These instructions are for a local CD install, and I’m presuming you have a broadband internet connection. If you’re using dial-up, apt-rpm may not be a good alternative. Also, if you have any trouble during the installation, reference step 29 for ways to find help.

Just a note, all URLs that are inline are typically screenshots. URLs to external websites and files are written out.

Pre-Install Preparation

This section assumes you’re using a modern machine, with support for booting off of CD-ROMs. Also, please note that if you want to dual-boot, you’ll have to use a third-party utility, like Partition Magic, FIPS, or parted to resize your windows partition so you’ll have enough room for Linux. If you’d like to completely wipe out your windows install, and take the total plunge into Tux-dom, then do nothing.

Installation

Begin the Install

1. Download ISOs at http://www.redhat.com/download/howto_download.html#iso. I recommend you get them from a mirror site (listed at: http://www.redhat.com/download/mirror.html Just find a mirror which is close to you, and click on the “distribution” link to get to the ISOs.
2. Burn the ISOs to CD using your favorite CD burning program.
3. Reboot your computer. Make sure to go into the BIOS, if necessary, and set your machine to boot off the CD-ROM drive.

Inside the Installer

4. Congratulations, you made it to the first screen of the installer, now click next.
5. Choose your language (I presume if you’re reading this, it’ll be English.) Then click next.
6. Choose your keyboard layout. then click next.
7. Choose your mouse type. For most mice types with a wheel in Linux, the wheel button acts as a middle mouse button ( important to Linux). If you only have a two-button mouse, or a mouse with a non-clickable wheel, be sure to choose " Emulate 3 buttons" which will make a simultaneous click of both the left and right buttons act as a middle-click. Now, pick the appropriate mouse type and options, then click next.
8. Choose your install type. Since we’re installing Linux for the desktop, choose “Personal Desktop” then click next.
9. Now, it’s time to partition. Choose “Automatically partition”, then click next.
10. It’s time to make a decision. If you’re installing over a previous linux install, choose to “Remove all Linux partitions on this system”, if you’re wiping out the entire hard drive and are planning to make linux the only OS on the machine, choose the second option, “Remove all partitions on this system”. If you’ve already resized your windows partitions and left free space for Linux, choose to “Keep all partitions and use existing free space”. Please note that you have more than one hard drive, you can choose which ones to use by checking the boxes. After you’ve picked your options, click next.
11. Now, it’s time to set up the bootloader. If you’re just going to be using linux, then just click next. If you’re dual-booting with windows, check the box and make sure that both Red Hat Linux and Windows/DOS are listed in the operating system box, and check the one you want to load by default, then click next.
12. Enter your network settings. For most people, you can just click next here, however, if you have any special settings from your ISP, enter them here then click next.
13. Firewall settings are next. Since we’re setting up a desktop, just click next here and leave the settings defaulted.
14. Now, set up your additional language support. If you’re only going to be using one language, click next here. If you want any more languages than the default you chose at the beginning of setup, choose them now and click next.
15. Choose your time zone now by either clicking on the map or choosing from the list. Most x86 users will want to leave the “System clock uses UTC” box unchecked. After choosing your timezone, click next.
16. Now, pick a root password. It’s highly recommended to pick something with uppercase and lowercase, with numbers, that’s a bit long. (ex: WoOh00ImHaPPy). Now, either write this down or commit it to memory well, because you won’t need it much, but when you do, it’ll be priceless. Now, click next.
17. Here’s where we’re going to customize setup a bit. Click “Customize the set of packages to be installed” and click next.
18. I’m going to list things to install now. Check “KDE Desktop Environment” Uncheck “Editors” Check “Text-based internet”, click details, check “Pine” and “Lynx” Check “Office/Productivity”, click details, check gnucash Check " Sound and Video", click details, uncheck “XMMS” (we’ll install a newer version later), check “X-CD-Roast”. Check " Development tools" Check “Kernel Development” Check “Gnome Software Development” Check “KDE Software Development” Now click next.
19. Now, you’re ready to install! Click next. Just sit and wait.
20. Time to create a bootdisk. I recommend doing this, but it’s not required. Choose whichever you like and click next.
21. Choose your video card, it’s pretty simple. Just find your card, pick the memory amount, and click next. The autodetected values pre-entered should be correct.
22. Setup your monitor, again, the presets should be ok, but double-check them and click next.
23. Pick your favorite resolution and color depth, then click next.
24. You’re done! Well, at least with this part of the setup. Hurry up and reboot. After you reboot, go through the setup wizard. It’s pretty self-explanatory, so I’ll see you on your new linux desktop!

Post-Install Stuff

25. Go to http://apt.freshrpms.net and download APT for Red Hat Linux 9. After you click the link, you should have a list of three files. Pick the binary x86 package that isn’t apt-devel. (currently the filename is apt-0.5.5cnc6-fr1.i386.rpm, but I’m sure that’s subject to change). Download the file to your /home/(username) folder. After downloading, go to Menu/System Tools/Terminal. At the terminal window type " su - “. At the corresponding prompt, enter your root password. Then, type the following command: “rpm -Uvh /home/(username) /apt-0.5.5cnc6-fr1.i386.rpm” (note that if you downloaded a newer version, to substitute that filename).
26. Now, time to configure apt. From the same terminal prompt, type " gedit /etc/apt/sources.list “. Delete the entire contents of the file, and add these three lines (be SURE there are no line breaks except between entries): " rpm http://apt.sw.be redhat/9/en/i386 dag rpm http://newrpms.sunsite.dk/apt/ redhat/en/i386/9.0 newrpms rpm http://ayo.freshrpms.net redhat/9/i386 freshrpms”
27. Ok, now you need to do a full system update. Type the following command: " apt-get update && apt-get upgrade && apt-get dist-upgrade “. Issuing this command ensures all your packages are up to date before going any further. Be sure to say " Y " at all prompts.
28. It’s time to install a video and music player now. Type " apt-get install xmms “. Be sure to choose " Y " at all prompts. After XMMS is installed, type " apt-get install totem “.
29. Wow, you’re finally done. You have a Red Hat 9 install with a fully functional music and video player, and all the software you could ever need. If you have any further questions, ask at OldOs.org Forums or on irc.freenode.net in the #oldos.org and #redhat channels. Also, reference the Red Hat Install Guide for more detailed assistance.
30. Laugh at all your friends still running windows.