Personal Fedora 7 Installation Guide
Mauriat Miranda (http://www.mjmwired.net/contact/)
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Published: 30 May 2007 (updated: 29 October 2007)
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This guide a personal configuration of Fedora 7. This page is to provide some common installation tips that people may find useful. Keep in mind this works for me, so take care in doing proper backups to critical files whenever trying something.
Note: As of Fedora 7, the distribution is no longer called Fedora Core.
Installation Media
As of Fedora 7, the distribution no longer provides identical media for installation using CD-ROM disks and DVD-ROM disks.
The DVD-ROM disk is the same basic installation method that was used in previous versions of Fedora. Booting the disk will start the Anaconda installer which will allow Fedora to be installed on your computer. It is highly recommended to use the DVD.
The CD-ROM disks are "LiveCD's" which can be booted and will run a basic Fedora 7 in memory. The default LiveCD ships with Gnome (ex: Fedora-7-Live-i386.iso). There is a specific LiveCD that ships with KDE (this is specifically marked). Both provide an installer however they come with significantly less software than the DVD. Also they require more memory in order to be useable. The LiveCD may be useful for demonstration.
Previously Fedora provided multiple CD's which included everything the DVD did. This has been discontinued.
Note: To upgrade an existing Fedora installation you cannot use a Live disk.
Physical Installation
It is highly recommended you read the Fedora Release Notes and official Installation Guide before installing Fedora.
An additional recommendation is to read Common Problems before installing. This especially applies if you are using an Intel Dual Core system or having problems with partition tables not being detected.
Obtain the Fedora 7 DVD image from a Fedora mirror (or use the torrent) and burn to DVD. (For more information on how to download Fedora CD's or DVD).
Boot from the DVD. If you choose to use a LiveCD please note that the following steps may differ slightly.
I did a Custom Install of Fedora 7.
- Partitioning
- If you have an empty hard drive or wish to delete the entire contents of your drive, then let the installer automatically partition or remove everything and partition.
- If you wish to dual-boot or save some contents on your drive, then select custom partitioning. I recommend at least 3 partitions: a 10GB / main partition, a 10GB /home partition and a 1GB
partition. The main partition is where your applications will be installed. The /home partition will hold all your personal data (larger is better). The should be at least as large as your physical memory (if you wish to support things like ACPI hibernate).
- Boot Loader
- If you have a blank harddrive or wish Fedora to be your Primary Operating System, then leave the default options here. This also works for dual booting with other systems (ex: Windows).
- If wish to preserve Windows as your primary operating system, then install Grub on the / partition, NOT the MBR. To do this, select Configure Advanced Boot Loader Options and install to First sector of boot partition. I use Bootpart from Windows 2000 to load Linux. An alternative to Bootpart is the NT OS Loader + Linux mini-HOWTO (also Grub Win2K Howto). I recommend this so you do not corrupt your Windows installation in a Dual-Boot environment. [NOTE] There is an example configuration available. This does take more work, and the default option on the MBR will also work.
- Network Setup
The networking options will default to dynamically configure the network using DHCP. This will work for most high speed internet users. NOTE: IPv6 - If you select Edit under Network Devices you can disable IPv6 for Fedora. This should not be necessary, however it may be helpful to disable here and re-enable later if necessary. - General Package Selection
The primary options for installation are the following. You can select these and skip individual package selection (next step) if you plan to install most of your software. It is recommended you at least pick certain applications.- Office and Productivity - [Highly Recommended]
- Software Development - [Highly Recommended / Required]
- Web Server - [Optional (useful for web developers)]
Add Additional Software Repositories - [NOT Recommended at Install time]. You do have the option of adding helpful repositories during install. This will give access to MANY more applications than included on the CD's or DVD. However this requires a high-speed internet access that is detected by the Fedora Installer. This will also significantly increase the installation time.
If you select Customize now you will be taken to the Individual Package Selection.
