HOWTOs

3. How to install Linux?

Installing Linux on the system will not be big problem. However, you need to aware that initially, there are one non-DOS partition on the system. I have no idea what that partition is. It is 400MB partition, and it is visible by running fdisk. I simply deleted this partition to allocate it for Linux. And I don't have any problem, so probably it must be something to do with software installation. (Update 12/29/98) This 400MB partition is only on older models, it really supporsed to be another 400MB DOS partition, but Sony made mistake on it. Please refer to other instruction for general installation of Linux. The VAIO has nice support that you can boot directly from CD-ROM, if CD-ROM is bootable. Since the BIOS supports it, it is what you can use in some distribution. This is nice, because you can perform floppyless installation. Particularly, Redhat could boot from CD-ROM. Other distribution like SUSE also claims that it can boot from CD-ROM. But as I have not checked those yet, I cannot be sure on that. If that this way of booting does not work with yours, try checking boot option in the BIOS. Kernel configuration shouldn't be big problem except for the part to setup soundcard. But as I covered that issue earlier, I will not talk about it in this section. The VAIO computer is equipped with APM BIOS, or Advanced Power Management BIOS, I personally don't recommend that you enable support to it under Linux. I had problem when I enabled it. (Update 12/29/98) I have received report that with 505, CD-ROM install is difficult and network install is much easier.