Note: Mandrake 7 has been obtaining a good reputation from those claiming to be in the know. Based on the installation and graphical administration tools, this is deserved. G77 Fortran is installed by default, and administration and updating is very easy to perform via the GUI Desktop.

Disclaimer

The following install and configuration should leave no open services for potential hackers to scan. This is consistent with setting up a client system or getting ready to create a server. In the following, the graphical CD-ROM install is shown. (If you are running X, use of port 6000 by X can be disabled by adding the flag '-nolisten tcp' to the "startx" X server command script.)

Note: Because of variations in install, multiple toolsets, (never knowing whether a previous install might have affected the next one); some/all(?) of the following information might be wrong; and there are probably better methods for doing the following. Keep this in mind and feel free to think a bit before blindly following the instructions.

Note 2: Most Linux installations have a habit of loading more than you really need and running deamons that you may not really need. After installing, doing a security audit and removing deamons you do not require is pretty much mandatory. Some of this is explained at the end of install file. Mandrake 7 Linux actually makes this very easy to do. As stated above, this installation tutorial has been modified to try and have this as hacker safe an installation as possible with by default, no scannable ports open.

Note 3: If running crystallographic programs compiled on Redhat Linux, it could be safter recompiling. Strange effects may occur otherwise with some programs such as Sir97, Dirdif and Crunch.

Warning: (was advised by local department network support group to insert the following) In some organisations and departments, installing unauthorized software or operating systems such as Linux could be a sackable offence. If in doubt, check with your network support group. Also, take note that some distributions and setup options may also install software deemed to be "hacker tools". Presence of "hacker tools" on a computer system could prompt management or criminal action against "offenders".

Also refer:

• Alternative Opinions on which Linux and Fortran compiler and multi booting system to use for Crystallography

• Ease of Installation and Configuration for PC based Operating Systems.

Backup your old stuff

The following method does the dual boot installation of Linux and Win95 from scratch using an unpartitioned disk. It is possible to install Linux on an existing Windows system without destroying the Windows area using FIPS or other similar non-destructive reformatting software (e.g., Partition Magic). However implementing that is possibly part of a "future" X hour hacking session; so we are doing "clean the disk - then install" method here.

"FIPS is a program for non-destructive splitting of harddisk partitions" - FIPs Webpage at: http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/people/chaffee/fips/fips.html. Note that an up to date FIPS is included in the Mandrake Linux tools area.

Partition-Magic is a commercial program with a good reputation for repartitioning without destroying your data: http://www.partitionmagic.com/

If new to Linux, Expect to Initially Waste a Lot of Time

Like Austen Powers(?), "It's UNIX Baby Yeahhhh!"
Also refer Unix-haters handbook - http://catalog.com/hopkins/unix-haters/handbook.html

Noting down the PC System Information

The only information that Mandrake 7 Linux requires is the Monitor type and information. It correctly probes the remaining hardware.

In this case:

• Viglan 300 MHZ Intel Pentium with 128 Meg RAM
• 3COMFast Etherlink XL 10/100 Mb TX Ethernet NIC (3C 905B-TX) on IRQ 9
• ATI Xpert@Work Video Card (ATI 3D RAGE PRO - DirectX) (MACH64 Drivers based for XFree86 Xwindows)
• iiyama 17" MT-9017T video monitor that can do (Frequency: 50/60Hz):
  • 1024x768 at 75Hz VESA; 60.02kHz HorizontalFrequency; 75.0kHz Vertical Frequency
  • 1280x1024 at 75Hz VESA; 79.98kHz HorizontalFrequency; 75.0kHz Vertical Frequency
• Generic Floppy Disk
• In board SYMBIOS Logic 875XSID (NCR53c8xx) (Hardcopy Manual: SYM8751SP) PCI Ultra SCSI Host adapter
• 8 Gig SCSI Fujitsu Hard Disk drive
• Yamaha OPL3-Sax Sound System
• Atapi CD-ROM: TEAC CD-532E
• MS PS/2 3 button Intellimouse

Eitherbuying or Creating your Own Install CD-ROM

Buying the Mandrake CD-ROM would be the easiest option but downloading an ISO CD-ROM can be quite easy as well if you have a good internet link. Most of the mirror sites also have ISO CD-ROM images that can be used to create bootable CD-ROM images. Refer to Mandrake Mirrors at http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/ftp.php3.

