Installing PCLinuxOS - Full tutorial

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,

Here we go again, another tutorial is ready. Some of you have waited quite a long, hopefully you won't be disappointed.

It's the same format - step-by-step image and text tutorial, with installation, basic configuration of drivers, shares, useful tips, and more.

Feedback is much appreciated.

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/install_pclinuxos.html

Cheers,
Mrk

[coolbluewater]

Another well-done tutorial :thumb:
I've noticed PCLOS uses basically the same "End Session" screen as MEPIS.
I'll have to trial a live distro and see how well it plays with my wireless.

Nice touch on the Samba walk-through; hopefully this is one more reason to wean more converts from the Dark Side. 8)

[aigle]

Thanks, i might install it soon.

[aigle]

Hi Mrk! I want to ask about the three partitions u create, swap, root and home. These must be primary partitions or can be logical( inside a single extended partition). Also if I make another partition it should be primary or can be extended.

Thanks

[aigle]

It will nice to have downloadable PDF versions of these tutorials but it will take much time I know.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Sure they can be logical. I do it this way for the sake of simplicity.
As to pdfs, I could try - maybe ps files.
Mrk

[aigle]

Thanks Mrk. PDF is a lot of work to do so better to leave it. I think current web site is OK and is written very clearly.

[Longboard]

PCLinuxOS has been one of the distros I have been testing.
Superfast install, fast system. FWIW, best apps set-up out of the box, beautiful graphics, some limitations.

Now close to equal No1 dls with Ubuntu. :)
This is part of a ..long and cumbersome effort by me... to trial various distros, I'll give the "Are you experienced: Doofus Linux Report" some more time this week.
Tetsed in VMWare so far:
Ubuntu,
PuppyLinux
Kubuntu
XUbuntu
PCLinux

Still to come
Simply Mepis
SuSE.
Mandriva
Fedora.

This will of course be a completely useless review 8)

[steve161]

Hi Mrk:

Well done. Your tutorial has prodded this newbie to try PCLinuxOS again. I was bouncing back between this distro and Ubuntu. I have some observations directed at fellow newbies, and implore you and our fellow linux-heads to correct me if I am wrong.

Both distros have almost perfect hardware recognition. Was up and running right out of the (cd) box.

If you happen to trash PCLinuxOS by fooling around with it (not a hypothetical), insert the live CD and re-install. When you are finished some 15 minutes later, you will find that almost all your settings and preferences have been saved ;D .

If you are replacing Ubuntu with PCLinuxOS, you will not be able to do an install automatically with the wizard. I found it necessary to wipe my HD before install. However, replacing PCLinuxOS with Ubuntu is a matter of inserting the live cd and clicking on the default settings. It seems that Ubuntu will install over anything. A double edged sword if you are attempting a dual boot for the first time.

By the way, I'm starting to think I'm a gnome person. Is this a good thing?

[TheQuest]

Hi, benny bronx

{QUOTE-> I'm a gnome person. <-QUOTE}
If you like living under ground that your choice. :o
{QUOTE-> Is this a good thing? <-QUOTE}
Can not be said to be bad, other than you will not get your full dose of Vitamin "D" without Sunlight. ;D

Take Care,
TheQuest 8)

[steve161]

{QUOTE-> If you like living under ground that your choice <-QUOTE}.

I actually thought gnomes lived on the front lawns of upper middle class homes.

[wilbertnl]

{QUOTE->
As to pdfs, I could try - maybe ps files.
Mrk <-QUOTE}
PrimoPDF offers a free PDF converter. It installs as a virtual printer driver.
All you have to do is 'print' using the PDF printer and give the PDF file a name.

192417

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
I'm familiar with Primo and like it very much. There are many other handy tools, as well. But I was thinking about maybe merging the pages into one document, preserving the styling etc... Then, there's issue of bandwidth... I'll see.
Mrk

[Rilla927]

Really nice job Mrkvonic! I read through the whole Tutorial. I have been interested in Linux but it seemed so daunting each time I read about it.

PCLinuxOS seems like it would work well for me. Thanks for the info.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,

Thanks all for your feedback, I appreciate it.

BTW, WOW, people really seem to like this article. Since posting it, the traffic on my website has QUADRUPLED. If this continues, I'll have to increase my bandwidth :)

I find reviews about the article on this tuxmachines, reviewlinux, and many other site. Looking good babe, looking good.

