Before you install linux

How to Install Linux

Installing Linux follows a similar pathway regardless of the distribution

All you need to install Linux is a computer with available hard-drive space, a flash drive, and a copy of the installer for a specific Linux distribution.

Check Your Hardware for Linux Compatibility

Linux runs on almost any hardware, including very old desktop and laptop computers that otherwise struggle to run modern Windows or macOS hardware.

Before you get started, check your hardware specs—different Linux distributions run desktop environments that require varying degrees of hardware sophistication. The core measures include the clock speed of your processor, the architecture of your processor, the computer’s available RAM, and the video-card manufacturer.

By architecture we mean the processor family. Every operating system supports a limited number of processor types. Microsoft Windows, for example, supports Intel and AMD processors by default, and can support ARM processors in special Windows 10 variants. Linux supports many different processors, but each individual distribution only supports a subset of them. Thus, the scope of distributions available to you is dependent on your processor. If your computer uses Intel or AMD processors, you’re generally safe in almost all circumstances. More obscure processors are hit-or-miss in terms of distribution support.

Select a Linux Distribution

Linux is a single operating system, but it’s expressed in a variant called a distribution. Think of a distribution as a special flavor of Linux. It consists of a specific Linux kernel (common to all distributions, but at different version levels), a package manager, a default shell, and default desktop environment.

The greater Linux ecosystem supports several hundred distributions. Some of them, by design, features ease-of-use tools to help people new to Linux to get their feet wet. Others offer deep customization options that appeal to experienced Linux aficionados.

Desktop Environments

The graphical user interface for Linux is called a desktop environment. Pick from more than a dozen options. Of all the choices you must make, the selection of a DE, or a distribution with a default DE, is among the most significant because the DE is the single biggest consumer of system resources. The newer, flashier DEs (including KDE Plasma) work great on modern hardware, whereas older and less-intensive DEs like LXDE fly even on decade-old equipment.

It may not matter if your preferred DE isn’t a default option for your preferred distribution. In most cases, you’re free to install your favorite DE just as you’d install any other application package.

Plan Your Installation Strategy

Pick one of three different options:

  1. Install Linux on the entire hard drive, overwriting any existing operating system.
  2. Install Linux to a virtual machine.
  3. Install Linux on part of a hard drive, alongside an existing operating system.

Of these, the easiest option is to simply wipe everything and install Linux to over the entire hard disk.

Some people prefer to run Linux as a virtual machine within a host operating system. For example, Windows 10 Professional supports Hyper-V, within which any Linux distribution may be installed. It runs in a window. Similarly, tools like VirtualBox also support full-featured Linux computers within a Windows session. You’ll still allocate some disk space and memory for Linux, but it’ll subtract from what Windows requires. Virtual machines are great options if you’ve got plenty of disk space and available RAM—16 GB or more.

Installing Linux alongside Windows or macOS requires an extra step. Before you install Linux, you must use Windows or macOS to free disk space safely.

All computers, when they’re initially powered, run a diagnostic utility and a tiny hardware-based operating system that facilitates the loading of your «regular» operating system. On old computers, this hardware OS is called the BIOS. On modern computers, it’s called the UEFI. If your computer uses UEFI, you’ll need to tweak how you burn your ISO to Flash. Consult your distribution’s installation guide for specific procedures.

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Write the Distribution’s Installer to a USB Drive

In most cases, you’ll download an ISO file from your distribution’s website. This ISO is technically a disc image originally intended for burning to CDs or DVDs. Now, most people write the ISO to a dedicated removable USB drive.

After you’ve prepared the USB stick, backed up essential files, and—if necessary—resized your Windows or macOS volumes, you’re ready to install Linux.

Install Linux

Almost all Linux distributions install with a similar graphical installer. Although each distribution offers its own quirks and screens, for the most part, they’re fairly interchangeable. The only complex distributions are those without a graphical installer—e.g., Slackware.

The process typically unfolds as follows:

Reboot your computer with the USB drive plugged in. Depending on how your computer is configured, it’ll either boot to the USB drive, or you’ll have to press some sort of escape-key sequence to prompt an alternative boot order.

Watch your computer’s screen during the initial start-up sequence. Often, you’ll see a brief message advising you to press a special key to launch the BIOS/UEFI settings or to modify the boot-device order.

