Topics covered in this section include:
Getting Started
Switching from Other Operating Systems
Distributions
Installation
Kernel
Boot Loaders and Booting the OS
Parallel Processing
Partitions and Filesystems
RAID
Printing
Shell
Using Linux
Getting Started
INFO-SHEET,
Linux Information Sheet
Updated: September 1998.
Provides basic information about the Linux operating system,
including an explanation of Linux, a list of features, some
requirements, and some resources.
Unix-and-Internet-Fundamentals-HOWTO,
The Unix and Internet Fundamentals HOWTO
Updated: February 2002.
Describes the working basics of PC-class computers, Unix-like
operating systems, and the Internet in non-technical language.
Switching from Other Operating Systems
DOSEMU-HOWTO,
The dosemu HOWTO
Updated: December 2002.
DOSEMU stands for DOS Emulation, and is an application that enables the
Linux OS to run many DOS programs.
DOS-Win-to-Linux-HOWTO,
From DOS/Windows to Linux HOWTO
Updated: August 1999.
Written for all the DOS and Windows users who have decided to switch
to Linux.
Linux+Windows-HOWTO,
Linux + Windows HOWTO
Updated: December 2001.
Aimed at assisting those who wish to use
the features of both Linux and Windows on the
same host.
VMS-to-Linux-HOWTO,
From VMS to Linux HOWTO
Updated: September 1999.
Aimed at all those who have been using VMS and now need or want to
switch to Linux.
Distributions
CD-Distributions-EN-HOWTO,
English-language GNU/Linux distributions on CD-ROM
Updated: March 2002.
Intended to show prospective users or administrators
of a GNU/Linux system the range of choices open to them when deciding
on a distribution for the first time. It also aims to help experienced
users track the state of the GNU/Linux distributions market. It
emphatically does not aim to be a complete list of all GNU/Linux
distributions for all platforms and in all languages. The focus is
on popular English-language distributions; specifically compiled for
the Intel platform; available on CD-ROM; and easily accessible to the
first-time user.
Replaces the Distributions-HOWTO
Distributions-HOWTO,
Distributions HOWTO
[ Archived ]
Archived - Last Update: March 2002.
Replaced by the
English-language
GNU/Linux distributions on CD-ROM. Now lists CD-ROM-based
English-language Linux distributions only.
Further information on Linux Distributions can
be found on the Linux Weekly News (LWN) site:
Distributions
section.
Linux From Scratch HOWTO
Describes the process of creating your own Linux system from scratch
from an already installed Linux distribution, using nothing but the
source code of software that we need.
Replaced by the Linux From Scratch
book.
Installation
Pre-Installation-Checklist,
GNU/Linux Pre-Installation Checklist
Updated: November 2000.
An aide-memoire which may make installation of Linux a
pleasant experience for you.
Installation-HOWTO,
The Linux Installation HOWTO
Updated: July 2002.
How to obtain and install Linux software. It is the first document
which a new Linux user should read to get started.
Post-Installation-Checklist,
GNU/Linux Post-Installation Checklist
Updated: June 2001.
Provides a checklist for steps you should take immediately
after installing GNU/Linux.
Compaq-Remote-Insight-Board-HOWTO,
HOWTO Use a Compaq Remote Insight Lights Out Edition for a
Headless, Remote Linux Installation
Updated: April 2002.
Describes the installation of Linux on a headless Compaq
ProLiant server with a Compaq Remote Insight Lights-Out
Edition card without physical access to the system.
Debian-Jigdo,
Debian Jigdo mini-HOWTO
Updated: May 2003.
Describes why you should use jigdo (a tool for obtaining Debian ISOs),
a little bit about how it works and how you use it to get and update
Debian ISOs.
Hardware-HOWTO,
Linux Hardware Compatibility HOWTO
Updated: November 2002.
Lists most of the hardware supported by Linux and helps you locate
any necessary drivers.
Install-From-ZIP,
Linux Install From PPA-Zip drive mini-HOWTO
Updated: April 1998.
How to install Linux from a parallel port zip drive using the
Slackware Linux distribution.
Install-Strategies,
Linux Installation Strategies
Updated: May 2001.
Discusses a few installation strategies for those who
intend to dual-boot between Windows and Linux.
KickStart-HOWTO,
RedHat Linux KickStart HOWTO
Updated: January 1999.
Briefly describes how to use the RedHat Linux KickStart system to
rapidly install large numbers of identical Linux boxes.
Linux+DOS+Win95+OS2,
The Linux-DOS-Win95-OS2 mini-HOWTO
Updated: November 1997.
Presents a procedure to make 4 operating systems co-exist on a single
hard disk.
Linux+FreeBSD,
The Linux+FreeBSD mini-HOWTO
Updated: March 2000.