- Individual Package Selection - apx 3.9-4.3GB. - This step should NOT be skipped to make sure you grab a some specific important packages. You are free to select whatever you want. The following in my experience are common useful suggestions:
Warning: When using the Fedora Add/Remove Software application you will require a valid internet connection - preferably high speed. It is recommended that you carefully select everything that you need during this installation step.
Note: There is a hidden option to select multiple packages. You can Right-Click over a major section (ex: KDE) and Select or de-select all optional components.
- Desktop Environments
- [Highly Recommended] - Select both GNOME Desktop Environment and KDE (K Desktop Environment)
- Applications
- Sound and Video
[Optional] - Add mikmod (needed for xmms).
[Optional] - Remove totem-mozplugin (causes problems later).
- Sound and Video
- Development
- [Required] - Development Libraries and Development Tools.
- [Recommended] - Select both GNOME Software Development and KDE Software Development.
- [Optional] - Java and Eclipse are not necessary unless you are a (java) developer. This is NOT the same as Sun's Java software.
- Servers
- [Required] - Add Windows File Server (required to share files with Windows computers).
- Base System
- [Optional] - Remove Java if you wish, you will still have to install Sun Java software later.
- [Highly Recommended] - Add System Tools. -- Make sure you select fuse and ntfs-3g for Read/Write NTFS access.
- [NOT Recommended] - Do NOT select Virtualization. If you do require Xen virtualization please install it later.
- Desktop Environments
Install the selected packages and reboot.
For users who opted to install grub on the first sector of the / partition instead of the MBR, you will be required to setup NTLDR to boot Linux.
For the first boot:
Display Settings -- Display settings are automatically detected and set. The resolution and scan rate may be significantly different than your typical settings. Just follow through the first boot process and set the proper resolution once you login.
- Firewall - It is recommended you learn to use your firewall regardless of your internet connection or if you have a hardware router/firewall (D-Link, Netgear, etc.). This can easily be modified.
- Security Enhanced Linux Setting - SELinux requires extra settings and configuration to get certain applications to work properly. SELinux will always provide some security but will also add nuisances. (It is easier to disable SELinux now and enable it later, than the opposite.) However, I recommend people try SELinux first. Use SELinux = Enforcing most problems are documented.
- Date and Time - Network Time Protocol - Enable this ONLY if you have an active working internet connection that is on (ex: broadband, T1, DSL). Do not enable NTP Broadcast unless you have other linux machines on your network.
- Hardware Profile - Fedora used smolt to provide basic non-intrusive information on your specific installation. While this may be helpful to Fedora developers, it may seem like a privacy issue. It is recommended you understand what information is being sent before you allow it to do so. I personally do not sent profile information.
- System User - Create 1 user account for yourself. Always use that account DO NOT use root as your personal account. This is a cause of many mistakes, and root was never intended for personal use.
- Sound Card - Most sound cards should be detected properly. If yours is not, continue with the installation - some updates or configuration may be required.
Top Resources
Setup sudo
30 May 2007
Fedora, like all other Linux distributions, has a root user and has individual users. The root is the "superuser", somewhat similar to "Administrator" in Windows.
Use your personal account for daily use root only for administration/configuration. To run as 'root' use su or sudo. However sudo requires setup. As root run:
echo 'loginname ALL=(ALL) ALL' >> /etc/sudoers
Where 'loginname' is your user account.
Use 'ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL' if you don't want to be prompted a password.
If you are prompted for a password with 'sudo' it is the user password, not root.
Example:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ su
Password: <--- Enter root password
[root@charon mirandam]# echo 'mirandam ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL' >> /etc/sudoers
[root@charon mirandam]# exit
exit
The following is an example of how sudo lets you execute root commands:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ du -sh /root
du: `/root': Permission denied <--- Fails!!!
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo du -sh /root
163M /root <--- Works!!!
NOTE: Every command provided on this page will work if you remove sudo from the command. However this requires you must be logged in as 'root'. An alternative to using sudo is to use su to login as root, before executing a command.
Top Resources
Setup yum
24 July 2007
http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/yum/en/
Fedora uses yum to install and update its software. When connected to the internet it will automatically determine application dependancies.