Cheers all,
Mrk

[Rilla927]

Good for you, that goes to show what a good job you have done;)

I'm gonna try just running it as a Live Session from the CD first. Since I'm behind a Router FW is that all I would need in terms of protection? I thought I remember reading Linux barely gets any of the nasties that windows gets.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
The right one would be gets NO nasties.
And if you are running live CD, well then ... you could attack with a helicopter, it would not really matter.
Mrk

[Longboard]

{QUOTE-> Thanks all for your feedback, I appreciate it.
BTW, WOW, people really seem to like this article. Since posting it, the traffic on my website has QUADRUPLED. If this continues, I'll have to increase my bandwidth
I find reviews about the article on this tuxmachines, reviewlinux, and many other site. Looking good babe, looking good. <-QUOTE} :D 8) Legend evolving.

[zapjb]

{QUOTE-> :D 8) Legend evolving. <-QUOTE}
I knew him way back when. ;D

[Longboard]

{QUOTE-> Nice touch on the Samba walk-through <-QUOTE}Yes very

I'd like to add acouple of little things I picked up while (still) experimenting with VMware workstation/VirtualBox et al: see post #8

AFAIK VMware server still only supports USB1?
The free trial of VMWareWorkstation V6 is fully functional for 30days for creation of VMs and install of VMTools
VMPlayer is free: get the drift. ;)
Virtual Box is also free but seems to have some limitations re various Guests.
A very good option if your distro is supported.
VB has some very nice touches in the GUI.
Cant confirm, but feels lighter and maybe faster.

MY rig: ( ~5years old)
Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (build 2600)
Processor a 2.67 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
Main Circuit Board Board: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. P4P800S Rev 1.xx
8 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 080009 08/05/2003
2048 Megabytes Installed Memory
Local Drive Volumes
c: (NTFS on drive 0) 157.28 GB 103.41 GB free
g: (NTFS on drive 0) 52.43 GB 51.63 GB free
j: (NTFS on drive 1) 136.31 GB 71.72 GB free
k: (NTFS on drive 1) 63.72 GB 58.14 GB free
1394 Net Adapter
Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 [Display adapter]
ISP:Telstra Big Pond: avg speed 3-5mbs/sec
( dont laugh if you live elsewhere :dry: )

Heh; maybe not right at cutting edge: but works ok. ( put in extra ram b4 starting with VMs)
Using this as host.
NO distro so far has had issues with it

If you are average Wilders frequenter (pre-linux) with 2 FW, 3 Realtime scanners, 2 HIPS, sandboxie, DW, and BOClean etc etc :o : you WILL max out your VMWare particularly with installations and freeze up: need to turn off lots!!
Installed distros may be slow with other tools running live in Host

VirtualBox freezes and then gives helpful message re "no memory"

Virtual tools are a help unless you are super fast with the keyboard: I have googled etc and managed to install VT in all my trials so far: just need to play and get the Linux rhythm. Lots of web sites have useful info but often are related to ood distros or "earlier" versions of VMWare tools. I forgot to write down what I did with each disto :( but if I have managed to some degree then others will too.

Even if things go well there may be unexpected little issues :dry:
VMs obviously raise the bar a bit for any potential issues.
Check compatability lists for your distro: and VMWare or VirtualBox.
I'm never really sure that what I've done has been the right thing till after I've done it . :ouch:
Make a good image !!
Keep the VMs off the main drive.
Use a hash checker, get a good dl manager.

If you search around there are lots of pages with ready made VMs for many distros with Vtools already installed: particularly at VMware appliance market.
But you'll miss out on the fun of the live CD and the install.

When you're ready: install and dual booting ??
I'll make a couple of comments about each distro and me when I've finished my immersion.

@MrK: feel like going as far as adding details of VTools installation on the web page? I'll help if I can.
Sorry for hijacking, any comments or advice appreciated.

Regards.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Don't forget the Server, which is also free.
As to the VTools instructions, are you referring to VMware Tools?
Cheers,
Mrk

[Longboard]

yes VMWare tools.

I hadn't forgotten the VMWare server, but when I looked ot only had USB1 support. BTAICBW!

I am rather disturbingly actually having fun doing this :blink:

[spydikers]

MRK....I just took a peek at both the tutorial and your website. I have been wanting to put some version of linux on my AMD XP2200 that is sitting in the closet with one 80gig HD with Win XP SP2 Home and one 40gig HD that is empty. I would like to put a version of Linux on the 40gig empty HD and leave the XP on the 80gig HD for now. I have been looking at something called Freespire 2.0 which was looking like a possible install for a "greenhorn" like me. Everytime I start to read about about a version of Linux I find out about another one and get confused at all the choices.