How to use Linux and FreeBSD on the same system.
Linux+Solaris,
Linux+Solaris mini-HOWTO
Updated: April 2000.
Describes how to use Solaris and Linux together on one machine.
It addresses common questions like multibooting and file-sharing.
Linux+Win95,
Linux + Windows 95 mini-HOWTO
Updated: April 2001.
Details how to install Linux on a machine that currently runs
Windows 95.
Linux+WinNT,
Linux+WindowsNT mini-HOWTO
Updated: May 2002.
Covers some ways on how to install both Linux and Windows NT
on the same computer and how to boot either of them from
within LILO menu.
PLIP,
LINUX PLIP mini-HOWTO
Updated: March 1998.
Will hopefully let you build and use a Parallel Line Interface Protocol.
PLIP-Install-HOWTO,
PLIP Install HOWTO
Updated: July 2002.
How to install a Gnu/Linux distribution on a computer without
Ethernet card, nor cdrom, but just a local floppy drive and a remote
nfs server attached by a Null-Modem parallel cable.
RedHat-CD-HOWTO,
Burning a RedHat CD HOWTO
Updated: March 2003.
How to make your own CDs from the Red Hat Linux distribution
equivalent to the ones commercially available from Red Hat
(up to and including RH release 8.0).
Saving-Space,
Saving Space mini-HOWTO
Updated: April 1999.
Directions for squeezing your Linux installation into
the least possible space. Particularly aimed at notebook users.
Small-Memory,
Small Memory Mini-HOWTO
Updated: December 2000.
How to run Linux on a system with a small amount of memory.
Swap-Space,
Linux Swap Space Mini-HOWTO
Updated: December 2002.
How to share your Linux swap partition with Windows.
Upgrade,
Upgrading Your linux Distribution mini-HOWTO
Updated: March 2002.
Hints and tips on upgrading from one linux distribution to another.
Kernel
BogoMips,
BogoMips mini-HOWTO
Updated: April 2002.
Some information about BogoMips, compiled from various sources.
BootPrompt-HOWTO,
The Linux BootPrompt HOWTO
Updated: March 2003.
A compilation of all the possible boot time arguments that can be
passed to the Linux kernel at boot time. Includes all kernel and
device parameters.
IO-Perf-HOWTO,
I/O Performance HOWTO
Updated: May 2002.
Covers information on available patches for the 2.4 kernel
that will improve the I/O performance of your Linux operating system.
Kernel-HOWTO,
The Linux Kernel HOWTO
Updated: May 2003.
A detailed guide to kernel configuration, compilation, upgrades, and
troubleshooting for ix86-based systems.
KernelAnalysis-HOWTO,
KernelAnalysis-HOWTO
Updated: March 2003.
Explains some things about the Linux Kernel,
such as the most important components, how they work, and so on.
Kerneld,
The Linux kerneld mini-HOWTO
Updated: May 2000.
Explains how you can use the kerneld function in the Linux kernels.
Linux-Crash-HOWTO,
Linux Crash HOWTO
Updated: January 2002.
Describes the installation and usage of the LKCD (Linux Kernel
Crash Dump) package.
Module-HOWTO,
Linux Loadable Kernel Module HOWTO
Updated: May 2002.
Explains what Linux loadable kernel modules (LKMs) are,
and how to use and create them.
Modules,
Linux Modules Installation mini-HOWTO
Updated: n/a
How to successfully set up Linux with modules configured and working.
PA-RISC-Linux-Boot-HOWTO,
PA-RISC/Linux Boot HOWTO
Updated: October 2002.
Outlines the procedures for getting the current
PA-RISC/Linux development kernel to boot on your PA-RISC system.
It also explains the functions of PALO, the kernel loader
for PA/Linux.
Process-Accounting,
Enabling Process Accounting on Linux
Updated: February 2001.
Describes the basics of enabling process accounting on Linux.
Boot Loaders and Booting the OS
Bootdisk-HOWTO,
The Linux Bootdisk HOWTO
Updated: January 2002.
How to design and build your own boot/root diskettes for Linux.
From-PowerUp-To-Bash-Prompt-HOWTO,
From Power Up To Bash Prompt
Updated: November 2000.
A brief description of what happens in a Linux system from the time
that you turn on the power, to the time that you log in and get a
bash prompt.
LILO,
Lilo mini-HOWTO
Updated: April 2002.
Lilo (LILO) is the most used Linux Loader for the x86 flavour of
Linux. This describes some typical Lilo installations. Intended
as a supplement to the Lilo User's Guide.
Linux-Init-HOWTO,
Linux 2.4.x Initialization for IA-32 HOWTO
Updated: May 2001.
A description of the Linux 2.4 kernel initialization
sequence on IA-32 processors.