Fedora Repositories
Fedora has 2 repositories enabled by default: fedora (the same packages that come on any combination of the CD's or DVD's) and updates (updated packages, newer than fedora).
These repositories 'sign' their RPM files to make sure they are valid when downloaded. Import the GPG keys to these repositories:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/*
Third Party Repositories
For applications that are against Fedora policies (MP3, DVD, MPEG, Binary Drivers, etc), a third party repository should be used. For the purpose of this guide, (most) all needs are met by the Livna repository. (Note: the Livna repository is NOT compatible with the Freshrpms repository.)
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo rpm -ivh http://rpm.livna.org/livna-release-7.rpm
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-livna
NOTE: Installation Prompt
After yum downloads the application or update requested it will prompt to install. This is good for learners or to keep track of what is happening. Applications can possibly be UN-installed in a update as well. If you wish yum to automatically install downloads and make changes, run yum with the -y (answer "yes") option.
# sudo yum -y install application_name
NOTE: Full System Updates
If you run the following, EVERY SINGLE RPM that has an available update through ANY repository will be updated.
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum update
Generally speaking this is highly recommended the FIRST time you install Fedora (if you have high speed internet). After that, full system updates are probably less necessary. Keep in mind that updates, may update all their dependancies, which can lead to long download times. Often a new update may break something that already worked. Please understand what you are doing before running continuous updates.
NOTE: If YUM does not run after first install.
You may see the following error:
Loading "installonlyn" plugin
Existing lock /var/run/yum.pid: another copy is running. Aborting.
This is because the background YUM updater service is running. To stop it, run:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo /etc/init.d/yum-updatesd stop
Top Resources
Install Nvidia Driver
4 June 2007
Fedora recommends users install a 3rd-party RPM packaged driver instead of using the installer from Nvidia's website. Currently Livna provides a well packaged driver.
For yum only:
First, setup Livna Repository
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo rpm -ivh http://rpm.livna.org/livna-release-7.rpm
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-livna
Install the nvidia driver through Livna:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install kmod-nvidia
If a kernel update is installed at the same time, then a reboot will be required. If not, then simply log out completely of Gnome or KDE and the Nvidia driver should load. The Nvidia logo will flash quickly once.
For users without yum
Download the http://rpm.livna.org/livna-release-7.rpm RPM and run:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo rpm -ivh livna-release-7.rpm
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-livna
Navigate to http://rpm.livna.org/fedora/7/ and select your architecture: i386, x86_64 or ppc. You will need 3 components: xorg driver, nvidia kernel module and a livna display configuration utility.
For xorg driver, select the one matching the latest Nvidia driver (1.0.9762). For example:
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-1.0.9762-2.lvn7.i386.rpm.
For nvidia kernel driver you MUST MATCH YOUR KERNEL. Use the uname command for the proper match. For example:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ uname -rm
2.6.21-1.3194.fc7 i686
Selected: kmod-nvidia-1.0.9762-1.2.6.21_1.3194.fc7.i686.rpm
The display configuration utility should be named livna-config-display (example: livna-config-display-0.0.11-1.lvn7.noarch.rpm).
Install all files at the same time:
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo rpm -ivh kmod-nvidia-1.0.9762-1.2.6.21_1.3194.fc7.i686.rpm /
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-1.0.9762-2.lvn7.i386.rpm /
livna-config-display-0.0.11-1.lvn7.noarch.rpm
Preparing... ########################################### [100%]
1:livna-config-display ########################################### [ 33%]
2:kmod-nvidia ########################################### [ 67%]
3:xorg-x11-drv-nvidia ########################################### [100%]
If you had a previous version of these files before, remove them first with rpm -e.
If you cannot find a perfect match you may will have to update to a kernel that matches from Fedora 7 Updates.
NOTE: SELinux Problems SELinux seems to prevent the v9755 Livna Nvidia Driver from properly loading after a reboot. This has been fixed in the v9762 Livna package. The following is a TEMPORARY work around:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo /usr/bin/chcon -cv system_u:object_r:xserver_misc_device_t /etc/udev/devices/nvidia*
If you are having this problem or unsure, please use yum to update: yum update nvidia-kmod.
