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<sect1 id="needed-info">
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<title>Information You Will Need</title>
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<title>Documentation</title>
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<title>Installation Manual</title>
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This file you are now reading, in plain ASCII, HTML or PDF format.
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<ulink url="install.en.txt"></ulink>
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<ulink url="install.en.html"></ulink>
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<ulink url="install.en.pdf"></ulink>
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<sect3><title>Hardware documentation</title>
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Often contains useful information on configuring or using your hardware.
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<listitem arch="i386"><para>
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<ulink url="&url-hardware-howto;">Linux Hardware Compatibility HOWTO</ulink>
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<listitem arch="m68k"><para>
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<ulink url="&url-m68k-faq;">Linux/m68k FAQ</ulink>
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<listitem arch="alpha"><para>
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<ulink url="&url-alpha-faq;">Linux/Alpha FAQ</ulink>
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<listitem arch="sparc"><para>
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<ulink url="&url-sparc-linux-faq;">Linux for SPARC Processors FAQ</ulink>
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<listitem arch="mips;mipsel"><para>
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<ulink url="&url-mips-howto;">Linux/Mips Howto</ulink>
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<title>&arch-title; Hardware References</title>
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Installation instructions and device drivers (DASD, XPRAM, Console,
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tape, z90 crypto, chandev, network) for Linux on &arch-title; using
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<ulink url="http://oss.software.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/linux390/docu/l390dd08.pdf">Device Drivers and Installation Commands</ulink>
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IBM Redbook describing how Linux can be combined with z/VM on
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zSeries and &arch-title; hardware.
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<ulink url="http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/pubs/pdfs/redbooks/sg244987.pdf">
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Linux for &arch-title;</ulink>
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IBM Redbook describing the Linux distributions available for the
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mainframe. It has no chapter about Debian but the basic installation
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concepts are the same across all &arch-title; distributions.
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<ulink url="http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/pubs/pdfs/redbooks/sg246264.pdf">
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Linux for IBM eServer zSeries and &arch-title;: Distributions</ulink>
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<title>Finding Sources of Hardware Information</title>
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In many cases, the installer will be able to automatically detect your
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hardware. But to be prepared, we do recommend familiarising
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yourself with your hardware before the install.
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Hardware information can be gathered from:
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The manuals that come with each piece of hardware.
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The BIOS setup screens of your computer. You can view these screens
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when you start your computer by pressing a combination of keys. Check
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your manual for the combination. Often, it is the <keycap>Delete</keycap> key.
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The cases and boxes for each piece of hardware.
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<listitem arch="i386"><para>
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The System window in the Windows Control Panel.
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System commands or tools in another operating system, including file
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manager displays. This source is especially useful for information
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about RAM and hard drive memory.
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Your system administrator or Internet Service Provider. These
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sources can tell you the settings you need to set up your
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networking and e-mail.
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<title>Hardware Information Needed for an Install</title>
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<entry>Hardware</entry><entry>Information You Might Need</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry morerows="5">Hard Drives</entry>
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<entry>How many you have.</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Their order on the system.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry>Whether IDE or SCSI (most computers are IDE).</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Available free space.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Partitions.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry>Partitions where other operating systems are installed.</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry morerows="5">Monitor</entry>
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<entry>Model and manufacturer.</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Resolutions supported.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Horizontal refresh rate.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Vertical refresh rate.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry>Color depth (number of colors) supported.</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Screen size.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry morerows="3">Mouse</entry>
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<entry>Type: serial, PS, or USB.</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Port.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Manufacturer.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Number of buttons.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry morerows="1">Network</entry>
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<entry>Model and manufacturer.</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Type of adapter.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry morerows="1">Printer</entry>
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<entry>Model and manufacturer.</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Printing resolutions supported.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry morerows="2">Video Card</entry>
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<entry>Model and manufacturer.</entry>
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<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Video RAM available.</entry></row>
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<row arch="not-s390">
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<entry>Resolutions and color depths supported (these should be
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checked against your monitor's capabilities).</entry>
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<entry morerows="1">DASD</entry>
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<entry>Device number(s).</entry>
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<row arch="s390"><entry>Available free space.</entry></row>
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<entry morerows="2">Network</entry>
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<entry>Type of adapter.</entry>
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<row arch="s390"><entry>Device numbers.</entry></row>
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<row arch="s390"><entry>Relative adapter number for OSA cards.</entry></row>
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</tbody></tgroup></table>
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<title>Hardware Compatibility</title>
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Many brand name products work without trouble on Linux. Moreover,
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hardware for Linux is improving daily. However, Linux still does not
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run as many different types of hardware as some operating systems.
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</para><para arch="i386">
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In particular, Linux usually cannot run hardware that requires a
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running version of Windows to work.
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</para><para arch="i386">
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Although some Windows-specific hardware can be made to run on Linux,
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doing so usually requires extra effort. In addition, Linux drivers
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for Windows-specific hardware are usually specific to one Linux
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kernel. Therefore, they can quickly become obsolete.
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</para><para arch="i386">
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So called win-modems are the most common type of this hardware.
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However, printers and other equipment may also be Windows-specific.
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You can check hardware compatibility by:
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Checking manufacturers' web sites for new drivers.
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Looking at web sites or manuals for information about emulation.
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Lesser known brands can sometimes use the drivers or settings for
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Checking hardware compatibility lists for Linux on web sites
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dedicated to your architecture.
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Searching the Internet for other users' experiences.
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<title>Network Settings</title>
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If your computer is connected to a network 24 hours a day (i.e., an
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Ethernet or equivalent connection — not a PPP connection), you
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should ask your network's system administrator for this information.
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Your host name (you may be able to decide this on your own).
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Your computer's IP address.
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The netmask to use with your network.
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The IP address of the default gateway system you should route to, if
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your network <emphasis>has</emphasis> a gateway.
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The system on your network that you should use as a DNS (Domain Name
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</para><para condition="supports-dhcp">
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On the other hand, if your administrator tells you that a DHCP server
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is available and is recommended, then you don't need this information
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because the DHCP server will provide it directly to your computer
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during the installation process.
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If you use a wireless network, you should also find out:
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ESSID of your wireless network.
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WEP security key (if applicable).