Section Three: How to Install an Operating System (Red Hat Linux 8)

 

After the computer has been built, it is time to place an operating system upon it. An operating system manages the software and hardware on the computer and creates a static method in which to deal with computer hardware, without having to know the hardware details. In this case I chose Red Hat Linux 8 as my operating system as it is unknown to me and stable, unlike Windows. To install Red Hat Linux 8 complete the following steps.

 

1.      Turn on the computer and, when prompted, hit F10 or as otherwise specified to enter the computer “Configuration Setup.” In that setup click on “Startup” and change the configuration so that the first boot device reads as the CD drive you installed. Save the settings and exit

2.      Now when the computer boots up it will search for information on the CD drive first. Insert the Linux CD into the drive and wait for the Linux setup to initiate.

3.      Chose which mode you would like to install in, “text mode” should be used when your computer is slow, and low in ram. If your computer is relatively fast (300MHZ) and has a sufficient video card, select “graphical mode.” Then proceed to follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup.

4.      When you are asked to create a partition and you choose to do so manually, be sure to create a swap partition at least the same size as the amount of RAM you have. Ex- if one has 384mgs of RAM then their swap partition should be 400 or so mgs.

5.      Again, follow the onscreen instructions and complete the setup.