Preparing your computer for Slackware installation
Slackware is one of the oldest Linux distributions and has been in development since 1993. It is widely used by developers and system administrators for its stability, security, and simplicity. In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to prepare your computer for Slackware installation.
The first step in preparing your computer for Slackware installation is to ensure that your system meets the minimum requirements. For Slackware 14.2, the minimum requirements are:
- Pentium-class processor
- 64 MB RAM (Recommended: 128 MB RAM or more)
- 2 GB hard disk space (Recommended: 10 GB or more)
- CD/DVD drive or USB port for installation
Once you have verified that your system meets the minimum requirements, the next step is to backup your important data. Installing a new operating system can result in data loss, and it is always recommended to backup your data before proceeding with the installation process. You can backup your important data to an external hard drive, USB drive, or cloud storage.
The next step is to download the Slackware ISO image. You can download the ISO image from the official website of Slackware or from one of its mirrors. The ISO image can be burned to a CD/DVD or a USB drive. If you are burning the ISO image to a USB drive, you can use a tool like Rufus, Etcher, or UNetbootin to create a bootable USB drive.
Before proceeding with the installation, it is recommended to check the integrity of the ISO image. The integrity check will verify that the ISO image has been downloaded without any errors and is ready for installation. You can use a tool like md5sum or sha256sum to check the integrity of the ISO image. The command to check the integrity of the ISO image using md5sum is:
md5sum slackware64-14.2-install-dvd.iso
The output of the command should match the MD5 checksum provided on the Slackware website. If the checksums do not match, it means that the ISO image has been corrupted during the download process, and you will need to download it again.
Once you have verified the integrity of the ISO image, the next step is to prepare your computer for booting from the Slackware installation media. If you are using a CD/DVD, you will need to insert the disc into the CD/DVD drive and restart your computer. If you are using a USB drive, you will need to insert the USB drive into your computer and change the boot order in the BIOS to boot from the USB drive.
Before booting from the Slackware installation media, it is recommended to disable any secure boot or fast boot options in the BIOS. Secure boot and fast boot can prevent the installation media from booting properly and can cause issues during the installation process.
Once you have booted from the Slackware installation media, you can proceed with the installation process. The installation process is straightforward and will guide you through the necessary steps, such as partitioning your hard drive, selecting packages to install, and configuring your system. It is recommended to follow the instructions carefully and to double-check your selections before proceeding with the installation.
After the installation is complete, you can boot into your newly installed Slackware system. It is recommended to perform any necessary updates and configurations to ensure that your system is up-to-date and secure.
In conclusion, preparing your computer for Slackware installation involves verifying that your system meets the minimum requirements, backing up your important data, downloading the Slackware ISO image, checking the integrity of the ISO image, preparing your computer for booting from the installation media, and proceeding with the installation process. By following these steps, you can successfully install Slackware on your computer and enjoy its stability, security, and simplicity.
Downloading and creating a Slackware installation disk
If you want to install the latest version of Slackware, you need to download the installation media from the official website. You can choose between two different types of installation media: CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. Make sure to download the appropriate one for your needs.
Open a web browser and go to the official Slackware website at http://www.slackware.com. Click on the “Get Slack” link to access the download page. On the download page, you will see a list of mirrors from where you can download the installation media. Choose a mirror that is located near you to ensure a faster download speed.
Once you have selected a mirror, you will be taken to a page where you can download the installation media. Click on the appropriate link to start the download. The installation media is quite large in size, so it may take some time to download depending on your internet speed.
Once you have finished downloading the installation media, you need to create a bootable disk. You can create a bootable disk using a CD or DVD burning software. Popular CD/DVD burning software like Nero or Alcohol 120% can create a bootable disk from an ISO image file.
To create a bootable disk using Nero, follow these steps:
- Open Nero and choose “Burn Image” from the main menu
- In the “Open” dialog box, select the Slackware ISO image that you have downloaded.
- Insert a blank CD or DVD into your CD/DVD writer and click on “Burn” to start the burning process.
After the burning process has finished, your Slackware installation disk is ready to use. Reboot your computer and make sure your BIOS is set to boot from a CD or DVD drive. Insert the Slackware installation disk into your CD/DVD drive and restart your computer. The Slackware installation process will start and you will be guided through the setup process.
