Installation: Difference between revisions

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Please do help with sorting out the current wiki documentation, as soon as exploring around the further pages gives you a grasp good enough to sort out the further things precisely and nicely as well.
[[Image:hdd_mount.png|left|link=]]
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== Typical Hardware Requirements ==
* At least 100 MB of RAM (A graphical desktop system may require up to 1 GB minimum.)
* A writable storage device. (Required for the "sys" or "data" runtime modes (see below). Optional for making backups in "diskless" mode.)
== Install Procedure ==
== Install Procedure ==


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The system can be configured to boot into one of three general '''Alpinelinux runtime modes''':
The system can be configured to boot into one of three general '''Alpinelinux runtime modes''':


'''diskless mode''' This is the default boot mode of the .iso images. It gets configured with <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> if selecting "disk=none", and means the whole operating system runs extremely fast within RAM (saving unnecessary disk spin-ups, power and wear). The configuration and package selection may still be customized, and completely preserved on permanent storage media by using the "local backup utility" <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu]]</code> and a [[Alpine_Linux_package_management#Local_Cache|local package cache]] (see this <code>setup-alpine</code> [[Alpine_local_backup#Commiting_and_loading_ISO_image_customizations|trick]]). (Additionally making some particular applications write to the storage partition would also be possible.)
'''diskless mode''' This is the default boot mode of the .iso images. It gets configured with <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> if selecting "disk=none", and means the whole operating system runs extremely fast within RAM (saving unnecessary disk spin-ups, power and wear). The running configuration and package selection may still be customized, and preserved on permanent storage media by using the "local backup utility" <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu]]</code> and a [[Alpine_Linux_package_management#Local_Cache|local package cache]] (see this <code>setup-alpine</code> [[Alpine_local_backup#Commiting_and_loading_ISO_image_customizations|trick]]).


'''data mode''' This mode is still accelerated by running the system from RAM, however the entire {{Path|/var}} tree is a mounted persistent data partition. This location holds e.g. all log files, mailspools, databases, etc., as well as <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu]]</code> backup commits and the package cache. The mode is useful for accelerated servers with large amounts of variable user-data that exceeds the available RAM size, and when the entire current system state should survive system interruptions based on the particular filesystem's guarantees. The boot device may remain to be the one initially used, possibly even set to read-only.
'''data mode''' This mode does still run mostly from RAM, with the exception of a selected writable data partition that gets mounted as {{Path|/var}}. This mode is useful when larger amounts of variable user-data need to be preserved, and as reliable as possible across power outages, e.g. servers with mailspools, databases, or some important log files. The boot device may remain to be the one initially used, possibly even set to read-only. While some particularly installed applications may access the {{Path|/var}} data storage partition, whenever the application requires to read or write some data.


'''sys mode''' This is the traditional hard-disk install. If this mode is selected, the <code>[[setup-alpine]]</code> script defaults to create three partitions on the selected storage device, {{Path|/boot}}, {{Path|swap}} and {{Path|/}} (the filesystem root). This mode may be used for generic [[Desktops|desktop]] and development machines, for example.
'''sys mode''' This is the traditional hard-disk install. If this mode is selected, the <code>[[setup-alpine]]</code> script defaults to create three partitions on the selected storage device, {{Path|/boot}}, {{Path|swap}} and {{Path|/}} (the filesystem root). This mode may be used for generic [[Desktops|desktop]] and development machines, for example.
== Additional Details ==
=== Booting from external devices ===
Insert the boot media to a proper drive or port of the computer, while it is turned off, and turn the machine on.
However, depending on the computer it may be necessary to quickly press e.g. one of the `F7` `F8` F9` `F10` `Esc.` `F2` `F3` or `F12` key early to get to a boot menu selection for choosing the media to boot from.
=== Questions asked by <code>setup-alpine</code> ===
The <code>[[setup-alpine]]</code> script offers to configure several things, including:
* Keyboard map (e.g. ''us'' and variant of ''us-nodeadkeys'')
* Hostname (The name for the computer.)
* Network (e.g. automatic DHCP discovery)
* DNS Servers (For privacy reasons, it is NOT recommended to use central servers like google's 8.8.8.8 etc.)
* Timezone
* Proxy ("None" for direct connections to the internet.)
* SSH (Openssh is part of the default images.)
* NTP (Chrony is part of the default images.)
* Runtime Mode (Select between "diskless" (disk=none), "data" or "sys", all described above.)
=== Rebooting and using the new system ===
After the installation is completed, depending on the run mode, the initial installation media may be removed and the system may be power-cycled or rebooted directly with the new installation, to confirm that everything is working.
The command needed for this is <code>poweroff</code> or <code>reboot</code>.
= Further Documentation =
* [[Directly booting an ISO file]]
=== Post-Install ===
<!-- If you edit this, also consider Tutorials_and_Howtos#Post-Install and Developer_Documentation#Package_management. These three are not exact duplicates. -->
TODO: Adding commmunity repository
* [[Alpine_newbie_apk_packages|Alpine post install packages and setup configurations for new users]]
* [[Alpine Linux package management|Package Management (apk)]] ''(How to add/remove packages on your Alpine)''
** [[Back Up a Flash Memory Installation|Back Up a Flash Memory ("diskless mode") Installation]]
** [[Manually editing a existing apkovl]]
* [[Alpine Linux Init System|Init System (OpenRC)]] ''(Configure a service to automatically boot at next reboot)''
** [[Multiple Instances of Services]]
* [[Writing Init Scripts]]
* [[Alpine setup scripts#setup-xorg-base|Setting up Xorg]]
* [[Upgrading Alpine]]
* [[Setting up a ssh-server]] ''(Using ssh is a good way to administer your box remotely)''
<!-- * [[setup-acf]] ''(Configures ACF (webconfiguration) so you can manage your box through https)''-->
* [[Hosting services on Alpine]]''(Links to several mail/web/ssh server setup pages)''
* [[Changing passwords for ACF|Changing passwords]]
* [[Setting up a new user]]
* Runnig programs and services in their own [[Firejail Security Sandbox]]
=== Further Help and Information ===
* [[Tutorials_and_Howtos#Networking|Setting up Networking]]
* [[FAQ|FAQs]]
* [[Tutorials and Howtos]]
* [[Contribute|How to Contribute]]
* [[Developer Documentation]]
* [[Running glibc programs]] Installation and Dev
= See Also =
# [[Newbie_Alpine_Ecosystem]]
# [[Alpine newbie install manual]]
# [https://mckayemu.github.io/alpineinstalls/ https://mckayemu.github.io/alpineinstalls/ All informatin for Spanish users]
[[Category:Installation]]

