System Tools -> Terminal = command prompt
From the prompt, run "su -" (without quotes) to log in as Super User
("$" prompt changes to "#").
Accessories (menu) -> Text Editor = gedit.
As Super User, you can launch "gedit /path/filename" to edit system
files and, as described below,
you can copy the path from Nautilus, which
is the RH9 equivalent of Windows Explorer.
From a Terminal Window Command Prompt, you can use arrow keys to scroll to past commands &
edit them. "cd" is change directory, e.g. "cd .." to move up the tree.
"ls" command (without quotes)
shows files and folders in current directory, "ls -ld name" shows permissions and "chmod xxx name"
changes them, "cp -pr name1 name2" is a recursive copy, "find . -name name -print" searches below
the current directory and displays the path to the named file(s). "rm -rf *" deletes everything
below the current directory without prompting; "rmdir name" deletes the named directory.
"Nautilus" is the RH9 equivalent to Windows Explorer.
If you right click on the desktop, and select "Disks", then you
can view contents of Floppies or CDs.
Right click on their icons and "Eject" when finished with them, to unmount them. You can view
system partitions & directories by opening "(User's) Home" at the top of the desktop, & changing
the path. You can right-click a file on the desktop, and select properties, to see the path to it.
"control-c" for copy, and "paste" from the "Edit" menu, may be convenient for respectively
copying a path and pasting it to the command line.
The "/boot" folder contains: "grub" folder containing "grub.conf" boot menu and "device.map",
"config-2.4.20-8" (which identifies processor -- see description of "make xconfig" below)
and "module-info-2.4.20-8" which lists aliases of all known modules,
"vmlinuz-2.4.20-8"
(the kernel, generated by bzImage below) and "initrd-2.4.20-8.img" (the startup ram disk image).
You'll see, on the 1st Installation CD, that the "isolinux" folder
also contains "initrd.img" and "vmlinuz".
Missing or outdated drivers are a common installation-time headache. Some drivers, such as for the
Si 3112 SATA chip, must be compiled into the kernel (select them using xconfig then recompile
kernel as described below). Most come as loadable source modules (standard ones are in
"/usr/src/linux-2.4.20-8/drivers"), are compiled to "name.o" object files, installed under
"/lib/modules/2.4.20-8/kernel/drivers" then packed by "mkinitrd" (see below) into "initrd.img".
Download new drivers to your "/home/user" directory & follow directions in ReadMe or Make files.
One such loadable module is the ITE8212 ATA RAID chip driver (both Si 3112 SATA & ITE8212
RAID masquerade as SCSI, & require generic SCSI support, but kernel & loadable module versions
are mutually exclusive -- so Si 3112 SATA and ITE8212 ATA RAID are mutually exclusive).
If you have "name.o" object, "pcitable"", "modules.dep" & "modinfo" then you can install
drivers manually in initrd using Initrd-util and they'll load automatically at boot time
(and be aliased in "/etc/modules"). "lspci -n" can be used to deduce PCI table IDs (thanks
for this to Jim Tittsler). The procedure for burning a pre-install boot CD (required drivers
may be added in a customized initrd) is described in the Red Hat 9 Installation docs.
If patching the kernel, you may want to clone your system with "mirrordir" (from "SourceForge.net").
Also make sure that you have a boot floppy before recompiling. To recompile your system after
adding drivers, first back up .config in /usr/src/linux/ to (say) Default.config in your home directory.
Note: the Makefile in "/usr/src/linux-2.4.20-8/" can be modified to specify "ExtraVersion" name
("8custom") & "install_path" (e.g. "/boot"). As described in Scott's FAQ, go to /usr/src/linux/ and
execute "(make mrproper;) make oldconfig; make xconfig (or menuconfig); make dep; (make clean;)
make bzImage". If no errors, confirm that there's a new vmlinuz-2.4.20-8custom" in "/boot".
Note: "defconfig" in arch/i386 is the lowest-common-denominator x86 config default loaded when you start xconfig.
Back up ".config", use the CPU-specific (e.g. Athlon) config as starting point for a new "defconfig". Remember:
save changes back to the same file.
If a corresponding object module directory does exist then "initrd" will be
created, otherwise you'll get an error message but the object modules directory will be created by the next
steps: "make modules" and "make modules_install". Compile and install any updated modules
that are not part of the source tree, run "depmod -a" then you can create a new initrd image using
"mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.4.20-8custom.img 2.4.20-8custom". Add "vmlinuz-2.4.20-8custom"
and "initrd-2.4.20-8custom.img" to a new menu entry in "grub.conf" and try it out.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For those who want speed and don't mind a little danger, try "hdparm -t /dev/hda" (you can find the device corresponding to your hard drive(s)
by "device.map" in the grub folder) for testing and tuning your hard drive. "hdparm" or "man hdparm" ("man" stands for "manual") tell you the options. If you change the parameters
and then the test fails, attempt to change the parameters back to what they were, and then immediately shut down and restart.
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