A Fedora Core 9 (sulphur) Reveiw

[Solaris17]

Hey guys Solaris here keeping to my promise and bringin you those wanted reveiws for the vets and the new comers hoping to give linux a shot. This reveiw is on fedora Core 9 Code Name "sulphur" based on the redhat code base.

Test Machine

P5N-E SLI
2x 9600GT
E6400 @3.7Ghz
4GB (2x2GB) Ram
100GB 7200rpm IDE HDD (SeaGate)

AVG install time
15-30min

First We start by popping in our disk. As we start the computer were greeted with a nice looking splash screen not totally unheard of with the big distros.
http://ict.renevdmark.nl/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/fedora9a_01.jpg

What i did notice was diffirent about this Distro compared to others i have used is the Rescue CD option. This wont be included in this reveiw. However it is usefull, its basically a watered down Fedora Live CD with various repair tools.

Our next screen after using the Default option of installing a new system was a media test (DVD FS).
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_002.png This takes some time depending on DVD drive speed and proc but on avg about 10min or so.

our next window brings us to basic kernel boot were running out of ram only at this point and are almost ready to begin the install process.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_003.png

like my previous review for "Elive" this distro much like suse includes Languages in their own well language unlike some i have used.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_004.png

Immediately After Language options is a nice non Bash based way of selecting your desired KB layout
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_005.png

next you will be prompted to enter the spacifics of your Net connection while this didnt work for me. because the wireless package was not yet loaded being considered optional this should in theory work for people with wired connections
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_006.png

After you input your net settings were on to time zone usually a necessary part of installation.
i myself use newyork time

http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_009.png

After Time comes the meat of the install this is were we know we are getting close now we need to input our "root" password.. Now Fedora likes a long one but this isnt at all neccisary however if you do infact choose to use a smaller pass you will get a warning dialogue about how unwise this decision is.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_010.png

Next up partitioning This is the most dreaded thing in the world for users with more than 1 HDD and though Fedora makes it much less of a hassle you still need to pay Really good attention Especially to Drive names and sizes so you dont wipe the wrong 1!!!
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_012.png

as you can see you can also choose to encrypt your File system though this is usefull in the event of a hot swap or the feds coming into your house you do have to enter yet another password to set it up which can bother some. I choose not to as in my case its a complete waste of time.

Assuming you didnt wish to enter a password and encrypt your HDD your now at the last user step for partitioning click write changes to disk to let linux handle itself for right now and you can grab a dew and a cigg.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_014.png

Autopilot
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_015.png

After that we get to choose packages something wondows does not want you to do. i choose everything software development, web server, than i simply check the box additional fedora software to install any packages that pertain to my system.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_016.png

Now if you click customize now you get to pick indavidual packages and your desktop managers (gnome/KDE etc) i choose to install all the managers because i like to explore with the feel...i warn you though if you choose to "configure later" like in the last picture your GUI will default to gnome and you will need to install them seperately.

http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_017.png

After all of the packages and GUI's are selected Fedora begins to install them checking for compatability configuring to fit your system like a glove etc.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_019.png

after The packages are sorted checked and written as temp we begin the decompression and installation of those packages and the core OS Fedora likes to keep things pretty so this whole process is really pleasing to the eye with the plastique look and feel.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_020.png

One ting i noticed while installing is that..after i was done configuring all my packages and the installation started. The progress bar intelligently shows

How many packages total
What package is being processed
What the package name is
What that program does

Now the upside to all of this is its not time based. For example when installing not only does it give you all the info but unlike an ETA progress bar which moves along slowely or fast depending on ETA time this bar progresses by Weight of the packages. For example when i installed i had a little over 1000 packages. and i was on package 700 now youd think that would be a little over half correct? as 700+700=1400 i should be a ways over 50% completion. However that is not the case i was under half because the packages coming up were bigger. Though this way of measuring time may be new to me and others in the end its a very much more accurate ay to tell the installation time and for trying to figure out how long it will take.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_021.png

After install your greated with a congratulations screen.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_022.png

When you reboot your disk will automatically pop out for you to take it. When the system starts to load and the kernel is engaged you will get a boot screen something like this
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_023.png
That is the default Fedora 9 boot screen yours may look somewhat diffirent as the kernel version changes if you upgrade or compile a custome one. mine is 2.6.55.