Linux+NT-Loader,
NT OS Loader + Linux mini-HOWTO
Updated: September 1997.
Describes the use of the Windows NT boot loader to start Linux.
This procedures have been tested with Windows NT 4.0 WS and
Linux 2.0.
Linux+Win9x+Grub-HOWTO,
Linux+Win9x+Grub HOWTO
Updated: January 2002.
How to use the GRUB bootloader to turn
your computer into a Windows + Linux dual boot machine, without
affecting your current Linux installation.
Loadlin+Win95-98-ME,
The Loadlin+Win95/98/ME mini-HOWTO
Updated: February 2001.
Describes how to use Loadlin with Windows 95/98/ME to boot
to Linux.
MILO-HOWTO,
Alpha Miniloader HOWTO
Updated: November 2000.
Describes the Alpha Linux Miniloader (also known as MILO), a program
for Alpha-based systems that can be used to initialize the machine
and load Linux.
Multiboot-with-GRUB,
Multiboot with GRUB Mini-HOWTO
Updated: January 2001.
How to install Windows 98, Windows 2000, DOS and Linux using GRUB.
Multiboot-with-LILO,
Win95 + WinNT + Linux multiboot using LILO mini-HOWTO
Updated: March 1998.
How to multiboot between Windows 95, Windows NT, and Linux.
PA-RISC-Linux-Boot-HOWTO,
PA-RISC/Linux Boot HOWTO
Updated: October 2002.
Outlines the procedures for getting the current
PA-RISC/Linux development kernel to boot on your PA-RISC system.
It also explains the functions of PALO, the kernel loader
for PA/Linux.
SRM-HOWTO,
SRM Firmware HOWTO
Updated: November 2000.
Describes how to boot Linux/Alpha using the SRM console, which is
the console firmware also used to boot Compaq Tru64 Unix (also known
as Digital Unix and OSF/1) and OpenVMS.
Parallel Processing
Parallel-Processing-HOWTO,
Linux Parallel Processing HOWTO
Updated: January 1998.
Discusses the four basic approaches to parallel processing that are
available to Linux users: SMP Linux systems, clusters of networked
Linux systems, parallel execution using multimedia instructions
(i.e., MMX), and attached (parallel) processors hosted by a Linux
system.
SMP-HOWTO,
Linux SMP HOWTO
Updated: July 2002.
Reviews main issues related to SMP configuration under Linux.
Partitions and Filesystems
Filesystems-HOWTO,
Filesystems HOWTO
Updated: August 2000.
About filesystems and accessing filesystems.
Ext2fs-Undeletion,
Linux Ext2fs Undeletion mini-HOWTO
Updated: February 1999.
Presents a discussion of how to retrieve deleted files from
a Second Extended File System.
Ext2fs-Undeletion-Dir-Struct,
Ext2fs Undeletion of Directory Structures
Updated: November 2000.
Describes a straight forward way of recovering whole
directory structures, instead of file by file, that have been removed
by a misplaced rm -rf
Linux+XFS-HOWTO,
Linux + XFS HOWTO : Linux on Steroids
Updated: May 2002.
Describes how to build a Linux system that runs on
top of the SGI XFS journaling filesystem.
Loopback-Encrypted-Filesystem-HOWTO,
Loopback Encrypted Filesystem HOWTO
Updated: November 1999.
Explains how to setup and then use a filesystem that, when mounted by
a user, dynamically and transparently encrypts its contents.
Loopback-Root-FS,
The Loopback Root Filesystem HOWTO
Updated: September 1999.
How to use the Linux loopback device to create a Linux native
filesystem format installation that can be run from a DOS
partition without re-partitioning.
LVM-HOWTO,
Logical Volume Manager HOWTO
Updated: February 2003.
Describes how to build, install, and configure LVM for Linux.
NFS-Root,
NFS-Root mini-HOWTO
Updated: September 2002.
How to setup a ``disc-less'' Linux workstation, which mounts it's
root filesystems via NFS.
NFS-Root-Client-mini-HOWTO,
NFS-Root-Client Mini-HOWTO
Updated: February 1999.
How to create client root directories on a server that is using
NFS Root mounted clients.
Partition,
Linux Partition HOWTO
Updated: July 2001.
Teaches you how to plan and layout disk space for your Linux system.
Partition-Rescue,
Partition Rescue mini HOWTO
Updated: August 2002.
Describes how to rescue your Linux partition if it has
been deleted.
Swap-Space,
Linux Swap Space Mini-HOWTO
Updated: December 2002.
How to share your Linux swap partition with Windows.
UMSDOS-HOWTO,
UMSDOS HOWTO
Updated: December 2001.
Explains how to use Umsdos (a linux file system) in different
configurations, and its operation.
