Slackware 12.0 - install 1

Intro

Moving from Debian and Debian-based hybrids (eg. Ubuntu) means a different initialization configuration. For me, this was for the better: the straightforward /etc/rc.d layout in Slack (and its hybrids - eg. Zenwalk) is clean and almost intuitive. Another bonus was learning that Slackware doesn't use PAM. Let's look at Slack 12.0 install.

Older Machines

1. boot with non-smp kernel big.s
2. cfdisk, mke2fs, and mkswap per taste.
3."setup"
4. activate disks, including swapon. Skip formatting (done in #2)
5. install from CD's or DVD but don't configure the network
6. reboot, run the patch for non-smp.
7. add group 1000 and user 1000, do a genfstab, etc.
8. reboot, login, and further configure users, groups, fstab, inittab, profile, visudo, modules, other initialization.
9. build nvidia drivers if necessary
10. build wifi drivers if necessary (madwifi, ndiswrapper, other)
11. a second look at modules to /etc/rc.d/rc.modules and any associated commands to /etc/rc.d/rc.local
12. reboot, check dmesg -tail, verify wifi or eth0 (eg. with "route"). To make permanent see here. If box is dual-homed, alter network files appropriately.
13. download and configure xorg.conf or copy premade to /etc/X11/
14. copy /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc to ~.xinitrc and add desired Windows Manager line at end, eg exec dbus-launch twm
15. reboot, attempt $ startx and tune.

Wireless

No need to download and compile a driver module if one came with distro: Check here:
ls /lib/modules/2.6.23.12/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/

Atheros AR242x 64 (5007 chipset)

Memory location on my card for this is 53100000. The instructions here were crucial. The ath5k module doesn't apparently work well in Satellites, however it's described here, and it appears the ath5k will eventually be the way to go. For now, the steps seem to be:

1. in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist, blacklist the "ath5k" module
2. reboot and lsmod - verify ath5k is gone
3. download madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-r3861-20080903.tar.gz , or the newest one there, make, and install.
4. reboot again and lsmod again
5. # iwconfig ath0

Atheros AR5005G

download latest madwifi, eg madwifi-0.9.9.3, then the usual

$ tar -xzvf madwifi*
$ cd madwifi*
$ make
# make install
# modprobe ath-pci

RaLink RT2600 802.11 MIMO
1. download latest ralink rt61 driver from ralink support.
2. $tar -xzvf 2008*
3. $cd RT61_Linux*
4. $cp Makefile.6 Makefile [kernel 2.6.x]
5. Alter module rtmp_main.c , by commenting out (around the bottom, line ~900):
return pci_module_init(&rt61_driver);
and replace it with:
return pci_register_driver(&rt61_driver)
6. Their "configure" file is not executable, so change it, then configure and make the module.
$chmod 755 Configure
$./Configure
$make
7. Make a directory where the module will locate configuration info and put these info files in it.

# mkdir /etc/Wireless/RT61STA
# cp rt2561.bin /etc/Wireless/RT61STA/
# cp rt2561s.bin /etc/Wireless/RT61STA/
# cp rt2661.bin /etc/Wireless/RT61STA/

8. The last file to go into that config directory may have CTRL+L line ends and we have to be sure these are eliminated: Use $dos2unix rt61sta.dat (or use sed). This file has the particulars for our LAN and WEP.
9. Copy that file to where the others are at:
#cp rt61sta.dat /etc/Wireless/RT61STA/
10. Send the module to the kernel's module folder:
#cp rt61.ko /lib/modules//misc/
11. Tell the kernel where to find the module by adding a line in /lib/modules//modprobe.dep
: "/lib/modules//misc/rt61.ko:"
12. Load the kernel:
#modprobe rt61

AFTER INSTALLING WIRELESS
1. provide permanence via /sbin/modprobe ath-pci to /etc/rc.d/rc.modules and any configuration for it (eg. iwconfig ath0 essid "loser") to /etc/rc.d/rc.local.
1b: in the case of Ralink /sbin/modprobe rt61 to /etc/rc.d/rc.modules.
2. further modify /etc/rc.d/rc.local to be sure card comes up. Last line for the card: iwconfig ra0 up or iwconfig ath0 up
3. reboot and "dhcpcd ra0" or ath0, check with "route" and a ping.

A NOTE ON PACKAGES

In Slackware, packages typically need to be individually compiled and installed. This leads to dependency problems because individual applications might overwrite or otherwise break dependencies from other packates. Slackware has pkgtool and users are urged to use it whenever possible.