Jonathan's Contribution

Linux Configuration

Henry's Lilo and Boot Configuration

This whole section is done logged in as root.

Configuring Lilo
References:

/usr/doc/lilo*/README

BootPrompt-HOWTO, Ch 10,

Ethernet-HOWTO, Ch 10,

LILO mini HowTo,

Net-HOWTO, Ch 6.3

Before configuring lilo, lets move some files around. In moving the files around, we want to ensure that the latest System.map is accessable from /boot, and that the latest and previous bzImage boot images are available in the /boot directory. Recall that the boot images must be located in the first 1024 hard disk cylinders (even if linear is specified in lilo [1]).

If this is the first time the kernel is being built:

mv/boot/System.map /boot/System.map.orig

ln -s /usr/src/linux/System.map /boot/System.map

cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage

cp /boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage.orig

If the kernel (any previous version) has been built on this box using this approach.

mv /boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage.orig

cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage

I use the following /etc/lilo.conf , which suits the above file locations.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>/etc/lilo.conf
boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt          # display boot prompt
vga=ext         # vga 50 line mode
timeout=50      # 5 sec timeout
default=l       # l = default boot
single-key      # use single keypress, no return reqrd

image=/boot/bzImage
        label=l
        append="mem=96m"
        root=/dev/hdb2
        read-only
image=/boot/vmlinuz
        label=f
        root=/dev/hdb2
        read-only
image=/boot/bzImage.orig
        label=o
        root=/dev/hdb2
        append="mem=96m"
        read-only
other=/dev/hda1
        label=w
        table=/dev/hda
<<<<<<<<<<<<<</etc/lilo.conf

Notes:

Linux (through the bios) only sees 64Meg of memory without being told to look for more. Therefore the 'append "mem=96m"' line in this file.

The last entry is to boot the MS Windows partition.

The entry labeled 'o' is for the original kernel that was installed with the first time install of Linux.

Once lilo.conf is saved, lilo is run to commit the lilo configuration. On running lilo, the following output should be observed.

---------------------
Added l *
Added o
Added n
Added w
---------------------
Configuring the Appropriate Daemons
Before we reboot for the first time, lets first ensure the appropriate daemons are configured to run. One could do this manually, but there are two very good tools for this purpose, I recommend trying both. They are:

chkconfig (text based command line for all run levels)

ntsysv (ncurses text screen based only for current run level)

For this configuration, the following daemons are necessary:

keytable

crond

syslog

netfs

network

random

atd

named

gpm

inet

linuxconf    (optional)

lpd         (optional - recommended if you want to print from this box, locally or remotely)

nfs          (optional if you want nfs access from this firewall box)

nfslock   (optional nfs file locking capability)

identd

portmap

smb          (optional if you want this windows file and printer sharing from this firewall box)

sendmail

autofs

xntpd

xfs - (optional if we want to run an X fonts server from the computer)

Do not enable:

anacron

apmd - we do not want to advance power manage a firewall

arpwatch - clogs the network with unnecessary traffic

ipchains - we create our own rc.firewall

hylafax

irda - no need for IR serial comms

pcmcia - we do not have any pcmcia slot cards

kudzu - we do not want auto probing of hardware

The output of chkconfig --list for Henry provides the following: We are interested in using this box in both text and X modes, so it is desirable to have columns for level 3 and 5 similar.
----------------------------------------------
keytable        0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
crond           0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
syslog          0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
netfs           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
network         0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
random          0:off   1:on    2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
xfs             0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
httpd           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
apmd            0:off   1:off   2:on    3:off   4:on    5:off   6:off
atd             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
autofs          0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:off   5:on    6:off
named           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:off   5:on    6:off
dhcpd           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
gpm             0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
innd            0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
pcmcia          0:off   1:off   2:on    3:off   4:on    5:off   6:off
nfs             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:off   5:on    6:off
nfslock         0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:off   5:on    6:off
kudzu           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:on    5:off   6:off
linuxconf       0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
lpd             0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
inet            0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
identd          0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
pulse           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
portmap         0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
postgresql      0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
pxe             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
rstatd          0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
rusersd         0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
rwhod           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
smb             0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:off   5:on    6:off
sendmail        0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off
squid           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
snmpd           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
xntpd           0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:off   5:on    6:off
ypbind          0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
ldap            0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
mcserv          0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
yppasswdd       0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
ypserv          0:off   1:off   2:off   3:off   4:off   5:off   6:off
---------------------------------------------
Note that the postgres database installation will be covered in the Issue Tracking System

We are intent on starting Linux in level 5 (Xdm startup). So we need to confirm that this is the case in /etc/inittab. Look in this file for the string "initdefault", and ensure that it only occurs once in a line that looks exactly like:

id:5:initdefault:

If there is a 3 in the place of the 5, change it to 5. Read the RedHat Reference Guide section on "The Boot Process, Init, and Shutdown" to find out what is going on here.
Booting for the first time

Before booting for the first time make sure you have your bootdisk, the boot install image disk, the rescue image disk, and you are familiar with chapter 7 of the Kernel-HOWTO. Chances are you won't need them, but if you do need them, you will really need them. Ensure there is nothing in the CD ROM and Floppy disk drives, and reboot by executing the following command.

shutdown now

Good Luck :-)

[1] Linear in /etc/lilo.confmay appear to work when lilo is run, but boot images located beyond 1024 cylinders seldom behave properly - Don't risk it!

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