Summary

In this chapter, we installed Red Hat Linux over a network. You need a second computer to hold the installation files. We looked at the process for configuring three network services: NFS, HTTP, and FTP. The step-by-step process is fairly straightforward. Details of each service are described in later chapters.

Then we looked at the various options for boot and driver disks. We then looked at the network installation process, in text mode, in a step-by-step fashion. We also took a brief look at the upgrade process.

If you have trouble with a network installation, you may be able to get clues to the problem using the installation message screens. If you have a network problem, most problems are physical; there are also a number of commands that you can use to inspect your network. One common mistake is to leave an active firewall on the installation server, which can block communication. Another common mistake is based on errors in IP address information. Finally, special problems can occur when you install Red Hat Linux on a laptop computer.

In the next chapter , we ll look at automating the installation process with Kickstart. Once you ve set up a Kickstart file, you ll be able to install Red Hat Linux on a several computers simultaneously , using the same network installation server.