| 1 | <sect1 id="ch01-how">
|
|---|
| 2 | <title>How things are going to be done</title>
|
|---|
| 3 |
|
|---|
| 4 | <para>We are going to build the LFS system by using an already installed Linux
|
|---|
| 5 | distribution such as Debian, SuSe, Slackware, Mandrake, RedHat, etc. There
|
|---|
| 6 | is no need to have any kind of bootdisk. We will use an existing Linux
|
|---|
| 7 | system as the base (since we need a compiler, linker, text editor, and
|
|---|
| 8 | other tools).</para>
|
|---|
| 9 |
|
|---|
| 10 | <para>After you have downloaded the necessary packages that make up an LFS
|
|---|
| 11 | system you will create a new Linux native partition onto which the LFS system
|
|---|
| 12 | will be installed.</para>
|
|---|
| 13 |
|
|---|
| 14 | <para>The next step, chapter 5, will be the installation of a number of
|
|---|
| 15 | packages that are statically linked and installed on the LFS partition.
|
|---|
| 16 | These packages form a basic development suite which will be used to
|
|---|
| 17 | install the actual system, and are also needed to resolve circular
|
|---|
| 18 | dependencies. Examples of circular dependencies are: you need a compiler
|
|---|
| 19 | to install a compiler. You need a shell in order to install a shell. And
|
|---|
| 20 | so on.</para>
|
|---|
| 21 |
|
|---|
| 22 | <para>Chapter 6 installs the actual base system. We use the chroot program
|
|---|
| 23 | to start a new shell whose root directory will be set to the LFS
|
|---|
| 24 | partition. This, in essence, is the same as rebooting and have the
|
|---|
| 25 | kernel mount the LFS partition as the root partition. The reason that
|
|---|
| 26 | we don't actually reboot, but instead chroot, is that this way you can
|
|---|
| 27 | still use your host system. While software is being installed you can
|
|---|
| 28 | simply switch to a different VC (Virtual Console) or X desktop and
|
|---|
| 29 | continue using your computer as you normally would.</para>
|
|---|
| 30 |
|
|---|
| 31 | <para>When all the software is installed, chapter 7 will setup the boot
|
|---|
| 32 | scripts. Chapter 8 will setup the Linux boot loader and in chapter 9
|
|---|
| 33 | there are some pointers what you can do after you finish the book. Then
|
|---|
| 34 | you can finally reboot your system into your new LFS system, and start
|
|---|
| 35 | to really use it.</para>
|
|---|
| 36 |
|
|---|
| 37 | <para>This is the process in a nutshell. Detailed information on the steps
|
|---|
| 38 | you are taking are provided in the chapters as you go through them. If
|
|---|
| 39 | something isn't completely clear yet, don't worry. It will become very
|
|---|
| 40 | clear shortly.</para>
|
|---|
| 41 |
|
|---|
| 42 | <para>Please read chapter 2 carefully as it explains a few important things
|
|---|
| 43 | you need to be aware of before you work your way through chapters 5 and
|
|---|
| 44 | above.</para>
|
|---|
| 45 |
|
|---|
| 46 | </sect1>
|
|---|
| 47 |
|
|---|
