[ILUG] Getting started

[Vincent Cunniffe]

ilug-admin at linux.ie wrote:
> 
> Dear Sirs,
> 
> I have a k6/2/300 with 128MB, IDE0-10GB, IDE1-cdrw, IDE2-cdrom, IDE3-8GB,
> i740 AGP,w98, PCI hcf modem.
> 
> By using PM401 I have RH5.2 running in a 1GB partition near end of IDE0
> (1.7GB unused, and unsatisfactory in the long term), and a 4GB linux
> partition on start of ID3.  Presently running vga16 and can get basic gui
>  as root and as named user).
> 
> I want to install a new kernel (2.2.x) from a cd, and revised xfree86, but
> cannot find clear instructions.  I have the i740 stuff on the w98 disc
> (xbf-i740-glibc-1.0.0.1-i386.rpm and ditto.tar).

Well, in order to mount a CD to read from, you need to know where it is.

If it's SCSI, then it'll be called scd0, scd1, etc., in which case :

mount /dev/scd0 -t fat /cdrom

will mount the CD as a FAT filesystem under the /cdrom directory (if
you haven't got one, make it with 'mkdir /cdrom')

If it's an IDE CDROM drive, then it'll be called hdb, hdc, or hdd 
depending on which IDE slot it's connected to.

Once mounted, copy the files off the CD and onto your hard disk.

Making sure you're root, 'cd /usr/src'.

There will be a file there called 'linux', which is the source code
for your current kernel version. If it's called 'linux', then rename
it to something like 'linux_old', then extract the new kernel source
code into the directory with a command like :

	tar -xzf /cdrom/linux-2.2.12.tar.gz

which will extract it into a directory called linux under the current
working directory. 

Change into the new linux directory, and (if you're in running X OK)
type 'make xconfig'. If you're not running X, or if your resolution 
isn't up to it, run 'make menuconfig', which is a textmode menu
configuration system : not as pretty, but just as effective.

Run through all of the options given in the menus, selecting the bits
you want. In general, if's it's already selected and you don't *know*
that you're not going to need it, then leave it in. 

Once you're finished selecting options, type :

	make dep
	make
	make modules
	make install
	make modules_install
	depmod -a

to make the kernel and all of the modules and to install them ready
for rebooting.

You might need to edit /etc/lilo.cfg to give yourself two boot options,
which is always a good idea when testing a new kernel. Create one
entry that starts up with the new kernel, and another entry which
starts with the old, tesed one. That way, if the new kernel fails to 
boot or starts eating your keyboard, you have another kernel to 
drop back to easily. Details on configuring lilo are available in the
manuals and howto. Tip : when finished editing lilo.cfg, don't forget
to run lilo to update the changes to the boot sector. Just run 'lilo'
and watch the messages.

> I have explored various howtos, faqs, and man pages to the point of extreme
> frustration, but without success.
> 
> How do I get linux to see long filenames (I can read and copy files based on
> short msdos names)?

You need a kernel with the relevant filesystem support included, which
you can build for yourself as described above.

> Where should a package be when I rpm query or install?  Where should I be?
> I assume it knows where to go.

rpm --help will give the command line switches, one of which will show
you where the files will be installed.
 
> Sometimes rpm says the i740 package is already installed, sometimes not, and
> glint denies that it contains packages.

You can force it to upgrade/install using the --force switch.

> I can get a list of things I need to upgrade.  I can get these, but they
> must be on the w98 disc, since only w98 can use the modem.  Where should
> these files be when I try to upgrade?

As mentioned above, you can access the files by mounting them from 
within Linux.

> Xconfigurator does not run.  Glint runs but does not produce results.
> Control-panel fails, inadequate colour depth.

Yeah, get a new version of X running before playing with X apps. The
current 16-colour one isn't very helpful.

> How do I get linux to boot from hdd5, so that I can return all of hda to
> w98?

You need a bootable filesystem on hdd5, and you need to configure lilo
(which can be installed on another partition if you wish) to boot from
a named kernel image on that partition.
 
> Linux sees hdc at boot, but will not read from it.  How do I put up the
> second cd?

If you have more than one CD, then simply pick multiple mount points
for them, and place entries in /etc/fstab as below :

	/dev/hdc      /cdrom       iso9660 noauto,ro       0 0
	/dev/hdd      /cdrom2      iso9660 noauto,ro       0 0

> I am sure that there is a lot more, but that will do for now.  Should I
> change to rh6 or later, or go to suse?

Redhat 5.2 is fine for the moment : use it as a learning experience 
and switch up to a more recent version when you have the time and
feel inclined to apply everything you've learnt by doing a full
reinstall.

Good luck,

Vin