Step-by-Step Installation Procedure: SuSE Linux 9.

0 Professional, Solaris
Operating System (x86 Platform Edition), and Red Hat Enterprise
Linux WS

By Craig Winter

SuSE 9.0 Professional Linux 64-bit Version for AMD64 has a very clean Disk
Partitioner that can help the installer easily format and label the partitions
required for a multi-boot installation.

Installing SuSE 9.0 Professional for AMD64

The first operating system to install is SuSE 9.0 Professional for AMD64.

To begin, turn on the machine and place the SuSE DVD in the DVD player (or
SuSE CD number one in the CD player). Then cycle power on the machine.
The machine will boot from the DVD/CD media. The SuSE boot options
screen will appear for about 10 seconds. Before it boots from the hard disk, use
the Down arrow key to highlight Installation and then press Enter. This will
load the Linux kernel from the DVD/CD.

What follows are the screens that will appear, and the actions to take, along
with some notes for clarification:

Select Your Language: English

Accept

Installation Settings: If a "YaST2" Error form

appears,
OK

Installation Settings: If a "YaST2" form

appears,
Select "New
Installation"
OK
Installation Settings: Software

Software Selection: Click on "Detailed

Selection"
Select all of the
packages in the left box
Accept
Press Continue on the
"Changed Packages" form

Installation Settings: Partitioning

Suggested Partitioning: Create custom partition

setup
Next
Custom partitioning --
for experts
Next

Expert Partitioner: Expert..

Delete partition table
and disk label
YaST2 Caution:
Yes
YaST2 Warning:

Yes, delete the

partition table now

Expert Partitioner: Create

YaST2: Primary
Partition
OK
Format->Do not format:

File system ID: 0x82

Linux swap
Size->End: +24GB
Mount Point:
 OK

Create

YaST2: Primary
Partition
OK
Format->Format:
File system: Ext3
Size->End: +24GB

Fstab Options:
Volume Label: RedHat
OK
Mount Point: /RedHat
OK

Create
YaST2: Primary
Partition
OK
Format->Format:
File system: Ext3

Size->End: +24GB
Fstab Options:
Volume Label: SuSE
OK
Mount Point: /

OK

Create
YaST2: Primary
Partition
OK
Format->Format:

File system: Swap

Size->End: 10010
(default)
 Mount Point: swap
OK

The Partition Table should resemble the following:

Device Size F Type Mount Start

End Label

/dev/hda 76.6GB HDS 0

10010
/dev/hda1 24.0GB Linux swap 0
3133

/dev/hda2 24.0GB F Linux native (Ext3) /RedHat 3134

6267 RedHat
/dev/hda3 24.0GB F Linux native (Ext3) / 6268
9401 SuSE
/dev/hda4 2.0GB F Linux swap swap 9402
10010

Note: The Start and End sizes shown here may differ, depending on the brand
of disk drive that is used. Some show the sizes in kilobytes, others in cylinders,
and so on.

Expert Partitioner: Next

Installation Settings: Accept

Installation Settings: "YaST2"

Yes, install

Note: All three of the Linux partitions (SuSE, RedHat, and Swap) will be
formatted at this time, but not the partition reserved for the Solaris OS. The
Solaris OS partition will be formatted during its installation. The Linux Swap
partition will be formatted again when Red Hat is loaded, but it needs to be
formatted at this time for the SuSE installation. When the installation has
finished, the machine will reboot itself from the "Harddisk".

Installation...

Password for "root": Your discretion

Next
Network Configuration: Specify for your network

Test Internet Connection: Your discretion

Note: If you choose to do this, you will be prompted to download and install
dozens of updated patches, which may take quite a while.

User Authentication Method: Your choice

Hardware Configuration: Use Following

Configuration

Note: Make sure that the monitor and graphics device are correctly specified,
along with the resolution that you want to have.

Installation Completed: Finish

Log in to SuSE.

Installing Solaris 10 OS on x86 Platforms

The second operating system to install is the Solaris OS (x86 Platform Edition).