Top Resources
GCC Compatibility
30 May 2007
Fedora 7 ships and uses GCC 4.1. Some applications that were compiled with an older GCC (ex: 3.2) will require compatibility libraries. Make sure to have the following RPM's installed.
These are NOT included with the Fedora 7 DVD and must be downloaded online (ftp, yum, etc).
compat-libstdc++-33
compat-libstdc++-296
With 'yum', run:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum -y install compat-libstdc++-33 compat-libstdc++-296
The compat-libstdc++-33 package is required for Realplayer and the Sun Java browser plugin.
Top Resources
Install GCC 3.4
30 May 2007
This is an optional step.
Fedora 7 includes GCC 4.1 compiler. Some applications will NOT compile in GCC 4.1. You can install GCC 3.4 to allow compiling applications which do not yet support GCC 4.1. Make sure to have the following RPM's installed.
These are NOT included with the Fedora 7 DVD and must be downloaded online (ftp, yum, etc).
compat-gcc-34
compat-gcc-34-c++
With 'yum', run:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install compat-gcc-34 compat-gcc-34-c++
To use either, run gcc34 or g++34. I have more information on using alternate compilers.
Top Resources
ALSA
8 October 2006
ALSA is the "sound system" used by Fedora. It has drivers, libraries and utilities. The drivers are included with the kernel package.
If your sound card is not detected or working properly, most likely it will be an issue with ALSA . Try the following:
- If detected, but no volume, check your mixers:
in Gnome, run: gnome-volume-control (package: gnome-media)
in KDE, run: kmix (package: kdemultimedia)
shell/terminal run: alsamixer (package: alsa-utils) - If not detected, check the status on the official ALSA Soundcard Matrix (http://alsa-project.org/alsa-doc/)
If your system requires an update run, then the following minimum is recommended:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum update kernel alsa-lib alsa-utils
Other comments from previous guides: Fedora Core 3 Guide, Fedora Core 2 Guide.
Top Resources
Install Realplayer
9 October 2006
Download RealPlayer 10.0 GOLD from: http://www.real.com/linux/.
Select: "Advanced Installation RedHat Package"
Before installing RealPlayer, make sure to have the compat-libstdc++-33 compatibility libraries installed.
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo yum install compat-libstdc++-33
Install RealPlayer:
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo rpm -ivh RealPlayer10GOLD.rpm
Preparing... ########################################### [100%]
1:RealPlayer ########################################### [100%]
RealPlayer/HelixPlayer Forums: https://helixcommunity.org/forum/?group_id=154
Top Resources
Install MP3 Players
30 May 2007
Fedora ships without any form of MP3 playback. In order to add MP3 playback you must install from a 3rd party. The following requires the use of the Livna repository.
XMMS: simple, older GUI, minimalistic features (but still popular)
- Installation through yum:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install xmms xmms-mp3 xmms-faad2
- Plugin settings: Options > Preferences >
Audio I/O Plugins > Input Plugins
Disable: MPEG Layer 1/2/3 Placeholder Plugin [librh_mp3.so]
==> UNCHECK [ ] Enable Plugin - More detailed instructions from Fedora Core 5 Guide
Audacious: (A fork of Beep Media Player - BMP). XMMS rebuilt to be a little bit more modern. Still basic but much better than XMMS.
- Installation through yum:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install audacious audacious-plugins-nonfree*
NOTE: There is a '*' at the end.
Rythmbox/Gstreamer - A simple audio application similar to iTunes layout.
- Most of Rythmbox and the Gstreamer system should be installed when installing Gnome (mentioned above). The missing components are just the MP3 (and other media) plugins.
- Installation through yum:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install gstreamer-plugins-ugly gstreamer-plugins-bad
Amarok - A modern feature rich media player application.
- It is helpful to have KDE installed first as this will reduce the download.
