4.1 History of Linux

machine must also have an IP address. You may also have to know the IP address of your name server if you only know the names of the machines serving as the source of the installation files. You will also have to create boot floppies with which you can initiate the installation process.
4.8.2 Installation Summary
As an aide to installing Linux on a single node, we provide the following "recipe" modeled after the Red Hat installation procedure. Most every Linux distribution can be installed in a similar way.
Boot the installation disk. Insert boot floppy. Alternatively, if your machine can boot directly from CD-ROM, insert the CD-ROM and set your computer to boot from the CD. After booting, you will be presented with a "boot:" prompt and possibly some instructions. To get started quickly, just hit enter at this stage.
The kernel will boot, emitting probe information about the hardware it detects. From this point on, you will be guided through your installation by a series of menus.
Select language. The first option you will have to select is a language. Most readers of this book will select English, although French, German, and a few others are supported.
Select the keyboard type.  The default US keyboard is usually selected, although different keyboard mappings are possible and indeed necessary for international keyboard configurations.
Partition your disk(s).  Before the installation can proceed, you will have to partition your disks. If your disk already has partitions, the installation program will detect them and allow you to delete them or add new ones. Unlike older Unix systems, PCs have a very logical partition scheme. Up to four primary partitions are permitted on each disk, and each primary partition may be subdivided into up to four partitions. Most installations will require only a few partitions, typically one or two file system partitions and a swap partition. Secondary partitions will only be needed for multi-boot installations, where multiple operating systems (e.g., Linux and Windows NT) exist on the same system. Casual Linux users may want to reserve hard disk partitions for other (possibly pre-existing) operating systems. For Beowulfs it is probably best to devote the entire disk to Linux.
You will always have to allocate a swap partition, even on large memory systems. By swapping out the initialization code Linux can run more efficiently. A general

 



How to Build a Beowulf
How to Build a Beowulf: A Guide to the Implementation and Application of PC Clusters (Scientific and Engineering Computation)
ISBN: 026269218X
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 1999
Pages: 134

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