MINIX: Installation
Created | Updated Dec 14, 2003
In this article Fu-Manchu documents the installation of MINIX, step by step, on a spare Personal Computer equipped with an Intel 386/387 CPU1/FPU2 pair, 8 Mbytes of RAM, 100 Mbytes of HDD3, and a 1.44 Mybtes floppy disk. Procedures described here are collated from the MINIX Home Page.
Final result of this procedure is a computer for the exclusive use of MINIX. All other operating systems and data are erased, so this is not something to do to the machine relied upon for connection to the Internet or for other personal use. It is possible to configure a computer to dual-boot MINIX cohabiting with another operating system, something beyond the scope of this article; instructions to do so are available from the MINIX Home Page.
Phases of the MINIX installation consist in:
Creating installation floppy diskettes.
Performing Automatic Installation.
Creating Installation Diskettes
A total of nine discs are required, consisting in these four sets:
Boot diskette containing images of the ROOT and USR file systems. See how to make a MINIX boot floppy.
Three discs containing USR.TAZ, the data files and executable programs for USR. See how to make MINIX USR floppy discs.
Two discs containing SYS.TAZ, the system source files. See how to make MINIX SYS floppy discs.
Three discs containing CMD.TAZ, the source files for all available commands. See how to make MINIX CMD floppy discs.
These last two sets of discs are not necessary for a working system, but they are needed if changes to the system are planned, and for learning how the system works.
Performing Automatic Installation
Perfom automatic installation of MINIX by following this procedure:
Insert the MINIX /ROOT /USR Installation floppy disc into the FDD4.
Minix boot monitor 2.5
Restart the computer. Final result of this step is appearance on the screen of this message:
Press ESC to enter the monitor
Hit a key as follows:
= Start Minix
Minix 2.0.0 Copyright 1997 Prentice-Hall, Inc
Press the = key to start MINIX. Final result of this action should look something like this:
Executing in 32-bit protected mode
Memory size = 8139K MINIX = 295K RAM disk = 480K Available = 7365K
RAM disk loaded.
Fri Dec 12 15:32:34 MET 2003
Finish the name of device to mount as /USR: /dev/
Minix 2.0.0 Copyright 1997 Prentice-Hall, Inc
Now type fd0c followed by a press of the Enter key to tell MINIX that the device is the FDD and that it contains both /ROOT and /USR. Result of this is:
Executing in 32-bit protected mode
Memory size = 8139K MINIX = 295K RAM disk = 480K Available = 7365K
RAM disk loaded.
Fri Dec 12 15:32:34 MET 2003
Finish the name of device to mount as /USR: /dev/fd0c
/dev/fd0c is read-write mounted on /usr
Starting standard daemons: update.
Login as root and run 'setup' to install Minix
Minix release 2.0 Version 0
noname login:
noname login: root
Now type root followed by a press of the Enter key, to log-on as the super-user and get the command prompt. Result of this should look like this:
#
This is the Minix installation script.
Now type setup followed by a press of the Enter key to initiate the automatic installation process. Result of this command should display of some instructions that look like this:
Note 1: If the screen blanks suddenly then hit F3 to select "software
scrolling".
Note 2: If things go wrong then hit DEL and start over.
Note 3: The installation procedure is described in the manual page
usage(8). It will be hard without it.
Note 4: Some questions have default answers, like this: [y]
Simply hit RETURN (or ENTER) if you want to choose that answer.
Note 5: If you see a colon (:) then you should hit RETURN to continue.
:
What type of keyboard do you have? You can choose one of:
A colon (:) should be visible. If so, press Enter otherwise known as RETURN. Result of this step should look like this:
french italian latin-am scandinavn uk us-swap
german japanese olivetti spanish us-std
Keyboard type? [us-std]
Minix needs one primary partition of at least 30 Mb (it fits in 20 Mb, but
Default selection for the previous step is the United States standard keyboard layout [us-std]. Unless another keyboard layout is required, accept the default by pressing the Enter key. Result of this step should look like this:
it needs 30 Mb if fully recompiled. Add more space to taste.)
If there is no free space on your disk then you have to back up one of the
other partitions, shrink, and reinstall. See the appropriate manuals of the
the operating systems currently installed. Restart your Minix installation
after you have made space.
To make this partition you will be put in the editor "part". Follow the
advice under the '!' key to make a new partition of type MINIX. Do not
touch an existing partition unless you know precisely what you are doing!
Please note the name of the partition (hd1, hd2, ..., hd9, sd1, sd2, ...
sd9) you make. (See the devices section in usage(8) on Minix device names.)