Allow Linux to load. Depending on the distribution, it’ll either push you to an installer program, or it’ll load a live USB environment. In the live environment, you’re free to play with it a few minutes to verify you’re comfortable with the distribution. When you’re ready to install Linux to disk from the live environment, select the Install Linux or equivalent utility. Often, this utility resides as an icon on the desktop.

Answer the prompts in the installer. The biggest decision point relates to the partition scheme. To install Linux on the whole hard drive, accept the defaults. To install Linux alongside an existing operating system, assign Linux to the partition or free space you created in Windows or macOS before you started your Linux installation.

You’re free to mount your Windows or macOS partitions within the Linux filesystem, provided your distribution recognizes the filesystem type for Windows or Mac. Be careful, however, with mounting remote filesystems if you’re not familiar with how filesystems and drive mounting works—mistakes here could lead to loss of data for Windows or macOS.

Set the bootloader. Determine your bootloader strategy. Either Linux manages the bootloader for the computer—required for whole-disk installations—or Windows or macOS does. Windows 10 sometimes struggles on EFI systems with Linux managing the bootloader. If you let Windows or macOS manage the bootloader in a true dual-boot system, use the Windows or Mac tool to reconfigure your bootloader so that it recognizes your Linux system.

Let Linux manage the bootloader if you’re installing a virtual machine. Your host operating system (Windows or macOS) won’t be affected.

Reboot the computer. After the installer completes, you’re either prompted to remove your installation media and reboot, or you’re dropped back to the live session. In either case, remove the USB drive and reboot your computer. Pick your Linux distribution from the bootloader screen.

Configure Linux

When you log in to your new Linux system for the first time, you’re working from a clean slate. Use this opportunity to install valuable open-source software and configure your desktop environment.

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2 Installing Linux

This chapter includes the following topics:

Before installing Linux on the STA server, review the system requirements in the STA Requirements Guide .

You cannot perform an in-place upgrade of Linux 5.x to Linux 6.x. If you are installing Linux 6.x as part of an upgrade to STA 2.0.x, see Chapter 8, «Upgrading to STA 2.1.x.»

Linux Installation Process

To install and configure Linux for STA, perform the following tasks in the following sections, in the order indicated.

Table 2-1 Linux Installation Tasks

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Preparation Tasks

Before installing Linux on the STA server, perform the procedures in the following sections.

Due to the wide variety of network configuration requirements and options, refer to the following documents for help with installing and configuring the hardware, software, and network. IPv4 and IPv6 network configuration are discussed in detail in these documents.

Oracle Linux Installation Guides:

RedHat Linux Documentation:

Review STA File System Layout

Table 2-2 describes the recommended file system layout for the STA server. You configure the layout during Linux installation.

The following locations are user-defined, meaning you can configure the layout to meet your site requirements.

Oracle storage home—The STA installer will prompt you for this location. There is no default. See «Oracle storage home location» for details.

STA database—The STA installer will prompt you for this location. The default is /dbdata .

STA database local backup—The STA installer will prompt you for this location. The default is /dbbackup .

STA and MySQL logs—The default is /var/log/tbi . If you want to use a different location, you must create a symbolic link from your desired location to /var/log/tbi after STA has been installed. See «Relocate the STA Logs Directory (optional)» for instructions.

Oracle recommends creating all these file systems before installing STA; otherwise, STA will be installed in the root » / » and /var directories, requiring additional space allocation to these directories. While the STA installer creates directories as needed, you have greater control of file system properties if you create the files systems in advance.

Table 2-2 Recommended File System Layout

Category Task

If /tmp is included in this file system, a minimum of 4 GB of free space should be maintained; this space is required during STA installations and upgrades.

None. Defined as memory.

50 to 100 percent of RAM size

Used for swap space.

Oracle storage home

50 GB recommended

Location of the STA and Oracle Middleware (WebLogic, MySQL, RDA) application files.

This location is user-defined. It should be a separate file system on a separate volume. Maintain a minimum of 4 GB free space for STA installations and upgrades. Maintain an additional 5 GB free space for WebLogic log rotation.

STA automatically creates the following Oracle Middleware subdirectories:

Rotated WebLogic logs:

RDA last CLI snapshot:

STA GUI snapshot log bundles:

STA database location

Location of the STA database. This location is user-defined. Oracle highly recommends you place this directory on its own volume, separate from root, swap, Oracle storage home, and the STA logs location. For performance, backup, and maintainability, best practice is to use a separate set of mirrored or striped drives.

