Installing Freespire on Your PC
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Make sure your PC meets the minumum System Requirements and back up the data that you want to keep.
Place the CD in your computer's CD-ROM drive.
Restart the computer, ensuring that it is set to BOOT from the CD/DVD drive.
Freespire will present you with 4 options :-
- INSTALL Freespire on this Computer's hard drive,
- RUN Freespire directly from the CD without installing (Freespire Live!),
- CREATE or MODIFY partitions on this computer's hard drive,
- ADVANCED Options.
If you
- a want to install Freespire onto your computer AS THE ONLY OPERATING SYSTEM, select INSTALL,
- b want to try Freespire before doing anything select the RUN "Live" option,
- c want to install this and retain existing operating system, select CREATE or MODIFY,
- d want to get stuck in, roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty, select ADVANCED.
Each option is now looked at in more detail below.
Contents |
INSTALL Freespire on this computer's hard drive
You will be presented with the Welcome screen. Follow the instructions and click on the Next button. Select the appropriate Keyboard layout.
Next follows the Installation Method where you have two choices:
- 1) Take over an entire hard disk
- 2) Advanced install
Each option is now looked at in more detail below.
- 1) Take over an entire hard disk
This option will overwrite and install itself on your hard disk, destroying ALL existing files on that hard disk. ONLY select this option if you are COMPLETELY happy to destroy ALL existing information on your hard drive or if you are installing Freespire onto a nice new, blank hard disk. This method provides the best performance and easiest installation for Freespire (& you too!).
If your computer has more than one hard drive, Freespire will ask you which one you want to install to. (See the section on Dual Boot for further information on this option.) Otherwise you will go straight into the next set of screens.
Computer Name and User Name & Password. (Note: Fill in all fields or there will be errors)
- Computer Name
Enter a name for your Computer e.g. TheBorg, Barbie or perhaps Uranus
- User Name & Password
Enter your full name (or whatever you want your full name to appear as e.g. John Doe)
Enter your User Name Freespire defaults to a User name e.g. jdoe in the above example (lowercase) You can overwrite this with your own eclectic selection e.g. Andy or Warthogs
- Administrator Password
This will be your logon password and it will be the password required to enable you to switch to a special level of user who has admin rights on the system and can complete various actions which need a higher level of permissions than the ordinary user. DO NOT FORGET this password. THERE IS NO WAY TO RECOVER THIS PASSWORD AND YOU WILL BE LOCKED OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM! You have been advised.
- Setup Confirmation
Freespire will confirm the setup and your selections. Simply click finish to start the Installation process confident in the knowledge that you are installing one of the best operating systems in the Universe! Enjoy the Ride! ;-)
You will get a nag screen asking you to verify your choice. This is the last chance to "Make it so" or to go back and make changes.
Freespire will now install. The process will take approximately 20 minutes - more if it is a large computer with lots of goodies installed.
You will then be shown to remove the installation media and restart your computer, whereupon Freespire will start up.
You will be prompted with the Welcome screen as the Freespire Startup Wizard guides you through the final stages. Select the version of Freespire which you have selected, review the agreement and then click on the next button. This is followed by the Sound Volume. Adjust the Sound Volume as necessary. If it does not work use the troubleshoot button or if possible come back to Freespire.org and get help from the support area.
- Settings follows. Here you set the Time Zone, Date & Time and complete the advanced settings of Set Display Resolution, Configure Network Settings, Configure Dial up settings, Add Users, Set Password and Rename this Computer.
Each is looked at in more detail below :-
- Time Zone, Date & Time
Select the appropriate time zone and adjust time and date as required and click the Apply button followed by the OK button. If you are new to Freespire/Linux simply now select the Finish button and proceed otherwise you can modify settings below.
- Set Display Resolution,
This option also manages the monitor Gamme and the system Power options like standby and hibernation. Check out the tabs along the top of the open dialogue box. Amend as you wish. Select Apply and OK once complete.
- Configure Network Settings,
Taking the defaults of DHCP should suffice. This option also covers off Wireless, Firewall and VPN - check out the tabs.
- Configure Dial up settings,
This enables you to setup your ISP details for those amongst who still have to use dial up connections.
- Add Users,
If you wish to add more users for your computer use this option to do so. These users will not have any Administrative rights by default. The Add Users is what was called User Login earlier in the installation process and the example given was jdoe. Enter in lowercase the User Login. A new dialogue box opens up where you enter the remaining details like the User Login's proper name and other stuff, including the password. you can use the Tabs to manage how long passwords last for etc, see Password Management Tab. You can also create Groups of users, for example you could add this additional user to the admin group which would then give that user Administration capabilities.
- Set Password,
select this option if you wish to change the password which you entered earlier in the Administration Password box in the User Name & Password section earlier on.
- Rename this Computer
If you wish to change the Computer Name which you selected earlier in this installation process do it here. Perhaps you do not want to be part of the Borg but prefer Kryptonite or MyPrecious.
Congratulations, installation is complete. Freespire will now load up your Desktop. Your system is ready for years of stability, freedom and enjoyment!
- 2) Advanced install
Advanced Install mode is specifically for users who already have an operating system on their computer. The advantage of using advanced install is that you are given the opportunity to install onto a system with multiple partitions or multiple operating systems already installed. During the setup process click on the bullet 'Advanced Install' and follow the options. You can select a specific partition to install so leaving other installations intact. You will be presented with a display of available partitions and discs to install to. Each will display the drive number, existing format and whether the installation on the disk is possible. Be careful and ensure you know the configuration of your hard drives before installing as once you click OK there is no turning back and all data on the selected partition or drive will be deleted. Once you are happy with your selection click next and you are presented with a warning. Click continue and your install will continue. Install takes between 10 and 15 minutes depending on your system speed and drive speed. You will be prompted for a computer name and Administrator Password. Do not forget this password as the only way past it is to re-install your system. When the process is completed, you are prompted to remove your CD and hit enter. Once done, your computer will re-boot and you will be taken to the GRUB loader, where your default OS will be Freespire. If you do nothing Freespire will load after a few seconds. Congratulations, your system is installed.
RUN Freespire directly from the CD without installing (Freespire Live!)
See the section under Installing Freespire, Running Freespire Live
CREATE or MODIFY partitions on this computer's hard drive
Visit Partitioning Your Hard Drive
ADVANCED Options
This page is linked from the Freespire User Manual, please review the Editing Guidelines and follow the wiki Style Guide. Concerns about the topic should reside in the discussion tab.