What do you think of Freespire? I am in the middle of filing for retirement, both Pension and SS so I will probably not be able to start anything for a few more weeks until those areas get resolved, but looking at your Tutorial and your website I would call this the "Best find of 2007" for me...Thank You for sharing your knowledge, especially with the "Greenhorns"...William

[zapjb]

I'm not MRK. So you might not care.

Go with PCLOS. Freespire is behind the times.

And PCLOS is easier.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
spydikers, thanks for the compliment.
Honestly, I have not YET had the time to try Freespire, therefore I cannot comment on it. But from the many distros I have tried, the newbies are well advised to start with Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS, maybe even SUSE.
Freespire is on my todo list, along with a 100 others, so it's only the matter of time... I'm writing all kinds of stuff right now.
Mrk

[wilbertnl]

{QUOTE-> I would like to put a version of Linux on the 40gig empty HD and leave the XP on the 80gig HD for now. <-QUOTE}
Hello William,

I suggest that any Linux distribution that offers a live CD and the feature to install on your harddisk from that live CD, would be a good first option.
Ubuntu, Fedora 7 are examples of live CD's with installation option.
Depending on the amount of RAM, you would choose between KDE or Gnome as desktop environment. Or XFCE if your system is low on RAM.

[spydikers]

O.K. I will try the suggestions given me, rather than my previous pick.

Thanks everyone..............William:thumb:

[Longboard]

OK
I'm new at this Linux too
Fwiw as per above the live Cds are good for trialing

I want browsing, e-mail, office, music and vids, presentation stuff, simple updates and installers. Not a real linux purist sorry. Just trialling oob set-ups.

as a total linux newb, my picks to date ( for Live and installs to VM) are:
PClinuxOS: Love it.
Freespire: nice
Mandriva One: nice
Ubuntu ( very good: just checking others: thinking outside the outside box lol))
Free PCBSD OS !!:o I actually love it although I might not fully understand it :D they have a pre-made VM on home site: just a bit ood. Really nice little system.
Dream Linux is developing a nice distro: some issues with installing but good live CD and fun OS X style graphics.
Vector Linux
Sabayon mini: very nice indeed. :)

This site is a wealth of info: http://distrowatch.com/ you prolly know it already.
Linux.com has good reviews.
Tuxmachines http://www.tuxmachines.org/

I doubt I can teach anyone here anything about Linux: just offering my crumbs. Have fun :thumb:

[Old Monk]

Hi

Not sure I've got things right - in fact I know I haven't :)

I've played with the live CD a few times so I thought I'd try installing it alongsides XP.

Tried to get through your excellent articles on installing PCLinux and dual booting Mrk plus the PCLinux own help file was useful

All seemed well but I must have got the dual booting bit wrong as can only boot into Windows

Paragon Partition Manager shows the 3 linux partitions as logical disks on the extended partition

Any ideas where I've gone wrong ?

[FastGame]

Your bootloader got installed on the Linux partition instead of the MBR.

Boot your LiveCD and go to System> Configuration> Boot and Init> Re-do MBR.

In re-do make sure bootloader is being installed on the MBR of Windows partition.

or

Re-install PCLOS and make sure the same....

:)

[Old Monk]

{QUOTE-> Your bootloader got installed on the Linux partition instead of the MBR.

Boot your LiveCD and go to System> Configuration> Boot and Init> Re-do MBR.

In re-do make sure bootloader is being installed on the MBR of Windows partition.

or

Re-install PCLOS and make sure the same....

:) <-QUOTE}

Hi Fast Game

Ok - went System> Cofiguration> Configure Your Computer> Control Center> Set up How Ssytem Boots

Correct so far ?

This brings up '' no bootloader found creating new configuration''

Click ''ok''

Bootloader to use - GRUB with graphical menu

Boot device - /dev/hda

''Next'' shows 3 linux entries plus windows.

''Finish''

Reboot and only boot into Windows plus put live cd and repeat process and '' no bootloader found'' appears again.

Start over you think ?

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,

No need to reinstall. The boot loader can be fixed very easily.
When the GRUB boots press C.
This will get you to GRUB command line (grub > prompt).
Then, all you need to do is install grub in the MBR.