- Installation through yum:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install amarok amarok-extras-nonfree
- Amarok Engine: Amarok requires you to select an "engine" which can play different media. The current support engines are Xine/Gstreamer and RealPlayer/HelixPlayer. If you installed the gstreamer-plugins-ugly or amarok-extras-nonfree the Xine engine will be default. (Recommended)
- If you require the RealPlayer engine (or the Xine engine will not work), please read the steps used in Fedora Core 6.
Top Resources
Install Microsoft Truetype Fonts
30 May 2007
| http://corefonts.sourceforge.net/ You have to make the RPM using the above site. For convenience I have created the RPM (please do not link directly to this file): [mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo rpm -ivh msttcorefonts-2.0-1.noarch.rpm Restarting xfs may not be necessary. Many programs need only to be restarted. Some older applications, may require you to log out of Gnome or KDE and log back in (reboot NOT required). NOTE: Fedora encourages the use of the Liberation Fonts. These should be installed by default, however if not, please run: [mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install liberation-fonts |
width="300" scrolling="no" height="250" frameborder="0" name="iframe0" allowtransparency="true" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" src="http://ypn-js.overture.com/d/search/p/ypn/jsads/?Partner=7022769530&type=17342&adwd=300&adht=250&ctxtUrl=http%3A//www.mjmwired.net/resources/mjm-fedora-f7.html&bc=FFFFFF&cc=FFFFFF&lc=0000FF&tc=000000&uc=999999&du=3&cb=1196692782105"> |
Top Resources
Disable Unneeded Services/Daemons
30 May 2007
Information regarding services and their functions can be found on: Services in Fedora 7 (http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mjm-services-f7.html).
For information on how to manage services in Fedora please read: Managing Services in Fedora (http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mjm-fedora-manage-services.html).
Top Resources
Macromedia Flash Plugin
29 October 2007
The Macromedia (Adobe) Flash plugin is available from Adobe's website. Users can install the RPM directly or use Adobe's YUM repository (recommended). Please note the plugin will not work directly on 64-bit browsers without some re-configuration.
For yum users:
Install the Adobe YUM repository, and install through yum:
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo rpm -ivh http://linuxdownload.adobe.com/adobe-release/adobe-release-i386-1.0-1.noarch.rpm
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-adobe-linux
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo yum install flash-plugin
For manual installation: For users without yum or 64-bit Fedora users:
Go to Adobe Flash Player Download Center Linux (x86) and select:
Option 2: .rpm. Download the .rpm file (RPM, 2,545 K) and save it to disk.
Install:
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo rpm -ivh flash-plugin-9.0.48.0-release.i386.rpm
NOTE: Previously the macromedia.mplug.org repository was used. For users who have this repository installed, they should run:
# sudo yum update flash-plugin
This will not only update to the latest version of the plugin but will also install the Adobe YUM repository.
Top Resources
Install Java Plugin
29 October 2007
NOTE: These instructions are for using Sun Java for the web browser and using Java dependant applications. This is not meant for developers. The official recommendation from Fedora can be found on http://www.fedoraproject.org/wiki/JavaFAQ. However the following instructions are simple for non-developers or users who don't use yum.
NOTE: Fedora advises AGAINST using the Sun Java RPM . If you do not use yum or do not have any Fedora/GNU java installed this will not affect you. If you are using yum and installed the RPM it is recommended to remove it (for example):
[mirandam@charon ~]$ rpm -q jre
jre-1.6.0-fcs
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo rpm -e jre
Download the Java package from:
http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp
Select: Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 3 (the JDK is for developers)
On the next page, accept the license agreement, and make sure to select:
Linux self-extracting file jre-6u3-linux-i586.bin 18.23 MB
To install:
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sh jre-6u3-linux-i586.bin
(hit 'space' till the end, then type 'yes')
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo mv -f jre1.6* /opt/jre1.6
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo ln -s /opt/jre1.6/plugin/i386/ns7/libjavaplugin_oji.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin_oji.so
Note: The compat-libstdc++-33 compatibility libraries are required for the browser plugin to work.
To update: If you update the JRE package, simply delete the /opt/jre1.6 directory and copy the newer download to /opt/jre1.6 -- No need to run the 'ln -s' command.