Kernel loaded OS loading up.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/fedora9installationguide-large_025.png

If you show options here your screen will cascade with intresting text about what programs and drivers are being loaded and configured as well as if they are ok to go not working or have failed.

Now its time to ready your system and Desktop.
http://images.howtoforge.com/images/perfect_desktop_f9/big/fs3.jpg

go ahead and lick forward and we can start having fun in no time!!!

Read the disclaimer :P
http://images.howtoforge.com/images/perfect_desktop_f9/big/fs4.jpg

Now create your log in info
http://video.linux-noob.com/screenshots/fedora/9/post-67-1210461508.png

After that set your timezones so fedora knows what time server to sync to :)
http://images.howtoforge.com/images/perfect_desktop_f9/big/fs6.jpg

Now Fedora then asks you finally to submit your hardware profile. You can choose not to and click ok out of a PLEASE i BEG YOU screen to continue on to the goodies. I myself submitted mine as all it is is a list of your computers hardware. This helps them support something more or develope something more for certain parts depending on how man ypeople use which ones.
http://images.howtoforge.com/images/perfect_desktop_f9/big/fs7.jpg

Now to log in :)
http://images.howtoforge.com/images/perfect_desktop_f9/fs8.jpg

Depending on weather or not you have more than 1 GUI installed like KDE or Gnome you will also be able via drop down menu on the task bar select whch one you will be using.

Welcome to your desktop i myself booted into KDE because i wanted to see what 4.0 was all about and iv always prefered KDE over gnome.
http://img.techpowerup.org/080614/reveiw.png

While its pretty it still needs some work though it is pretty menuverable. Right clicking brings you a menu were you can do various things like terminal run command adjust background, widgets etc.

This is me adjusting my background
http://img.techpowerup.org/080614/reveiw1.png
Notice what KDE 4.0 brings if you look at the title bar it says "plasma workspace" like vistas aero plasma is the theme for kde 4.0. Infact their actually amazingly similar. ill post a pic of my widgets in a bit but for now lets talk about how unstable KDE 4.0 is.

This happened while i was typing you this reveiw.
http://img.techpowerup.org/080614/crash.png

Doesnt look like much? thats because its nothing. KDE 4.0 while relatively stable DOES NOT like it when you change multiple graphics options duinrg the same session or if you want to open anything pertaining to system information. the first time i booted KDE i adjusted the desktop background and then i wanted to change the color of the task bar this resulted in an immediate kernel panic. It then asked me if i knew that it kernel panic'd...Obviously i was looking at a bomb on my screen with the words Kernel Panic written in really big letters. I hit ok and the GUI like any other kernel fault the GUI bombed and brought me to a black prompt. i logged out using bash than typed

Startx

and got back to the log in prompt wee i selected gnome and logged in. After i had gotten into the plain but functional gnome i purged all KDE files and re downloaded it This gave me KDE again and a little more stable up until now. While its apparent KDE is most definitely still in the works (Most users advised to use 3.5) It looks promising and pretty with a good clean GUI and an arsenal of programs to run KDE 4.0 looks like it will do an amazing job upon completion.


KDE Crashing yet again
http://img.techpowerup.org/080614/crash1.png

Widgets
http://img.techpowerup.org/080614/Widget.png

Now updating Fedora is a pretty easy feat. You go into your start button.

start>applications>Administratoon>software update viewer

http://img.techpowerup.org/080614/noupdates.png

the rest is pretty self explanitory and it does all updates installations etc by itself. so youll be completely up to date!!. The programs included in fedora are extreme thirs a little bit for everyone seriously..

from games

to document progs like Openoffice and Koffice

to DVD burning programs and several media players.

Scripting tools

to your own kernel compilation everything seems to be in Fedora and everything seems to be easy to get To!

Another thing i was really happy about was the Hardware compatability...Fedora uses ~10gb when fully installed with all available packages. it sounds big but what you get has to be the best and most warm and fuzzy experience with linux. Hardware compatability.

my wireless started right up and i was so scared when at 12:30 at night my speakers lit up with sound so loud i almost peed myself. my graphics cards work though they aent officially supported by the last nvida linux driver release i can set the resolution watch movies scroll through pics and nothing slows down. all of my usb devices are detected including mp3 players and SD cards and all work flawlessly. I must say this has to be one of the most compatible linux distros i have ever used.