RAID
Antares-RAID-sparcLinux-HOWTO,
Antares-RAID-sparcLinux-HOWTO
Updated: May 2002.
Describes how to install, configure, and maintain a hardware RAID built
around the 5070 SBUS host based RAID controller by Antares Microsystems.
ATA-RAID-HOWTO,
Linux ATA RAID HOWTO
Updated: May 2002.
Explains how to install Linux on an Intel
Pentium compatible computer with an ATA RAID Controller (onboard chip
or seperate card), single or multiple processors and at least two hard
disks.
Boot+Root+Raid+LILO,
Boot + Root + Raid + Lilo : Software Raid mini-HOWTO
Updated: July 2000.
A cookbook for setting up root raid using the 0.90 raidtools
for bootable raid mounted on root using standard LILO.
DPT-Hardware-RAID,
Linux DPT Hardware RAID mini-HOWTO
Updated: February 2002.
How to set up hardware RAID under Linux.
Root-RAID-HOWTO,
Root RAID HOWTO cookbook
Updated: July 2000.
This document only applies to the OLD raidtools, versions 0.50
and under. The workarounds and solutions addressed in this HOWTO
have largely been made obsolete by the vast improvment in the 0.90
raidtools and accompanying kernel patch to the 2.0.37, 2.2x and
2.3x series kernels. You may find the detailed descriptions
useful, particularly if you plan to run root raid or use initrd.
original description:
A cookbook for creating a root mounted raid filesystem and companion
fallback rescue system using linux initrd. Step-by-step instructions
for both raid1 and raid5 md0 devices.
Software-RAID-HOWTO,
Software-RAID HOWTO
Updated: August 2002.
How to use Software RAID under Linux. It addresses a specific
version of the Software RAID layer, namely the 0.90 RAID layer made
by Ingo Molnar and others. This is the RAID layer that will be
standard in Linux-2.4, and it is the version that is also used by
Linux-2.2 kernels shipped from some vendors. The 0.90 RAID support
is available as patches to Linux-2.0 and Linux-2.2, and is by many
considered far more stable that the older RAID support already in
those kernels.
Software-RAID-0.4x-HOWTO,
Software-RAID HOWTO (earlier implementation)
Updated: November 1998.
How to use Software RAID under Linux. RAID stands for "Redundant
Array of Inexpensive Disks". For users of the Linux MD kernel
extension, the associated tools, and their use. This HOWTO addresses
an earlier implementation.
Printing
Printing-HOWTO,
The Linux Printing HOWTO
Updated: September 2000.
A collection of information on how to generate, preview, print and
fax anything under Linux (and other Unices in general).
Printing-Usage-HOWTO,
The Linux Printing Usage HOWTO
Updated: February 1998.
How to use the print system under Linux.
Debian-and-Windows-Shared-Printing,
Debian and Windows Shared Printing mini-HOWTO
Updated: May 2003.
Demonstrates how to use command-line tools to configure your
Debian system for printing. It explains how to send documents from Linux
to Windows printers and how to share Linux printers with Windows PCs.
Print2Win,
The Linux Print2Win mini-HOWTO
Updated: July 2002.
Contains the general configuration to get linux printing
to a Windows print share.
Shell
Adv-Bash-Scr-HOWTO,
Advanced Bash-Scripting HOWTO
A guide to shell scripting, using Bash.
Replaced by the Advanced
Bash-Scripting Guide.
Bash-Prompt-HOWTO,
Bash Prompt HOWTO
Updated: August 2001.
Creating and controlling terminal and xterm prompts is discussed,
including incorporating standard escape sequences to give username,
current working directory, time, etc.
Bash-Prog-Intro-HOWTO,
BASH Programming - Introduction HOWTO
Updated: July 2000.
This article intends to help you to start programming
basic-to-intermediate shell scripts.
Using Linux
RPM-HOWTO,
RPM HOWTO - RPM at Idle
Updated: November 1999.
RPM is the RPM Package Manager. It is an open packaging
system available for anyone to use. It allows users to take source
code for new software and package it into source and binary form such
that binaries can be easily installed and tracked and source can be
rebuilt easily. It also maintains a database of all packages and their
files that can be used for verifying packages and querying for
information about files and/or packages.
RPM+Slackware,
RPM+Slackware Mini-Howto
Updated: April 1998.
How to get RPM installed and working properly under Slackware.
Software-Building-HOWTO,
Building and Installing Software Packages for Linux
Updated: July 1999.
A comprehensive guide to building and installing "generic" UNIX
software distributions under Linux.
Tips-HOWTO,
The Linux Tips HOWTO
Updated: June 1998.
Contains those hard to find hints and tweekings that make Linux a bit
nicer.