View source for Alpine newbie install manual

'''Alpine is the Linux that has the most ways to install''', here are listed only those most common, for more information see last section of this document.

= Ways to install Alpine into machines or virtuals =

{{Note| If you only wants to install choose one of the following guides depending of your case.}}

== Alpine Install: by booting a medium into a machine ==

# [[Alpine Install: from a disc to a virtualbox machine single only]], install Alpine into VirtualBox virtual machine, use if you have a '''VirtualBox virtual machine and only wants to take a shoot into it'''.
# [[Alpine Install: from a disc to a new computer single only boot]], install Alpine into real modern machine by burn a disc that will boot if you have a '''UEFI or newer hardware and will be only Alpine into it through CD/DVD drive'''.
# [[Alpine Install: from a disc to a old computer single only boot]], install Alpine into real most common machine by burn a disc that will boot if you have '''common older hardware and will be only Alpine into it through CD/DVD drive'''.
# [[Alpine Install: from a usb to a new computer single only boot]], install Alpine into real modern machine by creating USB drive unit that will boot if you have a '''UEFI or newer hardware and will be only Alpine into it through USB drive'''.
# [[Alpine Install: from a usb to a old computer dual boot linux Debian]], install Alpine into most common machine by creating USB drive unit that will boot if you have '''common older hardware and will be other Linux as main OS through USB boot'''.
# [[Alpine Install: from a usb to a old computer dual boot linux Alpine]], install Alpine into most common machine by creating USB drive unit that will boot if you have '''common older hardware and will be Alpine as main OS through USB boot'''.

== Alpine Install: by using inside linux already started ==

# [[Alpine Install: from alpine mirror to a new computer by chroot]], install Alpine into real modern machine directly using the Alpine mirror sources '''if you will use the Alpine inside other Linux instalation by chroot'''.
# [[Alpine Install: from alpine mirror to an external disc by chroot]], install Alpine into real modern machine directly using the Alpine mirror sources '''if you extracted the disc and use in already booted linux to install'''.
# [[Alpine Install: from a iso to a virtualbox machine with external disc]], install Alpine into VirtualBox external disc machine, use if you have a '''older computer that don't boot but extract the disc to prepare it for'''.

= Ways to use Alpine Linux without install =

Alpine generated ISO's are a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_disc hybridISO], ISO 9660 filesystems as described in the [https://wiki.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=ISOLINUX ISOLINUX] article will boot via BIOS firmware, but only from optical media like CD, DVD, or BD.

The isohybrid feature enhances such filesystems by a [[Master Boot Record]] (MBR) for booting via BIOS from any storage Flash Drive like (such as USBFlash disc Drives or MM).

# [[Alpine Install: from a usb disc to a machine single only]], dump Alpine into usb/mmc card and later use it at your machine without modify any of your already installed files or operating system.

= Overview of run modes for Alpine systems =

Alpine can be booted or not, just use it. Alpine Linux installation process are so flexible that indeed can just boot up inside other broken Linux. '''You believe that every system needs a DVD disc, or a USB to install it?, but Alpine may not even need it''', so much so that it can even boot from its phone memory. Obviously '''the more exquisite the more complicated method'''. 

A proper setup of your system are need, but if you deploy all of an ecosystems in your own home and job.. in your only machine... you will need a proper guide to setup your main system (or maybe a parallel system?).

As any Linux installation, Alpine start process by booting from an external device (CD/DVD, USB Drive, etc...).

As Alpine uses Linux kernel, start step of collecting information to initialize a minimum system, the <code>[[setup-alpine]]</code> will copy files. This minimun system started before proceed to property install are a [[Alpine_newbie_install_manual#diskless_mode|diskless mode]] started from the orig medium.

The post installation step provides the way to choose the root password, and eventually boot up the new installed system.

Alpine can be used in any of '''three modes respected the install process''':

=== diskless mode ===

You'll boot from a read-only medium such as the installation CD, a [[Create a Bootable USB|USB drive]], or a [[Create a Bootable Compact Flash|Compact Flash card]]. {{Tip| To prepare either a USB or Compact Flash card, you can use the <code>[[setup-bootable]]</code> script; see the pages linked above for details.}} When you use Alpine in this mode, you need to use [[Alpine local backup|Alpine Local Backup (lbu)]] to save your modifications between reboots. That requires some writable medium, usually removable. If your boot medium is, for example, a USB drive, you can save modifications there; you don't need a separate partition or drive. See also [[Local APK cache]].
{{Note| When the <code>[[setup-alpine]]</code> script asks for a disk, say "none". It will then prompt whether you'd like to preserve modifications on any writable medium.}}

=== data mode ===

As in diskless mode, your OS is run from a read-only medium. However, here a writable partition (usually on a hard disk) is used to store the data in {{Path|/var}}. That partition is accessed directly, rather than copied into a tmpfs; so this is better-suited to uses where large amounts of data need to be preserved between reboots. {{Note| The <code>[[setup-alpine]]</code> script handles installing Alpine in this mode, too, when you supply a writable partition instead of "none", and request mode "data".}} This mode may be used for mailspools, database and log servers, and so on.

=== sys mode ===

This is a [[Install to disk|traditional hard-disk install]] (see link for details). <!-- includes [[Installing Alpine on HDD overwriting everything]] --> Both the boot system and your modifications are written to the hard disk in a standard Linux hierarchy. {{Note| The <code>[[setup-alpine]]</code> script handles installing Alpine in this mode, too, when you supply a writable partition instead of "none", and request mode "sys". By default, it will create three partions on your disk for {{Path|/boot}}, {{Path|/}}, and {{Path|swap}}; however you can also [[Setting up disks manually|partition your disk manually]].
}} This mode may be used for [[Desktops|desktops]], development boxes, and virtual servers.
    <!-- [[Native Harddisk Install 1.6]] Obsolete -->

= Documents series =

{| class="wikitable"
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| [[Alpine newbie]] || [[Alpine Install: from a disc to a virtualbox machine single only]]
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= See Also =

# [[Newbie_Alpine_Ecosystem]]
# [[Alpine newbie apk packages]]
# [[Alpine newbie desktops]]
# [[Alpine newbie developer]]
# [[Alpine newbie lammers]]

[[Category:Newbie]]
[[Category:Desktop]]
[[Category:Multimedia]]
[[Category:Installation]]