Controlling Java through 'alternatives'. When running the java command, Fedora will automatically pick the GNU Java, to use Sun's java do the following:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo /usr/sbin/alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /opt/jre1.6/bin/java 2
[mirandam@charon ~]$ echo 2 | sudo /usr/sbin/alternatives --config java
[mirandam@charon ~]$ java -version
java version "1.6.0_03"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_03-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.6.0_03-b05, mixed mode, sharing)
NOTE: Java 1.6 Problems - If Java 1.6 is not working properly it is recommended to used Java 1.5 as is described in Fedora Core 6 - Java.
Top Resources
Install Adobe Acrobat
29 October 2007
To view PDF files, Fedora includes evince, however this application is very basic and may not work with all PDF's.
Download Acrobat from: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2_allversions.html
Select:
Operating system: Unix/Linux
Version: Linux (.rpm)
Your language.
The latest version of Adobe Acrobat is 8.1.1 and the download size is between 40-60MB depending on your language. Not all languages are supported under Linux.
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo rpm -ivh AdobeReader_enu-8.1.1-1.i486.rpm
NOTE: Currently Adobe is still providing version 7.0.9, if for whatever reason you still require this version please read FC6 - Acrobat Reader.
Acrobat Browser Plugin
The browser plugin is NOT automatically installed. This is optional. To install it:
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo ln -sf /opt/Adobe/Reader8/Browser/intellinux/nppdf.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/nppdf.so
Top Resources
Setup Samba - Filesharing with Windows
31 May 2007
If you have other Windows computers on your Lan and want to share files with them, you must setup Samba.
To setup Samba you must (1) install samba, (2) add you 'shares', (3) add users, (4) start Samba service.
1. Install Samba
It is best to have Samba installed in the installation process. If not yum users can install using: Add/Remove Software > Servers > Windows File Server. Users without yum can install the following packages from their DVD (or download): samba, samba-common, samba-client.
2. Add Shares
You must edit /etc/samba/smb.conf as root: (use nano instead of gedit if you do not have a GUI)
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf
Set your Windows Workgroup name in [global] section.
Added shares at the end of the file. Example:
[c_drive]
path = /media/c_drive
public = yes
writable = no
[netshare]
path = /data/
public = yes
writable = yes
If 'writable' the location must be writable in Linux first. Additionally permissions must match (for example: drw-rw-rw-).
If home data (all personal files under /home/username) is to be accessible, then set 'browseable = yes' under [homes] (~line 250). This configuration file is very descriptive, read through it to get more ideas or information.
3. Add Users
To access shares, you must be a valid user. Add valid users AND passwords using the smbpasswd command.
This login name WILL be the login name and password you use from Windows to access your Linux computer. The password does NOT need to match your Linux password.
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo smbpasswd -a username
New SMB password:
Retype new SMB password:
account_policy_get: (warnings ignore)
Added user username.
(Note: 'username' must be a valid account on the machine)
4. Start Samba Service
Run samba and check for any errors:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo /etc/init.d/smb start
Starting SMB services: [ OK ]
Starting NMB services: [ OK ]
Use chkconfig or serviceconf to enable samba (smb) in both runlevels 3 and 5. This will make sure to run Samba each time Fedora boots.
[mirandam@charon ~]$ /sbin/chkconfig --list smb
smb 0:off 1:off 2:off 3:off 4:off 5:off 6:off
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo /sbin/chkconfig --level 35 smb on
[mirandam@charon ~]$ /sbin/chkconfig --list smb
smb 0:off 1:off 2:off 3:on 4:off 5:on 6:off
Restart Samba for every change to users/passwords or 'smb.conf'
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo /etc/init.d/smb restart
Shutting down SMB services: [ OK ]
Shutting down NMB services: [ OK ]
Starting SMB services: [ OK ]
Starting NMB services: [ OK ]
--------------
Firewall Users
Run system-config-securitylevel
To allow Samba access to work through your firewall you must set 'Samba' as a 'Trusted service'.
