Compaq Comprehensive Guide to Installing Linux on DS10 Systems

Linux Installation and Configuration Guide for AlphaServer 10

For Alpha Systems Supported Options List:

http://www.digital.com/alphaserver/products/options.html

Red Hat Version 6.0 Distribution

Pre-Installation

Creating The BOOT Floppy

Before you can begin to install the Linux software on your AlphaServer or AlphaStation, you will need to create a BOOT floppy. This floppy contains the information required to initiate the installation of Linux. The process varies depending upon what software distribution you are using.

An important note: Our experience has shown that the vendor supplied floppy images sometimes do not work properly. You are therefore encouraged to create your own BOOT floppy using the images available over the Internet, as described in the sections that follow.

Creating floppies using a MS/Windows system

To create the BOOT floppy, you will need to make use of a PC, which has Internet access. The instructions below detail the process:

1.Create a directory on the PC into which you will copy files for Linux, for example \Linux.

2.Connect to the URL ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/Linux-Alpha/Images/ which is a directory containing the boot floppy image files.

3.Copy the generic-up.2.2.12.img file to your PC.

4.Rename the file to generic.img (DOS has an 8.3 file name limitation)

5.Insert the Linux CD-ROM into the PC.

6.Copy the file "\dosutils\rawrite.exe" from the CD-ROM to the \Linux directory on the PC.

7.Insert a blank, formatted floppy into the PC.

8.Run the following command from the DOS command shell:

C:\Linux> rawrite

Enter source file name: generic.img

Enter destination drive: a

Label this floppy "AlphaServer Linux BOOT Floppy".

With this floppy in hand, you are now prepared to begin the installation process on your AlphaServer or AlphaStation.

Creating floppies using an Unix system

To create the BOOT floppy, you will need to make use of a computer, which has Internet access. The instructions below detail the process. Note that depending upon what version of unix and vendor computer you are using to perform this process, some minor variations in the process may be required. The exact commands shown here are for Digital Unix, and should be similar to most other popular unix systems.

1.Copy the generic kernel images from the Internet to your computer: $ mkdir /var/tmp/Linux

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