TITLE:		From Windows to LFS
LFS VERSION:	any
AUTHOR:		Paul Campbell paul@cmm.uklinux.net

SYNOPSIS:
	A hint to guide the newcomer to Linux directly from windows to 
Linux LFS, via a short lived temporary distro.

HINT:


                   From Windows to LFS-book Version 3.0-pre4
                                       
     Paul Campbell 2001
     
   Should also work with new LFS 3.0 rc-1
   This document was created Using VIM on BSRG linux i686 (LFS)
   Available also as HTML @ http://bsrg.dnsalias.org/wintolfs.html
     _________________________________________________________________
   
     This document aims to guide the average windows user along the path
     to building an LFS system from nothing but source code, as is the
     LFS way. The credit for most of the document goes to the entire LFS
     community and the help that I myself revieved from them, when
     building my own LFS system. This document does not override or
     contradict any of the essential information found at [1]The Linux
     From Scratch Website In fact I prefer to draw your attention to
     this source rather than repeat it here. Good Luck. 
     _________________________________________________________________
   
What you'll need

     * Any modern PC purchased in the last 3 years or so.
     * A copy of a recent distro (Red Hat, Mandrake, Suse etc.)
     * About 4Gb HD space, 3Gb Minimum
     * Time, lots of it
     * A cdrom (obviously)
     * Emails to me, or the lfs mailing lists(preferably)
       for support
     _________________________________________________________________
   
First things first, clear some space.

   For this to work you will require at least 1Gb to install the distro
   plus at least 2Gb for the LFS system. The actual system is not this
   size, but the "build" directories during and after compile can be
   huge! X11 takes a resonable 350Mb to compile from source and mozilla
   600Mb. If you keep all you source code after you have installed the
   packages this will amount to around 3Gb or more. There are messures to
   prevent this, like deleting the source code after you install each
   app.
   
   Clear out a few of your windows drives so that you have empty
   partitions amounting to about 3Gb.
   
   If you only have one partition eg. C:\ you'll have to seek ways to
   resize that partition to leave 3Gbs free, to repartition. This is very
   easy in Linux, but not so in Windows. As a last resort you can
   reinstall windows. If you have used windows for long you will be used
   to this process by now. You may want to seek advice on using a Linux
   boot disk and a copy of "part.exe" or linux "fdisk" as M$ fdisk has
   some serious known bugs.
   
   If you are fresh partitioning the drive from empty, I suggest
   something like:
     * 1 or 2Gb - For windows C:\ partition
     * 1 or 2Gb - For windows D:\ partition but it up to you and the
       space available to you
     * 1 or 2Gb - For the Linux Distro partition
     * 2 or 3Gb - For the LFS system
     * The rest can be used as you please
       
   There are many other partitoning issues that are beyond the scope of
   the document but you can further partition your drive with ease during
   and after install of the linux.
   
   DONT TRUST Microsoft FDISK with you drive It has known bugs and I
   personally have lost 10Gb of data whilst using M$ fdisk to partition
   my drive.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Installing the Linux Distrabution as the host to build on

   You can install most linux distros by booting the CD as normal.
   
   The first thing you really need to know is Linux calls it's drives
   hd<x><n>. Basically your drives are as follows:
     * hda<n> = Primary Master (first HD)
     * hdb<n> = Primary Slave (usualy your CDrom)
     * hdc<n> = Secondary Master
     * hdd<n> = Secondary Slave
       
   Where <n> is a partition number 1234 are primarys partitions and
   567... are logical parts More than likely you will have your windows
   partition as hda1 and an extedned as hda2 with logical parts hda5 hda6
   hda7 etc. This is the way windows does it. Windows can only handle 1
   primary partition. Linux and most other OSes can use 4.
   
   Choose what you are sure of to be your empty partitions made above and
   format them as ext2 file system. Most Linux distros provides a
   uitility to do this easily during install at the apropriate time.
   
   You will also require a SWAP partition, which should be twice your
   normal memory unless you have 256Mb or more of ram, in which case
   256Mb max should be fine. Again there are issues beyond the scope of
   the document.
   
   Install the Linux distrabution, but avoid installing too much stuff if
   you only have 1 Gb. You will require the devel libraries so install
   the developement category. You don't need any X11 stuff or KDE/Gnome
   on this box, it's only to build your own LFS system. If you have only
   every used windows in your computing history, I would say install KDE
   if you are frightened by the command line interface as this will at
   least give you a more familiar enviroment to work in. Again, if you
   have the space, install them if you want to experiement.
   
     Read any documentation you are given with the distro, before during
     and after the install. A quick beginners guide to Linux should be
     provided, or you can by a book in most good stores, a investment
     you will not regret.
     
   Don't worry if the system you get doesn't look exactly what you want,
   it is ONLY to build your LFS system from. You can experiment while you
   are waiting on the compiling of "gcc" 8-)
     _________________________________________________________________
   
After you can boot your Linux system

   You should now be able to boot into Linux and be presented with the
   login prompt.
   
     This is only an over view of what you will need to build your LFS
     system, it does not tell you how to find, install or use the
     software, this documentation is available with your distro, or with
     the individual packages, get into a habbit of read manuals, 90% of
     the time the answer is on your own hard-disk already lurking in
     some documentation directory (/usr/share/doc/) or type "man
     program_name" for the programs manual.
     
   What will I need to have funtioning?
     * A functioning keyboad and display, duh :)
     * A working internet connection
     * An email client
     * An ftp program (optional)
     * A web-browser (that can do ftp)
       
   What software will you need to find or install?
     * You will net to at least install "gcc - the compiler"
     * You will also need the ncurses libraries, which should be
       available with your distro.
       
   Now is the time I suggest you do the following.
     * Subscribe to lfs-discuss@linuxfromscratch.org mailing list - see
       [3]Linux From Scratch Website for subscribe info.
     * Find a working IRC client either on windows or (preffereable) the
       Linux system (Xchat is good to get started in, this a very
       opinioned subject but, as with text/code editors), find your way
       to irc.linuxfromscratch.org #lfs
       
   That done your first port of call is the Linux From Scratch book (
   3.0pre-4 is the current at this time, but version 3,0-rc1 is coming
   soon. You may like to try the CVS version, ask on the mailing list for
   advice/info.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
From here I leave you in the capable hands of the LFS community.

   The rest of what you need to know is in the book. If you have trouble
   you can ask on the mailing lists or irc.linuxfromscratch.org #lfs
     _________________________________________________________________
   
GOOD LUCK!

References

   1. http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/
   2. paul@cmm.uklinux.net
   3. http://www.linuxfromstratch.org/
   4. mailto:paul@cmm.uklinux.net
