Installing Fedora Core

First of all

Booting the Installer

The System will boot quickly to the first Setup-Screen, showing the blue Fedora Logo. The Boot Menu offers several Options including a Memtest Feature. Switch through the Menus or continue with the Enter-Key.
Using "linux askmethod" the installer will start up in Character Mode and, after asking for Install Language and Keyboard Type (see the Remarks below), will give a Choice of Install Sources including HTTP and Hard drive. If the Network Connection to the nearest Repository is fast enough select HTTP. The Installer will ask to configure the Network and the Server Name and Path to repodata Directory. This usually somewhere .../core/5/arch/os.
The aha7*** Drivers need some time to load, just wait.
If You know that the CDs are OK, the media check can be skiped.
The System will start the Installer and switch to ...

The VIA C3 Issue

C3 based Machines work just like all others in Core 5.
Special Procedures required for Core 2 and Core 4.

Graphical Installer

The wizard-like Installer displays a Series of Screens, asking for the basic Information needed to install Fedora on the Computer.
The Welcome-Screen is sporting the flashy blue Core 5 Logo. A standard CD-Install asks now for the Language the Installer should use for the Installation-Process. The Use of the default English is highly recomended, sice You can see Problems and ask Questions more easily in an international Audience.
But do set the Keyboard Layout to the one really installed on the System to be installed!

Next are the Disk Layout Screens. A root / and a swap Partition will be needed at least. The swap should be about 1.5 to 2 times the Size of the Memory installed, the Rest of the Disk will be File System Root.
The Boot Loader Screen offers various Choices to configure the Boot Process. I usually go with the Default here.

The Network Configuration will Show now. Uncheck DHCP if You are using fixed IP Adresses. Set the Hostname including Domain Name here as well. In an Network Install recheck the IP-Adress, Netmask and Gateway.

The Time Zone Page has a nice Auotzoom Feature now. It makes the Selection much easyier in heavyly populated areas.
For Linux only Systems select the System clock uses UTC Feature.

Enter a Password for the root User now.
There is a Rule for minimum Strenght of Passwords:

• 8 or more Characters long
• Use at Least 3 out of the following
• lower Case
• UPER Case
• 0..9 Numbers
• *=$ Special Characters

If You choose to customize the Software now, the next Screen allows to select and deselect Packages. This can be done with the Add/Remove Softare Tool as well, once the System is up.
The Installer will now check the Dependencies in the Packages selected for Installation and is then ready to install.
The selected File Systems will be formated now and, once that is finished, the actual Install Process is started.
For a standard CD Install keep the 5 CD ready.

First Reboot

RedHat nash 5.0.32 starting . . . . . sometimes takes some Time on SCSI Systems. So wait a little and the Installer will continue.

The System enters the graphical Boot and starts the First Run Wizard.
It asks to acccept the License Agreement and then presents the Firewall Defauts. I recomend to keep them as restrictive as possibile.

SELinux can be configured now or later using Security Level in the System Settings.

Adjust the Systemtime or set a Time Server to provide the current Time. In a Network with more than just a hand full of Systems it is highly recomended to use a Time Server. If there is a Server in the Network, this is the Place to put the Time Service (NTP) on and a DHCP Server to distribute this Information to the Clients.

Set the Display to a convenient Resolution now or using Display in System Settings later.

Create an Account that You will use for Maintainance, because it is not a good Idea to use root to Login on the Graphics. If Network Login is allready set up for the Network, it can be configured here also.

Last Step is the Sound Card Detection. Fedora Core 5 is set up now and presents the Login Screen.

Customizing the Installation

Here come all the little Twists that make Life easier with Fedora Core.

Desktops and ...

KDE

If KDE and Gnome is installed, Gnome will be the Default. You can change this Behavior by editing the File
/etc/sysconfig/desktop
as root. For an all KDE System this should look like
DESKTOP="KDE"
DISPLAYMANAGER="KDE"


To enable the various Features of the Login Manager, other than Themes, edit the File (Link) /etc/kde/kdm/kdmrc.
There are several Values to fool around:
[X-*-Greeter]
UseTheme=false
[X-:*-Core]
AllowRootLogin=false
Do not use the root User for graphical Logins.
Open a Terminal Session, su - and start kcontrol, to configure the Rest.

Management

Repositories

If there is a trusted Repository, it might be desirable to configure this one as Default.
That can be achieved by going to the Directory /etc/yum.repos.d and changing the relevant .repoFiles.

• Enable the baseurl Statement and point it to the Default Repository
• Disable the mirrorlist Statement by placing a # in Front
• Download the Repositorys GPG-Key and place it in /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/
• Point the pgpkey Statement to the downloaded Key

Other minor Anoyances

Flash Player

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Older Versions

The Pages for Older Versions are:

• Fedora Core 2
• Fedora Core 4