cannot install Redhat Linux

[Jim Cornette]

Hongyu Sun wrote:

>HI, All:
>
>I downloaded and burned 4 CDs from
>http://fedora.redhat.com/download/mirrors.html.
>
>Then I tried to install Linux to my WinXP desktop machine. I have 10GB
>on this machine which is pre-allocated for Linux before I install the
>WinXP. Windows cannot see this 10GB.
>  
>
You could install programs where you can read and maybe even write linux 
partitions from Windows. By default windows doesn't know about Linux 
partitions.

>I have been frustrated with installation. I have installed several
>times. But each time when I restart, I enter in Windows. I cannot see
>any trace of Linux.
>  
>
Later on in your post you mention /dev/sda4 as a partition. You might 
try to boot disk 1 and type linux rescue at the prompt. Once the rescue 
mode is started, the installer *should* find your new installation.  You 
should get a prompt telling you that your installation was mounted as 
/mnt/sysimage and you need to type chroot /mnt/sysimage to access the 
distribution.
Since you might have /dev/hda as th place grub was installed, it might 
not have installed grub in /dev/sda where it sounds like the location 
grub should have been installed.
Run "grub-install /dev/sda"  and see if your system will boot into Linux 
on the next shot. Type reboot and press enter and your system should rebot.

>I have some questions on the installation. The automatic partition
>does not work. And I had to use manual partition. Since I have that
>10GB. I just chose it and mount it as "\" (root).
>
Should be / (root). If you are trying to setup an LVM instead of just 
one partition formatted as ext3, it will not boot. /boot needs to be 
outside the LVM.

> Since a root is
>required. I cannot partition the suggested swap disk. It just does not
>work for me. I don't know what format I should format the disk. But
>the only one working is "ext3".
>
>  
>
10 gig is a bit small for a modern Linux installation. Ext3 is a common 
choice for Fedora.

>Another question is how to set the double boot mode? It seems in the
>installation I set up this. But it just does not work at all.
>  
>
Fedora usually has your M$ installation detected and added as a boot 
choice if any bootable M$ system is instaled on your computer. I believe 
the choice is called other by default and can be changed to DOS, ME, XP 
or any other desired name.

>Finally it said the installation is complete and I can reboot. But I
>am entered to Windows again.
>  
>
This is probably because it "installed" grub (the boot loader which 
allows you to choose alternative OS and also boots kernel for Linux with 
instructions to kernel/system.) It sounds like /dev/sda is where grub 
should be installed.

>I cannot find any documentation on the installation. Somebody told me,
>Redhat is good for beginners. But I still cannot follow.
>
>  
>
If you view the Linux CD in windows, you should see release notes and 
other documentation.

>Your help will be highly appreciated.
>
>Thank you very much,
>
>HS
>
>  
>
I hope that  I'm not misleading you here. Viewing this original posting, 
I don't see mention of /dev/sda4 on your part. I read the thread before 
posting and assumed the input was from you.

Anyways, this list will  get you on your way to using Linux. I think 
that there might be easier for beginners distributions of Linux, though 
Fedora is pretty  easy to use also.

Welcome,

Jim

-- 
I'm sorry a pentium won't do, you need an SGI to connect with us.