Obtaining Mandrake 7 ISO Images

Any decent CD burning software should be able to handle the following ISO images. Read the program help as it may require some special flags for burning ISO images (i.e., writing the File allocation table first).

• Hensa/UK Mirror: ftp://ftp.mirror.ac.uk/sites/sunsite.uio.no/pub/unix/Linux/Mandrake/iso/
• Sunsite UK: ftp://sunsite.org.uk/packages/Mandrake/iso/
• Sunet Sweden: ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/Linux/distributions/mandrake/iso/

Deciding now on the partitions

Summary: the old Redhat Linux 5.2 manual recommended you partition the hard-disk into segments. You can if you want to just partition the disk into one large partition that everything fits into if you want to - this can be much simpler but might hurt you in the future. I prefer to put everything on one partition with this laptop as expanding harddisk space is not a practical option - thus everything has to fit. (Please note that decisions made now can cause much pain and gnashing of teeth later). Hewever, the Mandrake 7 installer seems to use quite "intelligent" auto-allocation. When in doubt, go for a single "/" partition. But it could be worth while letting Mandrake 7 to the partition allocation for you - and that is what we will be doing here.

The following PC is configured to have 2 to 3 operating systems, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD. In principle, if you set up a dual boot system, then a multiple boot system is a piece of cake. The main limitation being that for PCs, each hard-disk can only have 4 primary bootable partitions. In this case, we will handle the simpler case of just having Windows or Linux.

• 4 to 8 Meg for the Partion Manager menu system
• 4 Gig for Win95
• 4 Gig for Mandrake Linux

Obtain the Ranish Partition Manager for DOS and create a Win95 Boot disk

After mucking around with a few utilities, the freeware Ranish Partition Manager for DOS is a work of genius for managing partitions and boot managing. Menu driven, it is a breeze to create and delete partitions, multiple primary partitions, configure the MBR area. It easily will fit on a Windows/DOS boot floppy with the rest of your boot utilities. (latest beta version at time of writing (27th April 2000) : was dated March 14, 2000)

• Ranish Partition Manager for DOS - http://www.users.intercom.com/~ranish/part/
• Ranish Partition Manager for DOS (Australian Mirror) - http://www4.au.freebsd.org/~ranish/part/
• Ranish Partition Manager for DOS (US Mirror) - http://www.ml.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~mranish/part/
• Ranish Partition Manager for DOS (US Mirror) - http://members.xoom.com/ranish/part/

• Handle disks over 8G
• Copy disks and partitions
• Format and Resize FAT partitions
• Boot MS-, PC-, DR- DOS and Windows NT from partitions above 2G
• Boot Partition Manager from a floppy without any OS
• Now added SIMULATION program which lets you play with Partition Manager without messing the real disk

Now before you consider deleting Windows, create a boot disk (format a: /u/s) and copy over the required utility software.

• Copy over the following to the floppy disk:
  • Ranish Partition Manager
  • format.com
  • fdisk.exe
  • edit.com
  • sys.com
  • xcopy.exe
  • xcopy32.exe
  • himem.sys
  • scandisk.exe
  • CD-ROM driver and MSCDEX.EXE
  • Anything else you fancy and that will fit.
• Configure the config.sys and autoexec.bat on the floppy so that it will enable the CD-ROM on bootup; plus himem.sys and any country specific drivers. Set MSCDEX to use D: drive for the CD-ROM. (We will be formatting the DOS partition of the hard-disk as C: drive.) In the case of this PC:
  • a:\config.sys

    device=a:\himem.sys
    device=a:\cdrom.sys

  • a:\config.sys

    a:\mcsdex\ /D: TOSCD001 /L:D /M:10

• Note: Having a loaded CD-ROM pointing to C: drive can possibly stuff up the partitioning process later on; though Ranish Partition Manager will probably warn you that something is going wrong. If in doubt, remove the CD-ROM booting from the config.sys and autoexec.bat.

