Ch.

2 Installation of Linux
Course Outcome
• O13RC58.1 Install & Configure Linux, Windows 2003 Server & set up
DHCP server.
Activity 1 Pre-installation checklist
• 1. Backup Your Data:Before you begin, make sure to back up all
important data on your system to prevent data loss during the
installation process.
• 2. Choose a Linux Distribution: Decide on the Linux distribution
(distro) you want to install. Some popular choices include Ubuntu,
Fedora, Debian, CentOS, and Arch Linux. Choose one that suits your
needs and level of expertise.
• 3. Check System Requirements: Ensure that your hardware meets the
minimum system requirements of the chosen Linux distribution
• 4. Create Installation Media: Download the ISO file of the Linux
distribution and create a bootable installation media. You can use tools
like Rufus, Etcher, or the dd command (on Linux) to create a bootable
USB drive.
• 5. Allocate Disk Space: Decide on the partitioning scheme for your hard
drive. You can choose to install Linux alongside your existing operating
system (dual boot), overwrite the entire disk, or customize your
partitions manually.
• 6. Backup and Resize Existing Partitions (Dual Boot): If you're setting
up a dual-boot system, backup and resize your existing partitions to
make space for Linux. Tools like GParted can help you with this task.
• 7. Gather Drivers (if needed): Check if your hardware requires any
additional drivers for Linux. In some cases, you might need proprietary
drivers for certain graphics cards, wireless adapters, or other
peripherals.
• 8. Make Note of Hardware Configuration: Take note of your hardware
configuration, including details about your graphics card, wireless
adapter, and any other hardware components. This information might
be useful during the installation process.
• 9. Prepare Internet Connection: Ensure that you have a stable internet
connection during the installation process, as you might need to
download updates or additional software.
Hardware requirements
• The minimum system requirements for a Linux operating system can
vary depending on the distribution (distro) and the specific use case.
However, here are some general guidelines for minimum system
requirements that should allow most lightweight Linux distributions
to run smoothly:
• Processor (CPU): A modern 1 GHz processor or faster is recommended.
Most Linux distributions can run on older or low-end CPUs, but a faster
processor will provide better performance.
• Memory (RAM): A minimum of 1 GB of RAM is generally recommended
for text-based installations and basic desktop environments. For more
feature-rich desktop environments or multitasking, consider having at
least 2 GB or more.
• Storage (Hard Drive or SSD): The base installation of most Linux
distributions requires around 10-20 GB of disk space. However, you'll
need more space for additional software, updates, and user files. A 40
GB or larger drive is recommended.
• Graphics:
• For basic desktop use: Any graphics adapter capable of supporting a resolution of 1024x768 or
higher should suffice.
• For 3D graphics and effects: A graphics card and driver capable of hardware acceleration are
recommended.
• Network and Internet:
• An Ethernet adapter is commonly supported out of the box.
• Wireless network (Wi-Fi) support varies depending on the chipset. Some may require
additional drivers or firmware.
• Optional:
• Sound card and speakers/headphones for audio.
• USB ports for peripherals.
• CD/DVD drive or USB port for installation (if not using network or USB installation methods).
• rocessor (CPU): 1 GHz processor or faster
• Memory (RAM): 512 MB RAM (system memory)
• Storage (Hard Drive or SSD): 2.5 GB of available hard drive space
• Graphics: VGA capable of 640x480 screen resolution
Pre-installation checklist
• Pre-installation checklist is the must have documentation before
begin installation of any operating system
• pre-installation checklist is an information about:
• whole system from computer hardware components
• Software
• version
• license key
• networking data
• hardware information.
Hardware

• Information about hardware can be found in the manufacturer's

manual.
• If the manual is missing, check hardware name and version or and
search it's information in the manufacturer's website.
• Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• Processor Type - i386, i486 etc :
• Processor Speed - Maximum speed in MHz :
• Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Memory Size - Size in MB
• Mouse Type - PS/2, USB, etc
• Keyboard Type - PS/2, USB
• CD-ROM drive Manufacturer - Sony, Samsung, etc
• Hard Disk Drive Manufacturer - Seagate, Maxtor, etc Type - IDE, SCSI,
SATA, etc
• Size - Size in MB/TB :
• Video card (VGA) Manufacturer - ATI, NVIDIA, etc
• Display Monitor Size of the screen - 14", 15", 17", etc :
• Printer
• Manufacturer :
• Type :
• Port :

• Networking information can be check with ipconfig command in

Windows Command Prompt and ifconfig in Linux terminal.
• Hostname :
• Domain name :
• IP address :
• Netmask :
• DNS IP addresss :
• Router IP address :
Installation of Linux OS
• Step 1:-Download the Linux distribution of your choice
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4 Start the installation process.
Step 5 Create a username and password.
Step 6 :Set up the partition
Step 7: Boot into Linux.
Step 8 Check your hardware
Step 9 Start using Linux.
System Installer
• A system installer, also known as an installation program or installer software,
is a utility used to automate and facilitate the process of installing software,
operating systems, or other packages onto a computer or a computing device.
• It guides users through the necessary steps to set up and configure the
software, making it ready for use.
• User-Friendly Installation
• Dependency Management
• Upgrades and Patches
• Rollback and Uninstallation
• APT or YUM
Adding and Updating Packages

• Advanced Packaging Tool (apt) to manage additional applications (in the form of
packages) and to install the latest updates.