I rate it a 9/10

Pros:
Pretty interface
Quick install
Through the roof compatability
ease of use.

Cons:
Large distro
KDE is the main GUI and is really buggy
some things are hard to configure like start menu's or sound settings.


COMING SOON NEED TO EAT
LOOK FORWARD TO

Suse 11 RC1 -Solaris17 Official release in 4 DAYS!!!!!
Ubuntu 8.04 -Solaris17


Some of my other reveiws
Elive 1.6 (http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=56527)
Suse 11 (http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=63000)

[psyko12]

Very well informative was looking for this guide as I've never found a better one than this, TY :respect:

EDIT: Btw is that the full installer dvd version, I think I got the wrong 1? I've downloaded the KDE Live CD, soo how would I add packages to this version..

[Solaris17]

thanks man!! i just finished it do a refresh i will probably add more later covering gnome and some of the other parts i only touched lightely on. but i was interuppted so i lost concentration damn females.

As for my installation yes i use the full DVD installer the KDE live version is a light weioght version ment for testing and old comps..

However HOPE IS NOT LOST!!!


you can select and install more packages by doing it manually by doing the following.

go to


start>Applications>administration>add/remove software

do that and you can install things actually everything fedora related via group selection.

http://img.techpowerup.org/080614/updates.png

hope you guys liked the reveiw!!! and i hope your excited for

suse 11 RC1

and Ubuntu 8.04!! all in the coming days!

and dont forget

SUSE 11 official release in 4 days!!!

but ill let you know whats good and whats bad.

[Wile E]

If you want to get even more goodies on your Fedora install, enable the Livna Repo. Here's a couple good "essentials" guides.

http://spoilt.blogsite.org/wordpress/index.php/2008/05/15/fedora-9-tips-and-tricks
http://djkaos.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/fedora-9-essentials-guide/

I only used the second one for installing the real Sun Java, as opposed to the Open JDK Fedora ships with.

After installing your gfx drivers, Compiz-fusion works quite well in KDE4.

My experience with Fedora 9 has been very pleasant so far. There are a few bugs in KDE4, but nothing major for me. I'm sure that will improve with more updates as well.


I did want to note an install bug. I have both an Intel 2 disk RAID0, and an IDE back up drive. My install would hang after keyboard selection, unless I unplugged the IDE drive. Once installed tho, everything works fine, even with the IDE drive running.

[crisco]

that was definately some good info. I too ran into the same problem with my sound blaster live card and basically the system sees that it is there but it's greyed out. any ideas?

[DanTheBanjoman]

"review".

[B1gg3stN00b]

Good looking OS at least. How much does it cost?

[xfire]

its free.

[Ninkobwi]

I see you have written KDE4.0 as very buggy. is 4.1 any better?

edit: just saw the date on this, wops

[blueskynis]

I heard 4.1 is much more stable than 4.0. I haven't tried 4.1 though.

[zithe]

I'm glad you posted this here. Getting help from the linux forums is really difficult. It's like going into a library asking for the manual to a certain car, getting stuck there with no help for weeks until suddenly everyone decides to tell you the same useless crap that everyone knows but doesn't help and by the end of it you have a manual but to the wrong car and in another language.

[Solaris17]

I heard 4.1 is much more stable than 4.0. I haven't tried 4.1 though.

4.1 is supposed to be alot more stable numerous bug fixws i havent tested it yet but all iv heard is good things id deffinetely give it a go if i were you :)

[Ninkobwi]

would anyone recommend Fedora 9 KDE as a somewhat newbie-ish linux user? I'm wanting to make a media server for the house and might as well use Linux. I've tried out Ubuntu and love the synaptic package manger, does Fedora have something similar?

[Wile E]

would anyone recommend Fedora 9 KDE as a somewhat newbie-ish linux user? I'm wanting to make a media server for the house and might as well use Linux. I've tried out Ubuntu and love the synaptic package manger, does Fedora have something similar?

Yes. It is very noob friendly. It has a Add Remove Programs Applet that is super easy to use. Visit the links in my post above to enable a very usefull 3rd party repo.