When you boot from the installation media, you will be presented with a boot prompt. At this prompt, you can use various boot parameters to customize your installation. You can use the arrow keys to move up or down the list of boot parameters, and press “Enter” to select a parameter.
If you are not sure which boot parameter to use, you can press “Enter” to boot with the default settings. Slackware will start the installation process and guide you through the installation steps.
The installation process is straightforward. You will be prompted to choose the installation type, partition the hard drive, select the installation source, set the root password, and configure the network connection. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully.
After the installation process is complete, you need to configure your system. This includes setting up the user accounts, configuring the network settings, installing applications, and updating the system. You can use the command line interface or a graphical user interface to configure your system.
Overall, installing Slackware is a straightforward process. With a little bit of patience, you can have a fully functional Slackware system up and running on your computer in no time.
Booting from the Installation Disk and Navigating the Setup Process
If you are planning to install Slackware, you will need to know how to boot from the installation disk and navigate the setup process. The following steps will guide you through this process:
Step 1: Getting the Installation Disk
The first step is to obtain the installation disk. You can download the ISO image from the Slackware website, or you can purchase the disk from a third-party retailer. Once you have the disk, you can use it to boot the computer and begin the installation process.
Step 2: Configuring the BIOS
Before you can boot from the installation disk, you will need to configure the BIOS settings on your computer. To access the BIOS, you will need to restart your computer and press the appropriate key to enter the setup utility. The key that you need to press may vary depending on the computer manufacturer.
Once you are in the BIOS setup utility, you will need to change the boot order so that the computer boots from the installation disk first. The exact steps to do this will vary depending on your BIOS version, but you should look for an option labeled “Boot Order” or “Boot Priority” and make sure that the CD/DVD drive is listed first.
Step 3: Booting from the Installation Disk
Once you have configured the BIOS settings, you should insert the installation disk into the CD/DVD drive and restart the computer. The computer should now boot from the installation disk, and you will be presented with the Slackware setup menu.
The Slackware setup menu is a text-based interface that allows you to select the options that you want for the installation. You should use the arrow keys to navigate the menu, and the Enter key to select an option. The first option that you will see is “default”, which is the recommended option for most users.
If you want to customize your installation, you can select the “custom” option to configure the packages that you want to install. You can also select the “expert” option if you are familiar with Linux and want to manually configure the installation options.
Step 4: Configuring the Setup Options
Once you have selected the installation option that you want, you will be prompted to configure the setup options. The first option that you will see is the keyboard selection, which allows you to set the keyboard layout for the installation.
You should select the appropriate keyboard layout for your region, and then proceed to the disk partitioning options. The disk partitioning options allow you to configure the partitions for the installation. You can either select the “auto” option to let Slackware automatically partition the disk, or you can select the “expert” option to manually configure the partitions.
After you have configured the partitioning options, you will be prompted to select the software packages that you want to install. You should carefully consider which packages you want to install, as this will affect the functionality of your Slackware installation.
Finally, you will be prompted to configure the network settings for the installation. You should select the appropriate network settings for your system, and then proceed to the final installation step.
Step 5: Completing the Installation
Once you have completed the setup options, Slackware will begin the installation process. The installation process may take some time to complete, depending on the options that you have selected.
When the installation process is complete, you will be prompted to reboot the computer and remove the installation disk. You should remove the installation disk and press Enter to reboot the computer.
After the computer has rebooted, you should be presented with the login screen for Slackware. You can now log in to your newly installed Slackware operating system and start using it.
By following these steps, you should be able to successfully boot from the Slackware installation disk and navigate the setup process. With a little patience and some careful consideration of the setup options, you can have a fully functioning Slackware installation running on your computer in no time.
Configuring Slackware after installation
After successfully installing Slackware, you need to configure it to make it ready to use. The following are some of the things that you need to do to configure Slackware after installation.
Set the root password
When you first log in to Slackware, you need to set the root password. The root account has administrative privileges, and it’s essential to have a strong password to protect your system from unauthorized access. To set the root password, type the command passwd in the terminal, and follow the prompts to set your password.
Create a user account
Using the root account for everyday tasks is not recommended as it could lead to accidental damage to your system. It’s best to create a standard user account for regular use. To create a user account, type the command useradd username in the terminal. Replace “username” with the name you want to give to your user account. Next, you need to set a password for the user account using the command passwd username. Make sure to choose a strong and unique password.