Place the first CD (number one of three) in the player and reboot the system.
The machine will boot from the CD and display the first screen. Proceed with
the installation as follows:

Solaris Device Configuration Assistant:

F2_Continue

Bus Enumeration:
Enter_Continue

Identified Devices:
F2_Continue

Boot Solaris: [X] CD

F2_Contin
ue
Solaris Interactive: 3 Solaris
Interactive
Text-
only Installer

Enter

Select a Language: 0.
English
Enter

The Solaris Installation Program:

F2_Continue

kdmconfig:

Introduction:
F2_Continue

View and Edit Window System

Configuration: Configure
the Monitor and
Graphics
Device for your

Machine
F2_Contin
ue

Window System Configuration Test:

F2_Continue

Is this display okay?: Test the

Display

Click on
"Yes"

Identify This System:

F2_Continue
Network Connectivity: Site
Dependent
F2_Contin
ue

..
..
..

Time Zone: [X] <Your

Continent>

F2_Contin
ue

Time Zone: [X] <Your

Country>

F2_Contin
ue

Date and Time: Verify

the date and time
F2_Contin
ue

Confirm Information:
F2_Continue

Root Password: Your

discretion
F2_Contin
ue

Solaris Interactive Installation:

F2_Standard

Eject a CD/DVD Automatically?: [X]

Automatically eject CD/DVD
 F2_Contin
ue

Reboot After Installation: [X] Auto

Reboot
F2_Contin
ue

Information: F2_OK

Initializing...

License:
F2_Accept_License

Select Geographic Regions: [/] North

America
[X]
U.S.A. (en_US.ISO8859-1)

F2_Contin
ue

Select System Locale: [X]

U.S.A. (en_US.ISO8859-1)
F2_Contin
ue

Select Products: Your

Discretion

F2_Contin
ue

Additional Products: [X] None

F2_Contin
ue

Select Software: [X]

Entire Distribution plus
 OEM
Support
F2_Contin
ue

Select Disks: [X] c0d0

F4_Edit

Disk Editing Options: [X] Edit

Fdisk partitions
F2_Contin
ue

Customize fdisk Partitions for Disk: Select

Partition "4"
F3_Delete

Delete fdisk Partition?: F2_OK

The table now shows only one SOLARIS partition and should look like the
following:

Partition Type Size Start Cylinder

=============================================
1 SOLARIS 24577 1
2 Other 24577 12484

3 Other 24577 24967

4 <unused> 0 0
Customize fdisk Partitions for Disk: F2_OK

Select Disks:
F2_Continue

Preserve Data?:
F2_Continue

Automatically Layout File Systems?:

F2_Auto_Layout
Automatically Layout File Systems:
F2_Continue

File System and Disk Layout:

F2_Continue or F4_Customize

Note: Space can be allocated the same as during a standard Solaris installation
on the SPARC platform.

Mount Remote File Systems?: Your

Discretion
F2_Contin
ue

Profile:
F2_Begin_Installation

Warning: F2_OK

Solaris Initial Install...

Note: After the installation of the core Solaris software, the machine will
automatically reboot. The first CD is still in the player, so it will begin the
installation process again. Use the following steps to make the machine boot
from the hard disk and continue installing the Solaris OS.

Solaris Device Configuration Assistant:

F2_Continue

Bus Enumeration:
Enter_Continue

Identified Devices:
F2_Continue

Boot Solaris: F4_Boot

Tasks

Boot Tasks: [X]

View/Edit Autoboot Settings
F2_Contin
ue

View/Edit Autoboot Settings: [X] Set

Default Boot Device

F2_Contin
ue

Set Default Boot Device: [X] Disk

F2_Contin
ue

View/Edit Autoboot Settings: [X]

Accept Settings

F2_Contin
ue

Boot Tasks: F3_Back

Boot Solaris: [X] Disk

F2_Contin
ue

Specify Media: (*)

CD/DVD
Next >

Insert Disk: 2 of 3
Close the
CD tray

OK >

Ready to Install: Install

Now >

Installing...
Specify Media: (*)
CD/DVD
Next >

Insert Disk: 3 of 3
Close the
CD tray
OK >

Ready to Install: Install

Now >

Installing...

