Installing Absolute

I have read that installing Slackware is easy, but configuring it was hard. Well, with Absolute the installation is even easier -- but now usually tougher than the later configuration. (Because configuration is so EEEEzy -- 'don worry 'bout it!)
The fact is, if you can partition the drive OK and not skip any steps (like installing Lilo), then you will be all-right and it should not prove too much of a chore. My installation tests take me about 15 minutes. They would probably take about 20 if I had to partition the hard drive every time.

The Absolute OS ISO image is downloadable via bittorrent. Download it, and burn it to a CD. Set your machine to boot from a CD (if it is not already . . .  you could always just try if you do not know) then follow the instructions below. You could always print this page out for reference.


Getting Started

When you first start the machine, and it boots from the CD-ROM, you will see the screen below.




Assuming you are doing a fresh install -- just hit [ enter ]



The sata.i kernel works fine with ide drives and using it will save you a lot of trouble if you add a second drive that IS sata, or if you have a sata drive and don't know it!  Anyway, onward -- the disk runs, detecting parts of your system and when ready asks you about the type of keyboard you use.




If you are using a US keyboard, just hit [ enter ]. If not, type " 1 ", then [ enter ], and select one of the keyboard layouts. After you have selected and hit [ enter ] again, you will be back where the rest of us are:



Here you log in as root. Type " root ", hit [ enter ] -- no password needed.



Now it's about time to rock 'n roll. The next screen is below and it is time to make a decision --