1. Boot directly from CDThe Install CD is bootable. In most cases, just insert the CD into the drive and reboot the machine. Follow the instructions displayed on screen, you are done. top of this page
2. Launch install from MS-DOSIf you have MS-DOS installed on your computer, you can boot the installation system directly from the CD without using any diskettes. To do this (assuming your CD is drive D:), use the following commands:
C:\> D:
D:\> cd \dosutils\autoboot
D:\dosutils\autoboot> autoboot.bat
Note that this method will not work if run in a DOS window -- the autoboot.bat file must be executed with DOS as the only operating system. In other words, Windows cannot be running.
3. Make a boot floppy with windowsIf your computer cannot boot from the CDROM and previous methods do not work, you must make a boot floppy under Windows as follows: insert the CDROM, then open the icon "My Computer", right click on the CDROM drive icon and select "Open" go into the "dosutils" directory and double-click on the "rawwritewin" icon insert a blank floppy in the floppy drive select "D:\images\cdrom.img" in the "Image File" field (assuming that your CDROM drive is "D:", otherwise replace "D:" as needed) select "A:" in the "Floppy Drive" field then click on "Write".
To begin the installation, insert the CDROM in the drive, as well as the boot floppy if necessary, then restart the computer.
4. Other install methodsIf for any reason the previous methods do not fit your needs (you can't stand graphic install or you want to perform a network install or ...), you will also need to make a boot floppy. Below are the main stages of installation:
i. Mandrake Bootdisk Install
Under Windows, follow the method described in point 3, but using xxxxx.img (see below) instead of cdrom.img. Under Linux (or others modern unix) do :
$ dd if=xxxxx.img of=/dev/fd0Under MS-Windows do (under command MS-DOS) :
E:\>..\dosutils\rawrite.exe ../images/xxxxx.img
xxxxx.image is the boot image :
DrakX (graphical) install
cdrom.img:
hd.img:
network.img:
pcmcia.img:
install from CD-ROM
install from hard-disk
install from ftp/nfs/http
install from pcmcia devices see http://www.linux-mandrake.com/drakx/README for more technical information
Text Install
txt_bootnet.img:
txt_boot.img:
DrakX supports a text mode installation. To use it, type: text at prompt of syslinux. (it's on the boot just after the graphical logo). If you want to use the old text mode install use : install from FTP and HTTP
install from CD-Rom or Hard Drive
Rescue
rescue.img
You need 2 disks, one for an install image as explain above, and one you create with the image rescue Boot with the install image and at first prompt type "rescue". Wait to be prompted for the rescue image and insert it.
ii - insert your installation floppy disk and your Mandrake CD (if needed) in your drives and restart your machine.
iii - press 'enter' until the 'boot:' prompt appears and carefully follow the instructions which appear on the screen.
iv - after having chosen the installation language (such as French) and the keyboard (such as fr-latin1), chose " Disk Druid " in order to create/chose your Linux partitions. The minimum requirement is to create at least two distinct partitions:
your main Linux partition, which will need to be loaded on " / " ("Mount point : / "). This will be the root directory (" root directory "). The size of this partition will need to be at least 300 Mb. More experienced users may load the /usr and /home directories on supplementary partitions. a swap Linux partition. This partition will need to be equal to approximately twice the size of the available RAM (Random Access Memory), or more for a server. v - after the installation of all the partitions, you may configure your machine. Carefully follow the instructions and don't forget to correctly install LILO (Linux Loader) on the MBR (Master Boot Record) of your hard disk. vi - when the installation is complete take out the floppy disk and the CD-ROM and restart your machine.
vii - Linux should start. " Log in " as " root ". If X-Window is correctly installed, you should be able to start up KDE by typing "startx " on the command line.
Important note : the " root " account will give you unrestricted access to your Linux system. Do not use it except to configure or administer Linux. For every day use, use a normal user account with the " adduser USER " and " passwd USER " commands.
Good luck with Linux-Mandrake :-)
