lsg03.htm

linux-unix130.linux.and.unix.ebooks130 linux and unix ebookslinuxLearning Linux - Collection of 12 E

<P>The types of boot kernels usually available are described in a file in the kernel image directories (usually called README, READ.ME, or WHICH.ONE). The boot kernel images are named to reflect the hardware for which they have drivers installed into the kernel. For example, the scsi kernel image has drivers in the kernel for SCSI-based systems; if you are on a PC that has a SCSI controller, hard disk, and CD-ROM, this is the image you want to copy to your boot floppy disk. The number of boot images available is quite large. These are the primary images available from most CD-ROMs and FTP sites and the hardware they are designed to handle:



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aztech



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IDE and SCSI hard disk drivers, and Aztech non-IDE CD-ROM support, including Aztech, Okana, Orchid, and Wearnes non-IDE CD-ROM drives



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bare



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IDE hard disk drivers only (no CD-ROM support)



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cdu31a



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IDE and SCSI hard disk drivers, with a Sony CDU31 or Sony CDU33a CD-ROM drive



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cdu535



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IDE and SCSI hard disk drivers, with a Sony 535 or Sony 531 CD-ROM drive



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idecd



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IDE and SCSI hard disk drivers, with IDE or ATAPI CD-ROM drive



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mitsumi



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IDE and SCSI hard disk drivers, with a Mitsumi CD-ROM drive



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net



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IDE hard disk drivers and Ethernet network card drivers



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sbpcd



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IDE and SCSI hard disk drivers with Sound Blaster Pro or Panasonic CD-ROM drivers. This image is for CD-ROM drives run off a Sound Blaster card (as supplied in many Sound Blaster multimedia kits).



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scsi



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IDE and SCSI hard drivers with SCSI peripherals (CD-ROM drives)



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scsinet1



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IDE and SCSI hard disk drivers, SCSI CD-ROM driver, and Ethernet drivers for networking. The SCSI drivers support Adaptec 152X, 1542, 1740, 274x, and 284x adapters, Buslogic adapters, EATA-DMA adapters (such as DPT, NEC, and AT&amp;T cards), Seagate ST-02 adapters, and Future Domain TCC-8xx and 16xx adapters. SCSI adapters compatible with any of these cards will also work.



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scsinet2



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IDE and SCSI hard disk drivers, SCSI CD-ROM driver, and Ethernet drivers for networking. The SCSI drivers support NCR5380-based adapters, NCR 53C7 and 8xx adapters, Always IN2000 adapter, Pro Audio Spectrum 16 adapter, Qlogic adapter, Trantor T128, T128F, and T228 adapters, Ultrastor adapters, and the 7000 FASST adapters. Compatibles of any of these cards should also work.



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xt



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IDE and IBM PC-XT-compatible hard disk drivers</FONT>



</TABLE><P>With some distributions, an extension is added to the kernel image name to indicate the floppy disk type. For example, if the kernel image is for a 1.44M floppy disk, it will have the filetype .144 as part of the name. Similarly, a filetype of .12 indicates a 1.2M image. You cannot interchange these images, or the diskette will be useless (in other words you cannot load a .12 image onto a 1.44M diskette). Most distributions don't bother with this convention, since the files are in the appropriate directories for the floppy disk size.



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<P>You have fewer choices for the root floppy image. Most distributions include four basic images, although a few more esoteric images also appear from time to time. Each of the root images has the disk size as part of its name (color144 and color12, for example). The basic root floppy images are the following:



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<LI>The color image offers a full-screen color-based installation script for installing Linux.



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<LI>The tape image is designed to support Linux installation from a cartridge tape. This kernel has limited functionality and depends on the type of tape drive used. Typically, QIC drives are supported, but users of some models have reported problems.



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<LI>The tty image is a dumb terminal installation version with no color or graphics.



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<LI>The umsdos image is used to install UMSDOS, which allows you to install Linux into an existing MS-DOS partition. The installation script creates the subdirectories it needs. UMSDOS is not as efficient or fast as a dedicated Linux partition, but you can retain your current disk partitions.



