1 | <sect1 id="ch01-how">
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2 | <title>How things are going to be done</title>
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3 | <?dbhtml filename="how.html" dir="chapter01"?>
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4 |
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5 | <para>You are going to build the LFS system by using a previously installed
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6 | Linux distribution such as Debian, Mandrake, Red Hat, etc.
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7 | The existing Linux system will be used as a starting point, because you
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8 | will need tools like a compiler, linker, text editor, and other development
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9 | tools to build the system. Ordinarily, the required tools are available by
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10 | default if you selected "development" as one of your installation options
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11 | when you installed your Linux distribution.</para>
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12 |
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13 | <para>After you have downloaded the packages that make up an LFS system,
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14 | you will create a new Linux native partition and filesystem. Here is where
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15 | the LFS system will be compiled and installed onto.</para>
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16 |
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17 | <para>The next step, Chapter 5, will discuss the installation of a number
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18 | of packages that will form the basic development suite which is used to
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19 | build the actual system. Some of these packages are needed to resolve
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20 | circular dependencies. For example, to compile a compiler you need a
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21 | compiler.</para>
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22 |
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23 | <para>The first thing to be done in Chapter 5 is build a first pass of the
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24 | toolchain, which is made up of Binutils and GCC. The programs from these
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25 | packages will be linked statically in order for them to be used independently
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26 | of the host system. The second thing to do is build Glibc, the C library.
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27 | Glibc will be built with the toolchain programs we just built in the first
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28 | pass.</para>
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29 |
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30 | <para>The next thing to do is build a second pass of the toolchain. This
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31 | time the toolchain will be dynamically linked against the newly built Glibc.
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32 | The remaining Chapter 5 packages are all built using this second pass
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33 | toolchain and dynamically linked against the new Glibc. When this is done,
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34 | the LFS installation process will no longer depend on the host distribution,
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35 | with the exception of the running kernel.</para>
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36 |
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37 | <para>In Chapter 6 the real LFS system will be built. The
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38 | chroot (change root) program is used to enter a virtual environment and
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39 | start a new shell whose root directory will be set to the LFS partition.
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40 | This is very similar to rebooting and instructing the kernel to mount the
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41 | LFS partition as the root partition. The reason that you don't actually
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42 | reboot, but instead chroot, is that creating a bootable system requires
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43 | additional work which isn't necessary. As well, chrooting allows you
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44 | to continue using the host while LFS is being built. While software is
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45 | being installed you can simply switch to a different VC (Virtual Console)
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46 | or X desktop and continue using the computer as you normally would.</para>
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47 |
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48 | <para>When all the software from Chapter 6 is installed, the temporary
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49 | tools built in Chapter 5 will be removed. Chapters 7, 8 and 9 will finalize
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50 | the installation. The bootscripts are setup in Chapter 7, the kernel and
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51 | boot loader are setup in Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 has some pointers to help
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52 | you after you finish with the book. Then, finally, you reboot the system
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53 | into the new LFS system.</para>
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54 |
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55 | <para>This is the process in a nutshell. Detailed information on the steps
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56 | you will take are discussed in the chapters and package descriptions as you
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57 | progress through them. If something isn't completely clear now, don't
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58 | worry, everything will fall into place soon.</para>
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59 |
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60 | <para>Please read Chapter 2 carefully as it explains a few important things
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61 | you should be aware of before you begin to work through Chapters 5 and
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62 | beyond.</para>
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63 |
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64 | </sect1>
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65 |
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