:
Select device ----first---- --geom/last-- ------sectors-----
Press the Enter key to activate the partition editor to create a MINIX partition on the HDD. Result of this action will look something like this:
Device Cyl Head Sec Cyl Head Sec Base Size Kb
/dev/hd0 ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Num Sort Type
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Type '+' or '-' to change, 'r' to read, '?' for more help, '!' for advice
Select device ----first---- --geom/last-- ------sectors-----
Device /dev/hd0 is the entire HDD. IF there were more than one HDD then multiple devices would be shown, such as /dev/hd0, /dev/hd1 and so on. Now press the r key to tell the partition editor to read the HDD. Result of this action should look something like this:
Device Cyl Head Sec Cyl Head Sec Base Size Kb
/dev/hd0 776 8 33
0 0 0 775 7 32 0 204864 102432
Num Sort Type
1* hd1 06 DOS-BIG 0 1 0 775 7 32 33 204831 102415
2 hd2 00 None 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0
3 hd3 00 None 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0
4 hd4 00 None 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0
at-hd0: Conner Peripherals 100MB - CP3104
Select device ----first---- --geom/last-- ------sectors-----
Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move the cursor to the hexadecimal partition type number between hd1 and DOS-BIG. Change the number from 06 to 81. Result of this action should look something like this:
Device Cyl Head Sec Cyl Head Sec Base Size Kb
/dev/hd0 776 8 33
0 0 0 775 7 32 0 204864 102432
Num Sort Type
1* hd1 81 MINIX 0 1 0 775 7 32 33 204831 102415
2 hd2 00 None 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0
3 hd3 00 None 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0
4 hd4 00 None 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0
at-hd0: Conner Peripherals 100MB - CP3104
This step allocates the entire HDD to MINIX. Anything already on the disc will be erased. Now press the q key. Result of this action is: Save the partition table? (y/n) . At this point there is the option to say NO and abandon the action. Once y is pressed, all data on the HDD will be erased and the disc reformatted for MINIX.
Please finish the name of the primary partition you have created:
Press the y key. Result of this action should look like this:
(Just type RETURN if you want to rerun "part") /dev/
You have created a partition named: /dev/hd1
At this point a single 100 Mbytes partition is required. Type hd1 followed by a press of the Enter key. Result of this action should look like this:
The following subpartitions are about to be created on /dev/hd1:
Root subpartition: /dev/hd1a 1440 kb
/usr subpartition: /dev/hd1c rest of hd1
Hit return if everything looks fine, or hit DEL to bail out if you want to
think it over. The next step will destroy /dev/hd1.
:
Migrating from floppy to disk...
Press the Enter key to accept the consequences of the previous actions. Result of this action should look something like this:
Scanning /dev/hd1c for bad blocks. (Hit DEL to stop the scan if are absolutely
sure that there can not be any bad blocks. Otherwise just wait.)
What is the memory size of this system in kilobytes? [4096 or more]
Lots of files are copied from FDD to HDD. Final message displayed on the console from this step should be:
Please insert the installation ROOT floppy and type 'halt' to exit Minix.
Type 8192 followed by a press of the Enter key to set the memory size to 8 Mbytes. Result of this action should look something like this:
You can type 'boot hd1' to try the newly installed Minix system. See
"TESTING" in the usage manual.
#
# halt
Since ROOT is combined with USR on a single floppy, there is no need to change discs. Now type halt. Result of this action should look something like this:
System Halted
fd0>
Minix boot monitor 2.5
Now boot from the HDD by typing boot hd1, followed by a press of the Enter key. Result of this action should look like this:
Press ESC to enter the monitor
Hit a key as follows:
= Start Minix
Minix 2.0.0 Copyright 1997 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Press the = key to start MINIX. Result of this action should look like this:
Executing in 32-bit protected mode
at-hd0: Conner Peripherals 100MB - CP3104
Memory size = 8139K MINIX = 295K RAM disk = 1024K Available = 6821K
Sat Dec 13 13:47:21 MET 2003
/dev/hd1c is read-write mounted on /usr
Starting standard daemons: update.
Login as root and run 'setup /usr' to install floppy sets.
Minix Release 2.0 Version 0
noname login:
Type root, followed by a press of the Enter key to log into the system as root.
What is the size of the images on the diskettes? [all]
At the # command prompt, type setup /usr, followed by a press of the Enter key. Result of this action should look like this:
What floppy drive to use? [0]
Press the Enter to accept the default response. Result of this action should look like this:
Please insert input volume 1 and hit return
Press the Enter to accept the default response. Result of this action should look like this:
Done.
Insert the first of the three floppy discs labeled MINIX USR Files and press the Enter key. When prompted, do the same for the remaining two discs. Some File exists messages will appear; this is normal. Final result of this action should look like this:
#
Done.
Now load the two floppy discs containing the system sources by typing the setup /usr, followed by the Enter key. Insert the two discs when prompted as before. Final result of this action should be:
#
Done.
Now load the three floppy discs containing the command sources by typing the setup /usr, followed by the Enter key. Insert the three discs when prompted as before. Final result of this action should be:
#
Broadcast message from root@noname (console)
MINIX is now installed and working. Remove any floppy discs from the FDD. Type and execute the command shutdown now. Final result of this action should look like:
Sat Dec 13 14:22:10 2003...
The system will shutdown NOW
System Halted
hd1a>
It is now safe to turn off the machine.
