Obtaining the Linux Install Disks Oracle Database Tips by Donald Burleson

This project uses a distribution of Linux called Fedora.  As this book goes to print, there are four distributions of Fedora available: Core 1, Core 2, Core 3 and Core 4.  Although the most recent version is Core 4, the project in this book requires Core 1. Core 1 is the only release that supports all of the Oracle software packages that will be installed. Check the support website for this book at http://www.database-expert.com/rac  to learn if this has changed since the time of publication. The passwordis nyassa.

The following section describes the process of downloading files to a Microsoft Windows computer and using its CD burner to create the install disks.

To download Fedora Core 1, visit the following web page:

http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/core/1/i386/iso/

Alternatively, a list of mirror sites can be found on this web page:

http://fedora.redhat.com/download/mirrors.html

Download the three files with the names yarrow-i386-disc1.iso, yarrow-i386-disc2.iso and yarrow-i386-disc3.iso. The files are over 600 megabytes each, so downloading will require your patience even when using a broadband internet connection.

There is a method available to verify that the downloaded files are uncorrupted. On the Core 1 download page is a link marked ?MD5SUM.? Click the link to find text that reads in part:

76ef22495d186580e47efd8d7a65fe6b  yarrow-i386-disc1.iso
fd23fe32fafe7557f5d1fa1d31100580  yarrow-i386-disc2.iso
6a26b34069639d0c31465d4079a8e1b2  yarrow-i386-disc3.iso

The numbers associated with each file are checksums that can be reproduced with a windows tool called MD5SUMMER, by Luke Pascoe. This software is available for download at http://www.md5summer.org.  Reproducing the checksums ensures not only that the downloads have completed in their entirety, but also that no corruption has taken place during the download process.

The next step is to use the program, Nero, to burn the images to the CDs. NERO can be downloaded and used for 30 days free of charge by visiting the website at http://www.nero.com and browsing to the downloads page. Nero makes burning an ISO image to a CD very easy. After installing Nero on windows, open the Nero StartSmart Program. Mouseover the Copy and Backup Icon and then click on ?Burn Image to disk?. Nero will open another program and a dialog in which to open a file as shown in Figure 2.1.

At the bottom of the screen, where the label reads ?files of type?, select ?Image Files (*.nrg, *.iso, *.cue)? and browse to the appropriate directory. Select the yarrow-i386-disc1.iso file and click ?open?.  Now click ?next? to burn it. Repeat this process for the images of disk two and three. Label each disk appropriately so as not to confuse one with the other. Disk one is a bootable disk.

This project requires two more image disks. Visit this website: http://www.sysresccd.org/ and download the stable x86 version of the System Rescue CD. Burn two CDs of that image in the same manner as with the Fedora images. This software will allow you to boot to a Linuxoperating system on CDROM where recovery operations can be performed if necessary. Also, this software will allow you to take compressed images of your Linux partitions. Be sure to label each CD appropriately.

If you want to learn RAC at home, get the bestselling book "Personal Oracle Real Application Clusters" by Edward Stoever. You can buy it direct from the publisher for 30%-off and get instant access to the code depot of Oracle tuning scripts.