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<NOTE>The color root image is a lot more attractive than the tty image and can make the Linux installation a bit friendlier. The color image is intolerant of typing errors and doesn't always proceed smoothly, however. It's worth a try, in most cases, unless you know exactly how you want to install Linux. The color process tends to require much more user interaction, including clicking OK buttons at many stages.</NOTE>



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<P>Once you have determined which of the boot and root images you will use (if you are not sure, pick the boot image that most closely matches your hardware configuration and the color or tty root image), you can create the boot and root floppy disks. If you choose the boot and root images incorrectly, don't worry. All that will happen is that you won't be able to install Linux, and you'll have to start the process again.



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<FONT SIZE=4 COLOR="#FF0000"><B>Creating the Boot and Root Floppy Disks</B></FONT></CENTER></H4>



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<P>You can create the boot and root floppy disks either from DOS or from UNIX (or Linux). If you don't run DOS yet, and don't have a DOS boot disk, you will have to use another machine to create the two floppy disks. Because creating the floppy disk from DOS is the most common method, this section deals with this method first.



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<P>To create the boot and root floppy disks, you must use a utility program to write the image to floppy disk. If you obtained your boot and root images from an FTP or BBS site, the files may be compressed and archived. If they are, they will end with the filetype .gz. Before you can install the images to a floppy disk, you must decompress them with the gzip utility. If you are working from CD-ROM, you will have to copy the files to a DOS hard disk because you can't write the decompressed image to the CD-ROM. Even if you start with decompressed files, it may be easier to copy the images to a temporary DOS directory as it will save you the hassle of worrying about directory pathnames.



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<P>To decompress a .gz file, issue the command



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<FONT COLOR="#000080">gzip -d &lt;filename&gt;</FONT></PRE>



<P>where filename is the name of the compressed file (including the .gz extension). The -d option tells gzip to decompress the file. After the file is decompressed, the .gz file is erased and only the decompressed file remains (with the same filename, without the .gz extension). To decompress the scsi.144 and color144 images, for example, you would issue the following commands:



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<FONT COLOR="#000080">gzip -d scsi.gz



gzip -d color144.gz</FONT></PRE>



<P>To write the images to the two floppy disks you need two high-density floppy disks and the RAWRITE utility. The two floppy disks don't have to be blank, as the RAWRITE utility doesn't respect DOS file formats (although the disk must be formatted). The two floppy disks must be high density, though. You can mix disk types (in other words, you can use a 1.2M boot floppy disk and 1.44M root floppy disk) with some distributions of Linux, although it's not recommended for most systems. Keeping everything the same disk size is a lot easier. The disks must be formatted using DOS' FORMAT program. The boot floppy disk must be the correct size for your system's boot floppy disk drive (A: in DOS terms).



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<P>RAWRITE is a DOS program that writes the images, block-by-block, to the floppy disk. To use the RAWRITE program, just enter its name. RAWRITE prompts you for the name of the file to copy, and the destination drive letter. RAWRITE will then copy the images. Once the process is completed, DOS cannot read the floppy disk. Label the disks as the boot and root floppy disks, for convenience.



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<P>If you have access to a UNIX or Linux system, you can create the boot disks from within that operating system. You will need to put the two image files on the UNIX or Linux system, and use the dd utility to copy them to the floppy disks. This is also the procedure to follow if you are upgrading your existing Linux system to a newer release. First, make sure the images are decompressed (no .gz extension). If they are not, decompress them with the UNIX gunzip utility (a GNU utility that you may have to obtain from another source, if it's not included with your distribution). To decompress files in UNIX or Linux, issue the command



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<P>where filename is the name of the image file with a .gz extension. The gunzip utility erases the compressed file and leaves an decompressed version in its place.



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<P>To copy the images to a floppy disk, you need to know the device name of the floppy drive within the operating system. For most systems, the first floppy drive is /dev/fd0, and the second floppy drive is /dev/fd1. (Some systems treat the floppy drives as raw devices, which have the names /dev/rfd0 and /dev/rfd1.) Copy the image files to the floppy disks with the command