Reboot: Reboot
Now

Installing Red Hat 3.1 Enterprise 64-bit

The third operating system to install is Red Hat 3.1 Enterprise 64-bit.

Place Disk 1 in the DVD/CD player and reboot the system.

Enter

Note: A prompt may appear asking to check the CD. Do this at your discretion.

Welcome: Next

Language Selection: English

Next

Keyboard: US English
Next

Mouse Configuration: Confirm existing mouse

Next

Disk Partitioning Setup: (*) Manually Partition

with Disk Druid
Next

Format as Swap?: No

Partitioning: Select /dev/hda2

Edit
Format partition as:
ext3
Mount Point: /
OK

Select /dev/hda3
Edit
Mount Point: /SuSE
Leave unchanged
(preserve data)
OK

New
File System Type: swap
Size (MB): 2048
Force to be a primary
partition
OK

Now the table looks something like the following:

Device Mount Type Format Size Start

End
Point

/dev/hda1 Linux swap 24584 1

3134
/dev/hda2 / ext3 F 24584 3135
6268
/dev/hda3 /SuSE ext3 24576 6269
9401
/dev/hda4 swap F 2047 9402
9662

Note: The Start and End sizes shown here may differ, depending on the brand
of disk drive that is used. Some show the sizes in kilobytes, others in cylinders,
and so on.

Partitioning: Next

Format Warnings: Format

Boot Loader Configuration: The GRUB boot loader

will be
installed on /dev/hda

Next

Network Configuration: Site Dependent

Next

Firewall: Site Dependent

Next

Additional Language Support: English (USA)

Next

Time Zone Selection: Select your time zone

Next

Set Root Password: Your discretion

Next

Package Defaults: (*) Customize the set

of packages to be
installed
Next
Package Group Selection: Everything

Next

About to Install: Next

Note: Both of the Red Hat Linux partitions (/ and Swap) will be formatted at
this time, but not the partitions reserved for SuSE or the Solaris OS. When the
installation has finished, the machine will reboot itself from the hard disk.

Installing Packages

Change CDRom: 2, 3, 4, 1

Graphical Interface
(X) Configuration: Select correct Video
card RAM
Next

Monitor Configuration: Select monitor type

Next

Customize Graphical
Configuration: Color Depth: <device
dependent>

Screen Resolution:
<user preference>

Next

Congratulations: Exit

The system will reboot and come up as Red Hat 3.1 Enterprise. There will be
some more screens that deal with license terms and Red Hat registration.
Respond as you prefer.

Log in to Red Hat as root.

mv /boot/grub/grub.conf /boot/grub/grub.conf-orig
cp /boot/grub/grub.conf-orig /boot/grub/grub.conf
vi /boot/grub/grub.conf

Add SuSE and Solaris OS entries to the bottom of the file so that it looks like
the following:

title Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS (2.4.21-9.EL)

root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinux-2.4.21-9.EL ro
root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi
initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.21-9.EL.img

title SuSE 9.0 Professional Linux 64 bit Version for

AMD64
kernel (hd0,2)/boot/vmlinux root=/dev/hda3
vga=0x31a \
splash=silent desktop hdc=ide-scsi hdclun=0
showopts
initrd (hd0,2)/boot/initrd
title 32-bit Solaris 10 x86

root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

The SuSE entry comes from /SuSE/boot/grub/menu.lst, which was created

during the SuSE installation. It may be copied directly to the Red Hat
/boot/grub/grub.conf file.

Reboot.

As the machine reboots, it will display the Red Hat version of the GRUB Boot
Loader. Use the arrow keys to select an operating system to boot. If you do not
change the selection, the first entry (in this case Red Hat) will be loaded.