1. This command will tell it where to look for grub stage 2.
hd for IDE, sd for SCSI drives, x drive number from 0, y partition number from 0
root(hdx,y)

Example: root (sd0,1) - stage 2 on first disk, second partition - USUALLY also the root partition of your linux installation.

2. This command will install grub in mbr
setup (hd0)

3. This will boot your system.
boot

After you get to the desktop, you can then add further changes.

If you also need Windows, you'll need another stanza like:

# title Windows
rootnoverify (hdx,y) - where Windows resides, usually (hd0,0)
makeactive - will look for relevant files here
chainloader + 1 - will give control over to Windows boot loader

I hope this was clear enough ...

Mrk

[Old Monk]

{QUOTE->

I hope this was clear enough ...

Mrk <-QUOTE}

Mmmm not entirely ;D

..but thanks all the same. Give me some time to try and work that out

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,

Let's try together then.

1. Boot PC, get to grub prompt.
2. You know where your linux is installed? Good.
3. Set root to that partition, setup grub in mbr, boot.

4. Inside your linux, open grub menu in text editor as root.
5. Check existing stanzas and edit if necessary.
6. If you do not have a Windows entry, add it as suggested.

7. If you get confused / stuck - stop and ask, I'll help.

Honestly, it feels daunting, but it's really simple.

Mrk

[Old Monk]

{QUOTE-> Hello,

Let's try together then.

1. Boot PC, get to grub prompt.
2. You know where your linux is installed? Good.
3. Set root to that partition, setup grub in mbr, boot.

4. Inside your linux, open grub menu in text editor as root.
5. Check existing stanzas and edit if necessary.
6. If you do not have a Windows entry, add it as suggested.

7. If you get confused / stuck - stop and ask, I'll help.

Honestly, it feels daunting, but it's really simple.

Mrk <-QUOTE}

You may regret this kind offer ;D

1. I see no grub prompt

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Do you see the boot menu?
If so, press C.
If not, boot from CD, try the same.
Mrk

[Old Monk]

{QUOTE-> Hello,
Do you see the boot menu?
If so, press C.
If not, boot from CD, try the same.
Mrk <-QUOTE}

In both cases, no. I'm getting lost now with whatever I'm supposed to be looking for.

Don't give up on me though.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Boot into live CD.
Type as root fdisk -l in command line in terminal.
Post here.
Mrk

[Old Monk]

Hi Mrk

Will do -back later.

Thanks for assistance thus far :thumb:

[iceni60]

you can follow this post (in the link at the end of this post) to make linux and windows dual-boot i've copied all the commands you need in to this post, if you have an ubuntu cd use that if not just use the pclos livecd. you only need to boot in to the linux livecd then open a terminal - Konsole or gnome-terminal or eterm etc then run these commands -
su (but if you are using ubuntu run this instead sudo grub then miss out the next command below (the grub one and run the find command in the next box next) then enter your root password. in a livecd it might not ask for a password, if it does it should be the password root
grub (miss this out if you ran sudo grub and go to the next command below)
find /boot/grub/stage1 This will return a location. If you have more than one, select the installation that you want to provide the grub files.
Next, THIS IS IMPORTANT, whatever was returned for the find command use it in the next line (you are still at grub>. when you enter the next 3 commands
root (hd?,?)
Again use the value from the find command i.e. if find returned (hd0,1) then you would enter root (hd0,1)

Next enter the command to install grub to the mbr
setup (hd0)
Finally exit the grub shell
quit
That is it. Grub will be installed to the mbr.
When you reboot, you will have the grub menu at startup.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=224351

[Old Monk]

{QUOTE->
That is it. Grub will be installed to the mbr.
When you reboot, you will have the grub menu at startup.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=224351 <-QUOTE}

Hi iceni60

That worked like a charm !

I now have a dual boot XP/ PCLinux set up :o Can't believe it.

Now the learning curve gets really steep !

Thanks very much to you and to Mrkvonic for your kind assistance.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Damn, I should have written it more nicely like iceni did... :(
Anyhow, grub tutorial is the next software article I'm gonna post.
It's been waiting for a while, now it's ready to be born.
Mrk

[Old Monk]

{QUOTE-> Hello,
Damn, I should have written it more nicely like iceni did... :(
Mrk <-QUOTE}

No worries Mrk - we'd have got there in the end anyway ;)

[djg05]

Don't know if this has been up before but there are some Youtube presentations (http://www.youtube.com/user/gentrychris) on getting to grips with PCLinuxOS