Before running any apt-get commands you need to run apt-get update.
• Installing apps using apt is as easy as:

• $ sudo apt install app_name

Uninstalling an app via apt is also super easy:

$ sudo apt remove app_name

• To upgrade your installed apps, you'll first need to update the app
repository:

• $ sudo apt update

• if you want to update only a single app
$ sudo apt update app_name
• Removing unwanted applications is just as easy.
$sudo apt-get --purge remove gimp
Upgrade a currently installed package with
new version
Installing firefox
• $ sudo apt install firefox=45.0.2

• Updating Package
• $ sudo apt-get update firefox=45.0.2

• Upgrading Package
• $ sudo apt-get upgrade firefox=45.0.2
Find Version of package
• apt-show-versions {package-name-here}
Check os version in Linux

• The procedure to find os name and version on Linux:

• Open the terminal application (bash shell)
• Type any one of the following command to find os name and version
in Linux:
cat /etc/os-release
lsb_release -a
hostnamectl
• Type the following command to find Linux kernel version:
uname -r
$ cat /etc/os-release
• NAME="Ubuntu"
• VERSION="17.10 (Artful Aardvark)”
• ID=ubuntu
• ID_LIKE=debian
• PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 17.10”
• VERSION_ID="17.10"
• HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/
privacy-policy" VERSION_CODENAME=artful UBUNTU_CODENAME=artful
lsb_release command

• $ lsb_release -a
Sample outputs:
• LSB Version: :core-4.1-amd64core-4.1-noarch
• Distributor ID: CentOS
• Description: CentOS Linux release 7.4.1708 (Core) Release: 7.4.1708
Codename: Core
hostnamectl command

• $ hostnamectl
Static hostname: nixcraft-www-42 Icon name:
computer-vm Chassis: vm
Machine ID: beb217fbb4324b7d9959f78c279e6599
Boot ID: 10f00cc5ca614b518a84d1793d0134bc
Virtualization: qemu
Operating System: Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS
Kernel: Linux 4.10.0-42-generic
Architecture: x86-64
uname command
User and group management
• Since Linux is a multi-user operating system, several people may be
logged in and actively working on a given machine at the same time.
• Adding a new user involves dealing with an account other than your
own which requires superuser (root) privileges.
• In Linux, every user is assigned an individual account which contains
all the files, information, and data of the user. You can create multiple
users in a Linux operating system.
Creating a User
Without password but logged in as root
• adduser abc
• There are four main user administration files −
• /etc/passwd − Keeps the user account and password information.
This file holds the majority of information about accounts on the
Unix/Linux system.
• /etc/shadow − Holds the encrypted password of the corresponding
account.
• /etc/group − This file contains the group information for each
account.
• /etc/gshadow − This file contains secure group account information.
• When a new user account is added to the system, the following
operations are performed.
• 1. His/her home directory is created (/home/username by default).
• 2. The following hidden files are copied into the user’s home
directory, and will be used to provide environment variables for
his/her user session.
• .bash_logout
• .bash_profile
Understanding /etc/passwd

• [username]:[x]:[UID]:[GID]:[Comment]:[Home directory]:[Default shell]

• Fields [username] and [Comment] are self explanatory.

• The x in the second field indicates that the account is protected by a shadowed
password (in /etc/shadow), which is needed to logon as [username].
• The [UID] and [GID] fields are integers that represent the User IDentification and
the primary Group IDentification to which [username] belongs, respectively.
• The [Home directory] indicates the absolute path to [username]’s home directory,
and
• The [Default shell] is the shell that will be made available to this user when he or
she logins the system.
Understanding /etc/group

• [Group name]:[Group password]:[GID]:[Group members]

Creating groups and adding users

• sudo groupadd group name

• sudo groupadd editorial
Adding user to group
Removing user from group
Deleting, disabling account
Modify a Group

• To modify a group, use the groupmod syntax −

• $ groupmod -n new_modified_group_name old_group_name To
change the developers_2 group name to developer, type −
• $ groupmod -n developer developer_2
Delete a Group

• groupdel command and the group name.

• $ groupdel developer
Activity 2:Write Command to create and
delete user & Group