Creating the LINUX Boot Images on Floppy Disk

Just in case your system cannot boot from the CD-ROM, you can obtain floppy disk images from the Mandrake mirrors. The Boot image you need is called cdrom.img

These are generally in the images directory of the media you intend to install from.

(choose closest Mandrake Linux mirrors via: http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/ftp.php3)

• Hensa/UK Mirror: ftp://ftp.mirror.ac.uk/sites/sunsite.uio.no/pub/unix/Linux/Mandrake/7.0/images/
• Sunsite UK: ftp://sunsite.org.uk/packages/Mandrake/7.0/images/
• Sunet Sweden: ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/Linux/distributions/mandrake/7.0/images/

Use rawritefor DOS or rawritewin for Windows from the dosutils directory to write/burn the images onto the CD. Standard "copy" command will not work. Just type rawrite and answer the questions.

• Hensa/UK Mirror: ftp://ftp.mirror.ac.uk/sites/sunsite.uio.no/pub/unix/Linux/Mandrake/7.0/dosutils/
• Sunsite UK: ftp://sunsite.org.uk/packages/Mandrake/7.0/dosutils/
• Sunet Sweden: ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/Linux/distributions/mandrake/7.0/dosutils/

Also refer:

• RawWrite 0.3 for windows (NT & 95)
  • "rawwrite (or rawrite) is the essential utility for creating boot and root disks for installing Linux. Unfortunately, it required DOS to operate, so here is the long awaited WIN32 version. It works under NT and 95."
  • http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/rawwrite.htm

Alternatively, if you are already on a LINUX PC, you can use the command:

• dd if=filename.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1440k
• dd if=bootnet.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1440k
• dd if=pcmcia.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1440k
• dd if=rescue.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1440k

Determine the Install Process/Method you are going to Use

You have a variety of options to install the Mandrake 7 Linux distribution. In this case, we are using a the bootable ISO CD-ROM. Though methods such as network (FTP) based network installation are also available.

Booting from Your DOS/Windows Floppy Boot Disk, Deleting Existing Partitions and Editing Master Boot Manager (MBR) Options

• If you had a single FAT-32windows partition, Ranish Partition manager might show the following information. (Screen Image of Ranish Partition Manager and original )

• Delete the existing partitions. (if you make a mistake - you can use the F3 "undo" button. Also, if you have already partitioned your hard-disk, you would only have to remove the non-windows partitions in preparation for Mandrake Linux)

• (If you want a nice graphical boot manager, select Text 25x80 under the MBR config, then add a "small" "Boot Manager" Partition (4 Meg) as the first Primary partition using the INS key (which gives a menu list of the possible file systems that can be added)) and set this as the Bootable Partition . Then, taking into account the above, continue on with the following.

• In the first "Primary" Partition, create a 4 Gig Windows FAT-32 Partition (when promped, save but DO NOT format as results may not be predictable. We use the Windows format.com program later.)
  Set this as your default Boot area using the B key. (Don't be too worried at this point if Ranish is unhappy about not letting it format the partition and says the DOS/Windows Boot Sector does not have valid information. Once it is formatted using the format.com program, it should have valid information).

• Highlight the MBR (Master Boot Record) and:
  • Set the MBR Executable to "Boot Manager"
  • Boot Interface type to "Text 25x80"
  • Check for Viruses "No" (otherwise you may not be allowed to save to the MBR)
  • Boot prompt timeout = "60" is nice?
  • Default Boot Choice of "Prompt User"

• Once you make these changes, Ranish Partition manager might show the following information. (Ranish partition Manager Screen Image with new Partition Information)

• Save using the F2 key.

• Ranish Partition Manager will then tell you that it saved the partition information to the hard disk (Ranish partition Manager Screen Image stating that is has saved the partition information)

• Now exit Ranish partition manager.

Formatting the C: Drive - MS-Windows FAT-32

• Just in case, reboot the PC from the Floppy disk.

• From the floppy disk, type format c: /s and when prompted: Y - you want to proceed. (/s puts the boot files on the hard-disk)
• Give it a volume name of DOS
• If you want to, you can now install Win95; but I would wait until after getting Linux happily installed in case some partition nuances (didn't allocate enough space to an important partition) come to haunt you.
• Take the floppy disk out of the disk drive (to check the boot manager is happy).
• Reboot the PC and you should be given a Boot Menu.

