HB Computer Security | Aide Memoire
  • Introduction
  • Core Technical Skills
    • Core Skills
      • Linux
        • Getting to Know Linux
          • Using the Shell
            • Shells, Terminals, and Virtual Consoles
            • Choose your Shell
            • Shell Commands
              • Non-PATH Commands
              • Command History
                • Command Line Editing
                  • Keystrokes for Navigating Command Lines
                  • Keystrokes for Editing Command Lines
                  • Keystrokes for Cutting and Pasting Text from within Command Lines
                • Command Line Recall
                  • Keystrokes for Command Line Recall
              • Connecting and Expanding Commands
                • Piping Between Commands
                • Sequential Commands
                • Expanding Commands
            • Shell Variables
              • Common Shell Variables
            • Aliases
            • Create your Own Shell Environment
              • Modification Ideas
          • Navigating the Linux File System (LFS)
            • Filesystem Commands
            • Listing Files and Directories
            • File Permissions and Ownership
              • Modifying Permissions with chmod
              • Modifying Default Permissions with umask
              • Change File Ownership with chown
            • Copying, Moving, and Removing Files
            • Finding Files
              • locate
              • find
              • grep
            • Downloading Files
              • axel
              • wget
              • curl
                • User-Agent: Googlebot
          • Working with Text Files
            • Using vim and vi to Edit Text Files
              • Starting with vi
              • Adding Text
              • Moving Around in the Text
            • Text Manipulation
        • System Administration
          • Installing Linux
            • Installing from Live Media
            • Installing in the Enterprise
            • Partitioning Hard Disks
              • Tips for Creating Partitions
          • Account Administration
            • The root Account
              • Becoming root with su
              • sudo
                • The /etc/sudoers File
                • Granting sudo privileges
                  • visudo Guidance
                • Useful sudo Hints
            • Other Administrative Accounts
            • Standard User Accounts
              • Risks of userdel: Orphaned Files
          • Graphical Remote Administration
            • Cockpit
              • Installation Guide
            • Remote Desktop Protocol with xrdp
              • Installation and Configuration
            • Remote Desktop with vnc
              • Installation and Configuration
              • Running VNC as a System Service
          • Managing Running Processes
            • Listing Processes
              • ps
              • top
              • htop
            • Backgrounding and Foregrounding
              • Starting a Background Process
              • Using Foreground and Background Commands
            • Killing and Recining Processes
              • kill and killall
          • Managing Software
            • Managing Software from the Desktop
            • Going Beyond the Limitations of Software Center
              • Debian Packages
                • Advanced Package Tool (apt)
                • Repositories
                • dpkg
        • Shell Scripting
          • Variables
            • Command Substitution
            • Arguments
          • Reading User Input
          • if, else, and elif
          • BOOLEAN Logic
          • Loops
            • for Loops
            • while Loops
          • Functions
          • Local Vs Global Variables
          • Summary
        • Securing Linux
      • Windows
        • Security Hardening
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  • Installing from Live Media
  • Installing from Installation Media (DVD or USB)
  • Installing in the Enterprise

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  1. Core Technical Skills
  2. Core Skills
  3. Linux
  4. System Administration

Installing Linux

Installing Linux onto a computer is pretty straightforward these days. As long as your machine’s got the right stuff under the hood (like a decent hard disk, enough RAM, a solid CPU), and you’re cool with giving your hard drive a clean slate, you’re all set. Plus, with the wizardry of cloud computing and virtualisation, you can sidestep the whole installation song and dance. Just sprinkle some metadata on prebuilt images, and you can have a Linux system up and running - or tucked away - quicker than you can knock a brew together.

To kick things off, we'll ease you into the Linux installation party starting with a basic set-up on a physical machine using Live media. Then, as you get comfortable, we'll venture into the more intricate styles of installations. To make sure you're well-prepped, I'll guide you through three different Linux installation methods step by step:

Installing from Live Media

A Linux Live media ISO serves as a comprehensive, read-only snapshot containing all the essentials to boot a Linux operating system. You can transfer this image onto a DVD or, more commonly these days, a USB drive, and use it to boot your computer. The beauty of Live media is that it operates independently of your computer's hard disk; you can even use it on a computer without a hard disk installed. While running the Linux system from Live media, some ISOs offer the option to initiate a permanent installation, transferring the Live system onto your hard disk for ongoing use. It's kind of like a "try before you buy" approach that I quite like!

Installing from Installation Media (DVD or USB)

Installation media, which you'll find accompanying distributions like Fedora, RHEL, and Ubuntu, provides a more adaptable approach to getting Linux onto your machine. Rather than just cloning the entirety of a Live media onto your system, installation media gives you the choice. It allows you to select the specific software packages you want, ensuring a tailored fit for your Linux setup.

Installing in the Enterprise

If you're setting up just one computer, manually ticking boxes and answering prompts during installation can be a pain in the... yeah. But, imagine the hassle if you're tasked with installing Linux on hundreds of machines! And, what if each one needs a bespoke setup, with the process replicated precisely each time...

Not to worry – we'll delve into the nifty world of network installation methods and kickstart files a little later, designed to take the pain out of mass Linux deployments.

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Last updated 1 year ago

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