Technofunction

The Linux is all about hands-on. You need to practice as much as possible in order to do the things correctly. Although there are utilities in Linux which helps you to make your work easier like Bash shell(Bourne Again Shell) which is the default shell allotted to a user once he login to the Linux server. It is more suitable for system administrators and moreover if you simply wanna navigate and use Linux. The unique feature of bash is the after typing a partial command, if you press tab it will complete it or otherwise show you the possible commands which becomes very useful in finding paths and file names. But to do all this you first need to install a Linux so that you can start exploring and practicing on it.

There are two types of installation of Linux:-

1. Default: In this type of installation all the partitions are created by Linux itself using default settings and it uses LVM(Logical volume manager) to manage the partitions.
2. Custom: This one is the best and you should use this as it helps to troubleshoot easily and moreover you can make better utilization of your hard drive by allotting desired space to each partition manually. But than again it requires good understanding and is recommended for advanced users more to the system administrators.

In this post we will be going through the default installations i.e. we will be using default settings for partitions in Linux. Apart from that we will be using Vmware to install Linux over windows so that Linux can be run on Windows under Vmware.

But first little about Vmware. Vmware is a software that allows you to install Linux over windows, or Windows over Linux. The basic idea is the virtualization and to reduce the cost of the hardware by running different O.S on the same machine. This can be very useful for companies that have to run multiple servers. Apart from that since there are many things which are not much convenient to run on Linux so Vmware allows you to use Host system as Linux and run Windows over it. For this Vmware creates a virtual layer over the host system and install another operating system over. You can install as many O.S as you want but there are limitations of hardware like RAM etc. Here we are going to install Linux over windows as it is safe and easy for a newbie to have a workaround on Linux. This installation is equally well for the advanced users as it consist of all the steps required to install an Vmware as well as Linux.

So we are first going to install Vmware and than Linux over it. We have shown screen-shots of Cent-OS Linux here but it is equally same for Red-Hat as well as Fedora as you will find only name change during your install and some additional software packages during your installation. So to begin with our installation simply Download Vmware from Vmware site by registering there. Since Vmware is open-source so they will not charge you until you demand there support. Now we assume the you have download the Vmware for your windows with .exe file format. Simply proceed to install as there is nothing much. Once you install it you will see a desktop icon as shown below, which allows you to launch browser from were you can install and access your virtual machine-

Simply click on it, It is possible that your antivirus might show you a warning as vmware uses a self signed signature but that’s fine simply accept it to be taken on to screen as shown below.

You need to enter login name and password simply enter administrator name and its password. Vmware uses administrator password because he is the one responsible to configure and manage your server so simply enter it to go to Vmware home screen

In the right sidebar as you can see an option to create a new virtual machine select it by clicking on it. so that you will be taken to following screen.

Simply click next to continue

Since we are installing Linux so select Linux operating system and click next

You need to alot the RAM to your virtual operating system. Now this is important if you prefer to use Linux with GUI atleast give 512mb of RAM to avoid any problems later. Similarly if you willing to install Oracle database or same application you need to give atleast 1024mb RAM.Depending on your requirement you can alot RAM in here. After that click next to continue.

Since we are creating a new virtual machine we have chosen to create a new virtual disk if you already using a virtual machine and want to use that machine space use second option. We have slected to create a new virtual Disk press next to continue,

Alot the amount of hard disk for your virtual machine here. Also select the option of split disks into 2gb files this will split the whole space in hard disk to 2 gb files and as your data increases on machine it assigns space to that so that you can make better use of your hard disk space. Click next to continue.

Select add a network adapter this allows you to use available network on your virtual machine. Click next to continue.

Shows you the available network for your virtual machine click next to continue.

Select use a physical drive and click next to continue

Here it shows you the drive were your host uses a cd-dvd drive same drive is used by virtual machine. Click next to continue.

Select don’t add a floppy image and click next to continue.

Select add a usb controller to use pen drive and other usb device on your virtual machine. Click next to continue.

Here it shows you a summary of your installation. If everything is fine click finish to create a virtual machine.

At the below it will show you that it has successfully created virtual machine.

That’s it your virtual machine is created.

This is only first half of the post where you have successfully created a virtual machine if you want to install Linux on it go through the next half of the post.

Written by: Ankit on March 26, 2010.
Last revised by: Ankit on May 12, 2011.