• The following is the type of menu to expectL (Ranish partition Manager Boot Menu)

Also Refer:

• reading linux ext2fs partitions with DOS/Windows
  • Explore2fs, the WIN32 explorer for Linux ex2fs partitions - http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/index.htm

Mandrake Linux Install

• Go into your PC BIOS and check that the CD-ROM will boot prior to the hard-disk. This will normally be in the "advanced configuration" or "boot" type of menu.

• Screen Image of: Order of Device booting as described in the PC BIOS

• Making sure the network is connected and you have all the relevant information specified above, insert the Mandrake 7 Linux bootable CD-ROM and reboot the PC.

• Mandrake will give you the following starting screen prompting for the language you wish to use. In this case, we select English(UK)

• (Note: You can go back anytime to a part of the installation by selecting from the menu system on the left hand side of the screen).

• When Mandrake prompts for the Installation Class, choose Customized so that you have more control of what is going on.

• When Mandrake prompts for the Usage you want, choose Development which gives you the C and Fortran compilers.

• As the hard disk on this PC is off a SCSI card, Mandrake will probe and indentify the SCSI card, choose Customized then request information on whether you have another SCSI card. In this case, the answer is No.

• When Mandrake prompts, this is an Install.

• A minor nuance with Mandrake, it automatically probed for a mouse but assigned a 2 button mouse. This is a 3 button mouse, so click on the Configure Mouse button on the left hand menu and select the PS/2 MS IntelliMouse prompts,

• Now when prompte for the keyboard type, confirm the UK keyboard.

• For the Miscellaneious Questions, going with the defaults if OK (Medium Security, etc)

• When presented with the FileSystem Types and Hard-disk Partitioning Screen, select Auto-allocate and Continue on. (It will not overwrite the Windows partition). If feeling nervious at this point due to the possibility of the "/" partition filling pu, delete the /home and expand the / partition.
  • Before Auto-allocate,
  • After Auto-allocate,

• The installer will then warn that the new Partition Table is going to be written to the disk. Continue on by selecting OK.

• When prompted format all Linux partitions.

• When prompted for packages to Install, in the list of options I tend to go for the KDE desktop but it is up to you to choose the desktop of your liking (Gnome or KDE). KDE presently seems slicker and more oriented towards users.

• Consider doing the following but feel free to make your own choices.
  • Deselect Gnome
  • Deselect Other window managers
  • Deselect Web Server
  • Deselect Network Management Workstation
  • Deselect Databases

• The installer will then give the option of trimming down the size of the install using a slide bar down to a minimum installation if you wish. Continue on by selecting OK.

• Mandrake will then calculate the time it will take and start downloading the selected packages. In this case, it will take about 12 minutes to install the packages.

• After downloading the packages, you will be prompted for the type of networking you wish to install. In this case, we are installing the PC on a Local LAN.

• Insert your IP address information .

• Insert the full host name, DNS Server and Gateway/Router.

• If you have FTP and HTTP proxies, insert them, otherwise continue.

• Confirm the time zone.

• Configure a printer if you wish.

• Enter a good, secure root password.

• Add a user with the tcsh (csh) so that the System S/Platon Single crystal suite will be happy.

• Get a floppy disk and create a boot disk.

• Important bit: It should be OK to install LILO int he default area. Do not install LILO over the MBR as this is where Ranish Partition Manager is and we want to use this, not LILO. If Mandrake complains that it cannot install the LILO boot loader, try using Linear mode.

• Stick with the default LILO entries. Select Done

• As part of the X setup, select your monitor type and continue.

• Select the resolution and colour depth you would like to use.

• It might be a good idea to test the configuration.

• If you want a pretty Graphical starting interface on bootup, you can start X on booting. I tend to not start X on bootup - but Log in via the command line, then type startx to start the X session. You might prefer the Graphical interface.

• You should now have a congratulations screen. Selecting OK should eject the CD-ROM, then reboot.

• On reboot, and you are given the Ranish Boot Manager Menu. Selecting the partition after Windows, should boot Linux.