Configure the network
Configuring the network is necessary to access the internet and communicate with other devices on your network. The Slackware installation process automatically detects and configures the network during installation, but you can modify the settings if necessary. To configure the network manually, you need to edit the /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf file. This file contains the network settings, such as your IP address, gateway, and DNS servers. Open the file in a text editor and make the necessary changes. You can also use the netconfig command to set up the network configuration.
Install additional software packages
Slackware comes with a minimal set of software packages, but you can install additional packages to meet your needs. Slackware uses the .tgz format for package installation, and packages can be downloaded from various online sources, such as the Slackware repository and third-party repositories. To install a package, download the package file, and use the installpkg command to install it. For example, to install the package firefox.tgz, type the command installpkg firefox.tgz in the terminal.
Update the system
It’s essential to keep your system up to date to ensure that you have the latest security patches and bug fixes. Slackware uses the pkgtool utility to manage software packages. You can use pkgtool to update the system by downloading the latest updates and security patches from the Slackware repository. To launch the pkgtool, type the command pkgtool in the terminal. Then, select the “update” option from the menu, and follow the prompts to update your system.
Configure the system settings
Slackware provides various tools to manage system settings, such as the kernel, services, and startup scripts. These tools can be accessed through the setup command. The setup command provides an easy-to-use interface to configure various system settings. To launch the setup command, type the command setup in the terminal. Then, select the category you want to configure, and follow the prompts to make the necessary changes.
With these steps, you can configure Slackware to meet your needs and make it ready to use. However, configuring Slackware requires some technical knowledge, and it’s important to be careful when making changes to the system settings. Make sure to back up your data before making any significant changes, and test the changes in a virtual machine or a test environment before applying them to your production system.
Troubleshooting Common Slackware Installation Issues
Slackware is known for being one of the most challenging Linux distributions to install for new users. However, with patience and determination, you can successfully install it on your computer. Despite the numerous guides and tutorials out there, you might run into some common problems during the installation process.From partitioning to bootloaders, here are the solutions to some of the common Slackware installation issues:
1. Partitioning
Partitioning is one of the significant steps in the Slackware installation process. If you run into partitioning issues, you’re not alone. The installation process will take you to the Partitioning/Formatting screen, where you need to create and format the necessary partitions. However, if you don’t know how to partition correctly, you might run into an error, “unable to allocate partition” during the installation process. The solution is to use a partitioning tool such as GParted to create the partitions before the installation process.
2. Bootloaders
After partitioning your hard disk, the next step is to install the bootloader. During the installation process, you’ll get to the lilo configuration page. If you’re experiencing lilo configuration issues, you can choose to install the boot manager directly to the Master Boot Record (MBR). Often the configuration file is /etc/lilo.conf, so make the required changes to ensure the boot manager installs successfully.
3. Network Configuration
If your network card needs configuration during the installation process, Slackware has a network setup tool called netconfig. However, if the tool fails, avoid panic and try the following in the command line: ensure that your NIC driver is loaded using modprobe and use a static IP address. Verify that the IP address and gateway setup are correct. Ensure that you can ping the router and check if the firewall is blocking incoming connections. Recheck all the fields that you filled out during the configuration attempt.
4. Unsupported Hardware
If the installation process can not detect your hardware, then the Slackware installation process will not succeed. You can still run Slackware on unsupported hardware, but you’ll need to identify the hardware and then install the appropriate drivers. You can install drivers manually or via third-party software with the required drivers. Slackware has support communities where you can get support for such issues.
5. X11 Display Issues
X11 is a window system for bitmap displays. Suppose you encounter display issues such as a blank screen or a system freeze after installation. In that case, it might be a driver problem. You can try re-configuring the Resolution/Refresh Rate by typing xorgconfig, then selecting the required resolution and refresh rate. Additionally, you can try re-installing and configuring the drivers using the official Slackbuilds.
Slackware is a great Linux distribution to use. However, installing it can be a bit of a challenge, especially for beginners. The installation process requires attention to detail to avoid common problems. Hopefully, this troubleshooting guide will help you work around the common Slackware installation issues you might encounter.