth US. D:Test the installation cd's, becuase with any corrupt cd the installation process will abort there is no option to skip the corrupt file, in graphic installation select the ok for ckecking cd's, while in the text installaion in the boot prompt type:
linux mediacheck
The mediacheck function is highly sensitive, and may report some usable discs as faulty. This result is often caused by disc writing software that does not include padding when creating discs from ISO files. for best results with the mediacheck add the bellow command:
ide=nodma
If in the installaion get some vague error messages, in the boot type:
linux acpi=off nofb E: check new installation for the fresh install or select upgrade to keep your previous fedra core settings.
F: Disk partitioning:
Fedora core need free space or free partition in the hard disk, this can be done with any disk manager from windows or linux or while installation with the disk deruid, there are three options:
The first and default option is to use the whole hard disk for linux, the second potion is to use the free space, these are all automatic partitions by the disk manager, the third option is custom partition by the choice, with this option can keep the other partition data and create partition for linux installation.
Here is the short description for linux nomenclature of hard disks and partitions:
Primary master is /dev/hda or /dev/sda
Primary slave is /dev/hdb or /dev/sdb
Secondary master is /dev/hdc or /dev/sdc
Secondary slave is /dev/hdd or /dev/sdd
In linux the first 4 digits are spared for primary partitions even if they didn't exist, for example if you have just one primary partition C, in linux this will be /dev/hda1, the 2 more digits will be escaped, exteneded partition which have no name in the windows in linux it is /dev/hda4, and the first logical partition D is /dev/hda5 and so on, for more details read faq 15.
Linux at least need two paritions one for swap and the second for /, it depends, one can make as many paritions as he want, to keep the important data make a separate partition and mount it with a name like /store, size of partition depends on the installaion packages, some one the size of swap partition shoud be double the RAM size and / to suffice the install pacakges or as big as you wish, swap don't have mount point just select to format,for root the mount point is / and better to format as ext3, linux has filesystem like ext2, ext3, rieserfs etc.
Disk manager can delete or resize any existing windows or linux partitions to make free space. T create new partiton, select the free space click on create, write the mount point, write the size, and select format as ex3.
To mount the windows partitions select the partition, click on edit, write the mount point and select the leave it unchanged. G: Select Packages For Installation:
All linux distros and fedora as well are collection of certain packages, one can customize installation as per need like for server, office etc, fedora has 3 options:
1, Office
2, Developing
3, Server
Select one, and continue for the default installation or for customize, click one customize packages, better to continue with the defualt installation and then add or remove packages after installation, for how to read faqs. H: Bootloader:
A bootloader boot you to linux or any other operaing system you installed, the default bootloader for fedaroa core is grub, select to install to the mbr, grub will add the other installed operating systems as well.
If want to keep the mbr intact click on the advanced boot loader, and select to install to the first sector of root partition, but after installation can't start the fedora, and need to use a second bootloader to boot the grub, for example the windows xp ntldr, for details read LINUX WITH XP I: Network Configuration:
Can configrue the network or leave it to configure later when installation complete.
Firewall:
Leave the firewall enabled, after installation can set the rules apropriate for the network, can use the other tools like shorewall firewall to easily confiture the network.
SELinux:
Select the defualt level for Selinux or as wish.
Time Zone Selection:
Disable the UTC if you run windows as well.
Set the Root Password:
Set the root password for the system, be carefull if one forgot the pasword, then cannot login to the system.
Additional Language Support:
Select the addintional languages want to install.
Click on next and continue to complete the rest of installation process. read the Start to linux and my faqs for starting of fedora core.
