Before starting | Other OS | Steps | Other install | Sprachen

Here is a quick start in order to check and install Mandriva Linux on your system and enjoy it.

Before starting

Look for Boot sequence or First boot device in the BIOS' features setup, and set the CD-ROM as the first boot device. Required configuration for Mandriva Linux installation is:

Make sure that all your hardware is connected to your computer and powered on during the installation. Printers, modems, scanners and joysticks are just a few examples of peripherals which Mandriva installer can automatically detect and configure as Mandriva Linux is being installed.

Mandriva Linux can handle a large number of hardware devices, and the list is far too long to be quoted exhaustively. You may consult an up-to-date list of supported hardware on the Mandriva Linux Hardware Database web site.

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Co-existing with other operating systems

You can install Mandriva Linux alongside other operating systems, such as Windows, or other versions of Linux. Have the documentation for those OSes handy and make sure you:

Once Mandriva Linux is installed, and the system is restarted, a menu appears from which you can select the operating system to start: use the arrow keys to highlight the one you want, then press Enter to boot it.

If you upgrade from 2008 Spring, 2009 Mandriva Linux versions, do not forget to backup your system.
Upgrading from earlier versions (prior to 2008 Spring) is not supported. In that case, you need to do a fresh installation and not an update.

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Main steps of installation

  1. Insert your Installation CD or DVD and reboot your system.
  2. Press [Enter] when the Mandriva Linux welcome screen appears and carefully follow the instructions.
  3. When the installation is complete take out install media when ejected; your system will reboot. If it does not, restart it manually.
  4. Mandriva Linux will start. After bootup, you can login on your machine under the user account setup during install, or as "root".

The "root" account will give you unrestricted access to your Linux system. Do not use it except to configure or administer Linux. For every day use, use a normal user account which you can configure with the "userdrake" tool, or with the commands "adduser" and "passwd".

If something goes wrong during the first installation attempt, boot from the installation medium again, and depending on your problem, try one of the Fx options at the bottom of the screen. Select an option and press F1 to get more information about what that specific option does.

Boot Options: this line contains the options passed on to the kernel that will be used for the selected action. Most machines don't require specific kernel options.

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Other install

You can also install Mandriva Linux from network media (ftp, http). You will then only need a bootable image on CD to start install process and then switch to a network media.

Burn boot.iso image and then boot from it. It supports all installations methods, cdrom, network, and hard-disk.

You can also use a text mode installation if, for any reason, you have trouble with the default graphical installation. To use it, press [F1] at Mandriva Linux welcome screen, then type text at the prompt.

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Troubleshooting

If you need to rescue your existing Mandriva Linux system, insert your Installation CDROM (or any relevant boot floppy), press [F1] at Mandriva Linux welcome screen, then type rescue at the prompt.

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Additional support and information

For additional support, see the following:

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Sprachen

This howto is available in:

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