Installation Guide: Fedora 8 Desktop (a.k.a. The Perfect Desktop)

Version 1.0
Author: Oliver Meyer <o [dot] meyer [at] projektfarm [dot] de>

This document describes how to set up a Fedora desktop - including how to enable special mouse buttons, improve laptop support (depending on your model), set up printers (especially HP) and the usage of Compiz Fusion. The result is a fast, secure and extendable system that provides all you need for daily work and entertainment.

This howto is a practical guide without any warranty - it doesn't cover the theoretical backgrounds. There are many ways to set up such a system - this is the way I chose.

1 Install Media

The install media is available at http://fedoraproject.org/get-fedora - I used the DVD-image for this howto.

2 Installation

Hit "Enter" to start the installation.

Initial drivers are beeing loaded.

Test your install media if you want.

The installation wizard is starting.

Select your language and proceed.

Choose your keyboard-layout and proceed.

If you have a new unformatted disk you'll see this popup. Click on "yes".

Here you can select/edit the partitioning layout.

If you chose the manual setup, you'll see this window.

If you chose a predefined setup, you'll see a warning like this. Commit it if you agree.

If you chose a predefined setup and marked the checkbox "Review and modify partitioning layout" you'll see this window - details, how the predefined setup affects the disk. You can make manual changes or take it as it is.

In this window you can adjust the settings for the bootloader.

Here you can adjust the network settings.

Select the location nearest to yours and configure the clock. Unmark the checkbox if there are other operating systems installed, that expects the clock to be set to local time - e.g. Windows.

Choose a password for the root-account and confirm it.

Here you can select predefined collections of software. You can also make a custom selection if you mark the corresponding radio-button.

If you chose the custom selection you'll see this and a few following windows. Select a main group on the left and afterwards one of its subgroups on the right. Now click on "Optional Packages" - you'll see...

...this window with a detailed package list. Select or deselect packages as you like.

Click "Next" if your selection is complete. Dependencies are beeing checked.

The system is ready to install - click on "Next".

The partition(s)/disk(s) are beeing formatted.

The system is beeing installed.

The installation is complete. Remove the install media and reboot the system.