SELinux Users
SELinux has significant control over restricting different parts of Samba. Run system-config-selinux. Please read lines #23 - #51 in /etc/samba/smb.conf for a better explanation. Run man samba_selinux for more help. The following is NOT complete.
Select Boolean > Samba >
Allow Samba to share any file/directory read/write
On the command line you can run:
[mirandam@charon ~]# sudo /usr/sbin/setsebool -P samba_export_all_rw 1
For any changes made above to the SELinux settings or smb.conf, it is recommended to restart Samba.
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Mount NTFS Partitions
31 May 2007
Windows uses a different filesystem (NTFS) to store files. In order for Fedora to read that filesystem, you require NTFS support in your kernel. There are multiple ways now to support NTFS in Linux. The following solution uses NTFS-3G which uses "Fuse" support in more recent kernels.
NOTE: As of Fedora 7, devices previously referenced by /dev/hda and /dev/hdb will be referenced by /dev/sda and /dev/sdb (respectively).
To setup NTFS access you must (1) install NTFS support, (2) check how many partitions you have, (3) create mount points, (4) mount partitions, and (5) update fstab to mount at next boot.
1. Install NTFS Support
The software required for NTFS support is included in the DVD installation. If not, install using yum:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install fuse fuse-libs ntfs-3g
Users without yum, either download or use your Fedora 7 DVD to install the following RPM's: fuse, fuse-lib and ntfs-3g.
2. Check Your Partitions
Use fdisk to list partitions. Most ATA hard drives will be /dev/sda. Drives may also show up as /dev/sdb depending on your configuration.
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo /sbin/fdisk -lu /dev/sda | grep NTFS
/dev/sda1 * 63 33559784 16779861 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 33559785 67119569 16779892+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 67119570 100679354 16779892+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
Usually the first will be a drive "letter": C drive, next D, etc. Hence /dev/sda1 is my C:/ drive used by Windows.
3. Create Mount Points
For every partition in step 2 that you wish to access, you will need a "mount point". A mount point is just a directory. Common directories are: /media/ and /mnt/. Use whichever, but be consistent.
[mirandam@charon ~]$ cd /media/
[mirandam@charon media]$ sudo mkdir c_drive d_drive e_drive
You do not have to use these names, if you prefer to create folders such as 'movies', 'documents', or 'winxp', any name will work (recommended without spaces).
4. Mount Partitions
Using the NTFS-3G we can either mount the NTFS partitions read-only or read-write. For new users, read-only is recommended.
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo mount /dev/sda1 /media/c_drive -t ntfs-3g -r -o umask=0222
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo mount /dev/sda2 /media/d_drive -t ntfs-3g -r -o umask=0222
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo mount /dev/sda3 /media/e_drive -t ntfs-3g -r -o umask=0222
Read/Write Access: The above is for read-only access. In order to mount read/write, you must use the -rw -o umask=0000. Example:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo mount /dev/sda1 /media/c_drive -t ntfs-3g -rw -o umask=0000
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Please run man mount to understand what umask= does.
5. Update /etc/fstab
Every time Fedora boots, the partitions must be mounted. To automatically mount, you must edit /etc/fstab.
Open /etc/fstab in an editor: (use nano instead of gedit if you do not have a GUI)
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo gedit /etc/fstab
Add these lines to the END of the file:
/dev/sda1 /media/c_drive ntfs-3g ro,defaults,umask=0222 0 0
/dev/sda2 /media/d_drive ntfs-3g ro,defaults,umask=0222 0 0
/dev/sda3 /media/e_drive ntfs-3g ro,defaults,umask=0222 0 0
Read/Write Access: The above is for read-only access. In order to mount read/write, you must use the rw,defaults,umask=0000. Example:
/dev/sda1 /media/c_drive ntfs-3g rw,defaults,umask=0000 0 0
Done!
NOTE for FAT32 users
If you have FAT32 or FAT16 partitions, instead of ntfs-3g above you can use vfat to mount your partitions. No extra modules or downloads are required, this is built into the kernel. Just replace vfat for every place we have ntfs-3g when mounting and when editting /etc/fstab. Keep in mind that FAT partitions are read-write supported.
