Linux Configuration and Installation:Installing Linux






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After you recompile the kernel and reboot the machine, you’ll want to make sure that the sound card installed properly. When the new kernel boots, there should be a line or two pertaining to the sound card; if these lines pass through, then the system at least recognized that the card was present. (This is also your first indication that there’s a problem; bad configuration information will cause an error message.) You can also check the file /dev/sndstat to see if a sound card installed and the /proc/devices to see that the following device line is installed:


25 sound


More detailed information can be found in the SOUND-HOWTO on the first CD-ROM.

NOTE:  If you’re using Loadlin and first booting DOS (where the sound card is already installed), you may find that your sound board works without any additional customization. Test the board before reinstalling a kernel.

Working with PCMCIA Devices
The Slackware installation prompts you for the installation of PCMCIA devices with Card Services. This will save you many steps that are best avoided, such as the recompilation of a kernel.

In fact, one of the nicest things about Card Services is that it’s relatively painless (thanks to David Hinds for all his work on this) after you’ve installed a kernel. During the boot process, Card Services will avoid hardware conflicts and work with a wide range of PCMCIA devices automatically. The trick, of course, is to use a PCMCIA device that generally conforms to PCMCIA standards. In our experience, most new hardware conforms to these standards, but some older laptops were rather liberal as to their interpretation of PCMCIA support.
If your PCMCIA device doesn’t work, you’ll need to look through the excellent PCMCIA-HOWTO on the first CD-ROM for information about recompiling a new kernel and adding support.
Working with a UPS
Slackware supports uninterruptible power supplies, or UPSes. This support is rather easy to implement. First you get a UPS, hook it up to your PC, and then run a Linux daemon called powerd that monitors the power situation and shuts down the system if necessary. (It will also halt the shutdown if the power appears in time.)
For more information, check out the man page for the powerd command and the UPS-HOWTO on the first CD-ROM.
Adaptive Technologies and Linux
After the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, the corporate world was forced to use adaptive technologies to open the workplace to all qualified workers. Linux supports a number of ways to implement adaptive technologies. Some involve changing the settings on existing Linux tools, while others involve special software tools, like xzoom, used to magnify a portion of the screen, and emacspeak, used to read the contents of a document in emacs (both of which we’ve included on the second CD-ROM).
More information about adaptive technologies can be found in the ADAPTIVE-HOWTO document on the first CD-ROM.
Using Linux with Ham Radio
Amazingly enough, Linux is one of the few operating systems that will work smoothly with ham radio. (Think of ham radio as an airborne precursor to the Internet, if you’re unfamiliar with the concept.) You’ll want to check out the AV25-HOWTO (found on the first CD-ROM) for more information.
Making Linux Work with Your Language
Us English-speakers assume that the rest of the world speaks English (you probably do, to some extent at least, if you’ve gotten this far). However, if you’re not a native English-speaker and want to adapt Linux for your own language, you may want to check out the many HOWTOs on the first CD-ROM.

Languages covered in specific HOWTOs include: Cyrillic (used in Russia), Danish, Finnish, German, Hebrew, Polish, and Portuguese.
Summary
This chapter covered Linux installation and configuration. Basically, the process is:


•  Create boot and root floppies.
•  Prepare your hard drive for installation with DOS utilities.
•  Boot Linux from boot and root floppies.
•  Prepare your hard drive for installation with Linux utilities.
•  Install Linux from the CD-ROM.

None of these steps is exceptionally complicated; if you’re attentive at all to detail, you’ll have no problem following the steps detailed here.

The chapter ended with a few of the basic commands you’ll need after installing Linux, such as adduser and shutdown.
The next chapter introduces XFree86, a version of the X Window System optimized for PCs and compatibles.



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