Installation Checklist

I suggest you make a copy of the checklist for each system that you install. You can fill in each entry and include it in a notebook. You will notice that there are some very basic questions concerning keyboard language and time zone. It may seem almost too basic to include this type of information in a checklist. However, I can speak from experience that the more you have written down, the less prone you are to making mistakes. Even if the information is “basic”

Note also that the mimimum space mentioned most documentation is just enough to get installed. You need to consider future growth of the system, as well. Also note that many of the details listed here may not apply to your specific distribution.


Action

Assigned Value1

Notes

Boot-time loadable drivers

Yes

No

module names:

Installation media

From CD

From DVD

via FTP


What is the hardware configuration on the install device?




Keyboard language



License Information


License Number


If Applicable

Installation Type

Fresh

Upgrade

Upgrade only valid for existing systems




System name


Must be unique within your network

Domain name


Must be unique if you ever plan to connect to the Internet




Timezone



Geographic area



Time zone name



Daylight savings time

Yes

No





Hard Disk Config.



Type 2


For example: Wide-SCSI, PCI

SCSI

Yes

No


Host Adapter



Bus Number



SCSI ID



LUN






EIDE /IDE Controller



Make



Model



Base Address



Interrupt Vector (IRQ)



DMA Channel



Master/Slave



LBA Enabled


EDIE only




SCSI Host Adapter



Make



Model



Base Address



Interrupt Vector (IRQ)



DMA Channel



Termination


Where is the termination?

Which device?

Draw out the SCSI bus and lable everything, including termination




Hard Disk Setup



Type

Preserve

Use whole disk

Customized





Hard Disk Layout


Customized or Interactive only

Linux Partition size (MB)



DOS Partition size (MB)



Other Partition size (MB)



boot filesystem size (MB)



swap space size (MB)



root filesystem size (MB)



Other filesystems size (MB)






Bad Track



Type

None

Thorough/destructive

Thorough/non-destructive

Quick/destructive

Quick/non-destructive

See the text for a description of what each of these means.

Software

Operating System

Graphic Environment

Connectivity/Networking

Development System

Connectivity

Online Doc
(man-pages)

Source Files

You need to know how much space it will take to install all the software.




Network Information



Network Card



Vendor



Model



Type


For example: Ethernet, twisted pair, Combo

IRQ



Base Address


If applicable

ROM address


If applicable

DMA


If applicable

Base RAM Address


If applicable

RAM size


If applicable

Local Ring Broadcast


Token-ring only

Slot Number


If applicable




IP Address


Must be unique within your network and within Internet if you ever plan to connect to the Internet

Netmask


Based on the network class you choose. The system should calculate this value for you.

Broadcast address






Video Card



Make


Not all are listed. You may need to simply choose something like VGA or find the chipset that your card uses.

Model



RAM



Base Address


Normally not needed

Interrupt Vector (IRQ)


Normally not needed

Max resolution



Max colors



Frequencies supported



Selected mode


resolution and colors




Monitor



Make


Not all are listed. You may need to simply choose something like "other 15"

Model



RAM



Max. resolution



Max. colors



Frequencies supported






Graphical Login
(i.e KDE)

On

Off

If on your system will start-up by giving you the graphical login. Otherwise, you must run startx, to start up X.

Mouse



Make



Model



Type


Serial, bus, PS/2

Base Address


Bus mice only

Interrupt Vector (IRQ)


Bus mice only

Serial port


Serial, mice only

Bus Mouse IRQ

IRQ2

IRQ3

IRQ5


Keyboard Mouse

High resolution

low resolution





Email System

procmail

sendmail

other





Hard disk:



Make



Model



Master/Slave


Only for non-SCSI devices

SCSI ID


Only for SCSI devices

Termination


Only for SCSI devices




Hard disk controller



Make



Model



Base Address



Interrupt Vector (IRQ)



DMA Channel



1 Not always applicable. Depends on the kind of device.

2 You can’t put down too much information when describing the hardware.