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Install Kernel Headers
11 October 2006
This package provides kernel headers and makefiles sufficient to build modules against the kernel package. The kernel headers are necessary if you require to install a driver (for example: Nvidia, ndiswrapper, Cisco VPN, etc.). If a driver requires kernel sources, it may be sufficient to install only the kernel headers.
The kernel headers The Kernel Headers are available through the kernel-devel RPM. This may or may not be installed by Fedora. This package can be installed from your Fedora DVD or online through FTP or yum.
Look on online in either the Fedora repository or Update repository and make sure you match your system, using the uname command. For example:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ uname -rm
2.6.21-1.3194.fc7 i686
Select: kernel-devel-2.6.21-1.3194.fc7.i686.rpm
If you have updated your kernel (using yum), then it is recommended you use yum to install the package:
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install kernel-devel
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Install Kernel Source
31 May 2007
Installing the kernel source is typically NOT needed unless you wish to re-compile your kernel or for some special development. However in some cases the kernel headers may be required.
There are 3 basic steps involved in installing the kernel source.
- Download the desired kernel source (matching your current kernel if required)
- Installing the SRC.RPM package
- Using rpmbuild to prepare the source into a usable state
NOTE: Following these steps will consume at least 400MB of disk space!
1. Download the Kernel Source
Obtaining Kernel Source (for default Fedora 7 kernel)
The default kernel source can be found through any Fedora mirror. Look in the directory "/source/SRPMS/" under the "/7/" directory . For example: http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/releases/7/Fedora/source/SRPMS/.
kernel-2.6.21-1.3194.fc7.src.rpm 24-May-2007 09:26 45M
Obtaining Kernel Source (for updated Fedora 7 kernel)
If you updated your kernel, then the typically the last 2 or 3 releases of the source of the kernel will be available though the Fedora updates. IF YOU REQUIRE you can (try to) match the kernel source with your running kernel.
Look in the update directory on most Fedora mirror sites. For example: http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/updates/7/SRPMS/.
Obtaining Kernel Source through 'yum' (for latest Fedora 7 kernel)
There are yum utilities which will download the LATEST kernel source. If it does not find anything, then there are no updates (yet) use the DEFAULT Fedora kernel source.
[mirandam@charon ~]$ sudo yum install yum-utils
[mirandam@charon ~]$ cd downloads
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo yumdownloader --source kernel
2. Install the Kernel Source
Install the kernel.src.rpm that you chose to download in the previous steps.
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo rpm -ivh kernel-2.6.21-1.3194.fc7.src.rpm
1:kernel ########################################### [100%]
Ignore group kojibuilder does not exist or user kojibuilder does not exist errors.
3. Prepare the Source
A required component sparse must first be installed. This must be installed through yum or online, it is NOT on the installation DVD.
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo yum install sparse
To prepare the source to be useable:
[mirandam@charon downloads]$ sudo rpmbuild -bp --target=$(uname -m) /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/kernel-2.6.spec
The source files will be properly located in /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.21/. There are 2 useful directories:
- linux-2.6.21.ARCH/
This will have the standard kernel.org kernel WITH Fedora patches and updates. The ARCH architecture will match the output of uname -m, usually i686. You may use noarch for the target= option if you wish. - vanilla/
This will have the standard kernel.org kernel ONLY (no patches or updates).
NOTE: The process Fedora uses to build and configure kernels can be found in greater depth on the Fedora Wiki. The above information is very basic and meant to allow access to the source and not necessarily build it.
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More Information
- Fedora 7 - Services and Daemons in Fedora 7
- Fedora Core 6 Personal Installation Guide
- Fedora 7 Blog Entries
- Fedora Core 6 - Services in Fedora Core 6
- Fedora Core 5 on Dell D810 Latitude Laptop
- Managing Services in Fedora
- Installing Alternate GCC Compiler on Fedora
- Fedora Help Forum Posts and Threads
- Italian Translation: Personal Installation Guide Fedora 7
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