Required size depends on the number of libraries, drives, media, exchanges per day, and historical years of data. Oracle recommends that you configure STA services to alert if space utilization exceeds a specified percentage.

STA database local backup location

70 to 80 percent of /dbdata size

Location of the most recent local database backup. This location is user-defined. Oracle recommends that it be on a different volume from the STA database, and on mirrored or striped drives in case of database corruption or failure.

STA logs location

50 GB to 100 GB recommended

Location of STA and MySQL logs. This location should be a separate volume at a separate mount point. The contents tend to grow and are managed through log rotation. The default location is /var/log/tbi , but you can change this location at any time after STA installation; see «Relocate the STA Logs Directory (optional)» for instructions.

Note : Except for log rotation, STA does not perform space management.

Caution : You must configure the STA backup utility to manage the log files in / STA_logs /db/stadb_bin.* . Otherwise, these files may require manual management (see the STA Administration Guide for details).

Download the Linux Installer Media Pack

Use this procedure to download the Linux installer media pack from the Oracle Software Delivery Cloud website. The media pack is delivered as a compressed ISO image file, which you can extract and write to portable media of your choice (flash drive, DVD, etc.).

Before performing this task, you must obtain an Oracle Software Delivery Cloud user ID and password from your Oracle support representative.

Start a Web browser and navigate to the Oracle Software Delivery Cloud website:

Click Sign In/Register .

Enter the user ID and password provided by Oracle Support.

On the Terms & Restrictions screen, select the boxes to indicate your acceptance of the License Agreement and Export Restrictions, and then click Continue .

On the Media Pack Search screen:

In the Select a Product Pack menu, select Oracle Linux .

In the Platform menu, select x86 64 bit (STA requires 64-bit Linux).

Select a Linux version, and then click Continue .

For Linux version requirements, see the STA Requirements Guide .

Click Download for the 64-bit option.

Save the ISO file and write it to media.

Installation Tasks

The following procedures assume an Oracle Enterprise Linux (OEL) 6u4 DVD installation with graphical installer and setup agent. If you install a different version of Linux, use different media, or use the console mode, the steps and packages may vary.

Gather Required Information

Contact your system administrator to obtain the following information:

Hostname and IP address for the STA server

Gateway IP address and netmask for your network

DNS server IP addresses and search domains for your network

IP address of the NTP (network time protocol) servers you will be using

Network proxy information, if applicable

Install Linux

Use this procedure to perform the Linux installation.

Connect the installation media to the STA server.

Start the Linux installer using the instructions in the README file on the media.

Select Install or upgrade an existing system .

If you are installing from a DVD, the CD Found screen appears. You can optionally perform a test of the media. To skip the test, press Tab to highlight the Skip option, and then press Spacebar .

On the Welcome screen, click Next .

Select a language, and then click Next .

Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next .

Select Basic Storage Devices , and then click Next .

Enter a hostname for the STA server, and then click Configure Network .

Select the network adapter name, and then click Edit .

Ensure that Connect automatically and Available to all users are both selected.

In the remaining tabs, configure the adapter according to your network administrator’s IPv4 or IPv6 specifications. You must specify a static IP address for the STA server, and at least one DNS server. When done, click Apply , Close , and Next .

Select the STA server’s time zone, select the System clock uses UTC check box, and then click Next .

Enter and confirm a Linux root password for the server, and then click Next .

Identify a partitioning layout to use on the server:

Because STA requires a dedicated server, Oracle recommends selecting Use All Space .

Select the Review and modify partitioning layout check box, and then click Next .

Use Table 2-2 to modify the file system layout, as the default does not meet the minimum requirements for STA. Alternatively, you can use the system-config-lvm utility to modify the file system after Linux installation.

When done, click Next .

When ready, select Write changes to disk .

In the boot loader screen, leave all options as-is, and then click Next .

In the software selection screen, select Basic Server , and do not change the repository options. Then, select Customize now , and then click Next .

In the package selection screen, use Table 2-3 to configure the packages for each package category:

Select a package category.

Select the box for each package in the Select column.

If a package requires an option (indicated with a +), highlight the parent package, click the Optional packages button, select the child package in the list, and then click Close .

Deselect the box for each package in the Deselect column.

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File System Default Mount Point Size Description and Recommendations