How hard is Slackware to install?

[OS]

How hard is Slackware to install from the ISO? Any major pains? Let's not get off an Debian tangent here...SLACKWARE is my choice, Slackware is what I will use.

Owen


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[ssadams]

slackware is not hard to install at all.If you have supported hardware,no usb crap,no "it just came out 2 days ago" vid card and a supported nic(if you need one) you will be fine.You will have to setup your sound card and printer yourself as that is not covered during the install.

[OS]

Everything works with Mandrake, should I be okay?

Owen

[ndelo]

I'm also actually getting read to attempt my first Slack install, tomorrow. What do you mean by no usb crap? How about a USB printer--one that works with every other distro I've treid?

[jscott]

Slackware is not harder than any other Distro to install. I have Slack on both my Laptop and desktop and I do not concider myself a Linux pro/guru. Although there isn't a GUI frontend (ala RedHat, Suse Yast2, Mandrake) the menu-based install is simple enough to navigate easily.


You _can_ use USB devices, you just need to get the latest kernel and follow the directions carefully. The 2.4.0 is abit diffent from everything else so please _do_not_rush_. You will need to update a few packages first (which isn't a big deal).

[PLBlaze]

As ssadams pointed out if you're hardware it's not really,really new you should be fine,just take your time when installing...your video,printer will have to be configured by yourself when you have slack up and running (setup does not cover them up).

ndelo what he (ssadams) means is no usb because slackware 7.1 comes with kernel 2.2.16 which has very limited support for usb.On the other hand if you have slack current (soon to be 7.2) all should be fine bacuse it will have 2.2.18 with usb-backport and few other things...

OS wlcome to http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/cool.gif Slackers http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/cool.gif club

[TaeShadow]

I had no problems installing Slackware. If it works with Mandrake, it will work with Slack, it just may take a bit more work. Linux is Linux.

[ssadams]

Originally posted by TaeShadow:
I had no problems installing Slackware. If it works with Mandrake, it will work with Slack, it just may take a bit more work. Linux is Linux.

yea but if you have a usb keyboard and mouse you are going to find it real hard to navigate trough the install menus. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif
Thats what I was trying to refer to.If you get past the install then anythings a go.

[TaeShadow]

Originally posted by ssadams:

yea but if you have a usb keyboard and mouse you are going to find it real hard to navigate trough the install menus. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif
Thats what I was trying to refer to.If you get past the install then anythings a go.

That is true.

[JAdrock]

Assuming you have the slackware-current tree, you'll be able to get USB support, though seeing as there are no slackware-current iso's that I know of...that might present a problem.

Basically like everyone is saying the install will be easy so long as your hardware is supported by kernel 2.2.16(i think that's what slack 7.1 is packaged with)...basically do an upgrade to 2.2.18 or 2.4.0 (or 2.4.1(beta? alpha?)) well regardless, if your hardware is supported its the most painless install you've seen in your life (aside the whole GUI based crap like mandrake)

[paully1]

I installed Slack 7.1 a few months ago and it really was pretty painless. The only other linux experience I had was running redhat for about 3 months. My hardware is: creative annihilator pro geforce, no printer yet, realtek nic, WD hard drive, I have a USB mouse but like other say it comes with kernel 2.2.16 and I dont think that one has USB support at all so for now I just use two mice. I have a ps/2 and usb plugged in all the time. Incase you're wondering win 98 doesnt care if a usb and ps/2 mouse are plugged in, I can even use either. But to be on the safe side get the slack book so you have it just incase during install. You also have all the great folks here to answer questions, I've gotter a lot of great help here many times. Just my opinion

paul

[Energon]

Originally posted by TaeShadow:
I had no problems installing Slackware. If it works with Mandrake, it will work with Slack, it just may take a bit more work. Linux is Linux.

To put it the best way i've ever heard it, what you're saying is that driving a standard is like driving an automatic because a car is a car... but it's not true... if all you drive is an automatic (RedHat/Mandrake), you can't drive a standard very easily... but if you drive a standard (Slackware) you can go either way easily...

[nanode]

any distro is only as good as its kernel. If you're running 2.2.x with no USB support, you don't have USB support - nothing to do w/ slackware.

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by jscott:
Slackware is not harder than any other Distro to install

my newbie experience was different, i tried to install slack on 15 sep 2000 (see http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/009441.html )

the install menu was too vague for my pea-sized brain http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/frown.gif

i ended up putting either red hat or corel on that box IIRC

[OS]

'Drake 7.1 has kernel 2.2.15 and about dozen different USB services that don't like dying(I know, I tried). USB is for wimps anyways...real men use serial and parallel cables.

I will probably start installing (or attempting to back up sometime this weekend).

Owen