Revision as of 10:07, 10 May 2020

Please do help with sorting out the current wiki documentation, as soon as exploring around the further pages gives you a grasp good enough to sort out the further things precisely and nicely as well.



Typical Hardware Requirements

  • At least 100 MB of RAM (A graphical desktop system may require up to 1 GB minimum.)
  • A writable storage device. (Required for the "sys" or "data" runtime modes (see below). Optional for making backups in "diskless" mode.)

Install Procedure

As with most linux distributions, the first installation steps usually consist of:

  1. Downloading the proper stable-release ISO image for your computer's architecture, together with its sha256 checksum and GPG signature files, and then checking the sha265sum checksum of the downloaded image and verifying its GPG signature.
  2. Either burning the ISO image onto a blank CD/DVD/Blue-ray disk with your favorite disk burning software, or flashing the image onto a bootable storage device (USB-device, CF-/MMC-/SD-card, floppy, ...).
  3. Booting the computer from the prepared disk or storage device.

(If you need additional details see below, for installing on ARM systems, however, refer to Alpine on ARM instead.)

Contrary to most other distributions, the boot image already loads a complete, basic Alpine Linux system (command line environment). The boot process has first copied the entire system into the RAM memory, and then runs it completely from RAM. So that the running environment does not depend on reading from the (slow) initial boot media anymore.

Log in to the command line as the user root with its initally empty password.

Now a script called setup-alpine, other other setup-scripts and the apk package manager are available to configure the initial Alpine Linux system, install further packages, and prepare the system for the next boot:

The system can be configured to boot into one of three general Alpinelinux runtime modes:

diskless mode This is the default boot mode of the .iso images. It gets configured with setup-alpine if selecting "disk=none", and means the whole operating system runs extremely fast within RAM (saving unnecessary disk spin-ups, power and wear). The running configuration and package selection may still be customized, and preserved on permanent storage media by using the "local backup utility" lbu and a local package cache (see this setup-alpine trick).

data mode This mode does still run mostly from RAM, with the exception of a selected writable data partition that gets mounted as /var. This mode is useful when larger amounts of variable user-data need to be preserved, and as reliable as possible across power outages, e.g. servers with mailspools, databases, or some important log files. The boot device may remain to be the one initially used, possibly even set to read-only. While some particularly installed applications may access the /var data storage partition, whenever the application requires to read or write some data.

sys mode This is the traditional hard-disk install. If this mode is selected, the setup-alpine script defaults to create three partitions on the selected storage device, /boot, swap and / (the filesystem root). This mode may be used for generic desktop and development machines, for example.

Additional Details

Booting from external devices

Insert the boot media to a proper drive or port of the computer, while it is turned off, and turn the machine on. However, depending on the computer it may be necessary to quickly press e.g. one of the `F7` `F8` F9` `F10` `Esc.` `F2` `F3` or `F12` key early to get to a boot menu selection for choosing the media to boot from.

Questions asked by setup-alpine

The setup-alpine script offers to configure several things, including:

  • Keyboard map (e.g. us and variant of us-nodeadkeys)
  • Hostname (The name for the computer.)
  • Network (e.g. automatic DHCP discovery)
  • DNS Servers (For privacy reasons, it is NOT recommended to use central servers like google's 8.8.8.8 etc.)
  • Timezone
  • Proxy ("None" for direct connections to the internet.)
  • SSH (Openssh is part of the default images.)
  • NTP (Chrony is part of the default images.)
  • Runtime Mode (Select between "diskless" (disk=none), "data" or "sys", all described above.)

Rebooting and using the new system

After the installation is completed, depending on the run mode, the initial installation media may be removed and the system may be power-cycled or rebooted directly with the new installation, to confirm that everything is working.

The command needed for this is poweroff or reboot.

Further Documentation

Post-Install

TODO: Adding commmunity repository

Further Help and Information

See Also

  1. Newbie_Alpine_Ecosystem
  2. Alpine newbie install manual
  3. https://mckayemu.github.io/alpineinstalls/ All informatin for Spanish users
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