Install Slackware from ISO file with grub or lilo

pre-requirement:
- already have Linux or BSD-based (FreBSD) system installed on harddisk before using grub or lilo as bootloader.
- Slackware's iso image on your harddisk.
- at least one partition prepared for your slackware system

Here are step by step:

1. Extract kernel and initramfs image's file (initrd.img) that come from slackware's iso image (you can mount it first to get both file). The location for kernel file is in /kernel directory and initramfs file is in /isolinux directory. Then, copy both file into /boot directory in your linux/FreeBSD system.

2. Configure your linux/FreeBSD grub or lilo for including slackware's kernel and initramfs file (initrd.img).
Add this entry into /boot/grub/menu.lst if using grub:
title Slackware-12.2 Install
kernel /boot/[your-slackware-kernel]
initrd /boot/[your-initramfs-file]
quiet

simply add this entry into /etc/lilo.conf if using lilo:
image=/boot/[your-slackware-kernel]
label=Slackware-12.2
initrd=/boot/[your-initramfs-file]
read-only

you need to update the configuration because lilo doesn't update that information automatically.
Run this command on your console:
lilo -v -v

3. Restart your pc/laptop to boot into slackware installation entry in your bootloader menu. Before you start to type "setup", make sure you already mount an iso file. If your slackware's iso image on /dev/hda2, then mount that device first before mount an iso. Assumed /dev/hda2 is a location of an iso file than mount it into a directory first. Here are a step by step:

cd /
mkdir hda2
mount /dev/hda2 /hda2
mkdir iso
mount -o loop -t iso9660 /hda2/[your-slackware-iso].iso /iso

4. now you can run setup. When prompted to select source media, choose an option to install from a pre-mounted directory. don't forget to add "slackware" directory when you insert into a pre-mounted directory column.

e.g: /iso/slackware

5. you can continue doing installation activity as usual.

There are another option for booting both kernel and initramfs file. You can use Loadlin from DOS or use Grub4Dos if you don't have any linux or bsd system before.

hope this helpful

Slackware 12.0 is released

A new slackware version has released now, after waiting for a long time. there is an issues before a release date, that said a release version would jump directly in major number without passing a minor one. A mistery question has asnwered. An issue became a surprise for me, that slackware has released into version 12.0. Maybe this is an unusual habit from a developer team.

I'm really curious what a great change was happen. Then I start to find out into README.TXT's file first, if there is an explanation for this question. There are only some info about major components inside slackware 12.0 which are only a new version from major components of slackware 11.0. Here are the componets's version:

- Linux kernel 2.6.21.5
- C compiler gcc-4.1.2
- Binutils 2.17.50.0.17
- GNU C Library glibc-2.5
- X Window System X11R7.2.0 from X.Org.
- KDE 3.5.7
- Xfce 4.4.1

But This is really surprising me, when I read a RELEASE_NOTES's file. Here are a qoute from that file:

About the only things to mention here are that Slackware now requires a recent 2.6.x kernel (I believe 2.6.18 is a minimum), but as usual unless your needs are specific you're probably better off running the included kernels that we've tested things against. The best kernel to run (even on a one CPU/core machine) is the generic SMP one, but that needs an initrd, so be sure to read the instructions in /boot after installing with a huge* kernel if you plan to switch. Since the initrd has been around since Slackware 11.0, hopefully most
Slackware users can take on this task easily and will not be "shocked and appalled".

Yeah, developer team decide to use kernel version 2.6 as default instead of 2.4 that usually being default from a release version before. I think this is a big changes that cause developer to jump a release version direct to major number. Also hotplug as device manager before has replaced with udev.

Another changes are completely documented in Changelog.txt's file and also in ANNOUNCE.12_0's file. As usual, it's time for upgrading system. If you would like to upgrade the system don't forget to read CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT's file. There are enough explanation and completes guide for upgrading system from 11.0 inside that file.

Happy slacking! :-)