How to Download and Install Fedora 12 Linux

Fedora 12 is the latest release from an established Linux company. Fedora was originally released as Red Hat Linux, but branched off of that project to not only provide a free version for linux lovers but to provide a testing ground for features that will eventually make it into the commercial Red Hat distribution.

Things You'll Need:
Computer with Internet connection
Computer to install Fedora 12 on
Blank CD-R

Step One:
Download a copy of Fedora 12 from the Fedora website by clicking here.

Step Two:
Burn Fedora 12 to a blank CD-R using your favorite disc-creation program. If you do not have a good program, ImgBurn is an excellent free utility for burning *.iso files and comes with a simple wizard to make burning easier.

Step Three:
Turn the computer on, place the newly-created Fedora CD into the CD-ROM drive, then press "Ctrl" + "Alt" + "Del" to restart the computer. Fedora will begin to automatically load, which can take a few minutes depending upon your computer.

Step Four:
Click the "Log In" button on the login window when it appears. The selection "Live System User" should be highlighted. Note that if you desire to use a language other than English, select it here.

Step Five:
Explore Fedora 12 by clicking on the menus at the top of the screen. Verify that the basics like sound and Internet work, and try out some of the games and programs that are installed.

Step Six:
Click the desktop icon "Install to Hard Drive" when you are ready to install Fedora 12.

Step Seven:
Click "Next."

Step Eight:
Select your keyboard and click "Next."

Step Nine:
Name your computer and click "Next."

Step Ten:
Select your time zone by choosing the name of a large city that shares your zone and click "Next."

Step Eleven:
Type in a password for Root. Root is the primary password that you need to accomplish anything important in Fedora 12, so choose one that you can not only remember easily but that no one else can guess. Type it in twice to make sure you have entered it correctly and then press "Next."

Step Twelve:
Use the drop-down menu to select "Use Entire Drive" if you are using the entire hard disk on the computer. If not, select the choice (like use free space) that is approproate for your needs. Click "Next" when finished with this section.

Step Thirteen:
Click the button labeled "Write Changes to Disk" to confirm that you want to do this. Note: If you have ANY information on this computer that you cannot afford to lose, STOP NOW and back that data up. You CAN lose data during this process no matter how careful or expert you are at partitioning. Fedora will take several minutes to partition and install the operating system to your computer.

Step Fourteen:
Click "Close" when Fedora has finished installing. You will need to reboot to complete the installation and begin using Fedora Linux 12.

Step Fifteen:
Click "System," "Shut Down" from the top menu. Click "Restart" from the choices presented to restart your computer. Fedora will now restart your system.

Tips:
For total Linux beginners it is often easier to experiment with a variety of live CDs before settling on one. When you find one where the main things work (sound, graphics, internet) install that distribution on your computer. This can save beginners hours of frustration installing and configuring essential devices. I have a confession to make--I do this myself. I have been known to skip new releases and/or distributions to avoid the hassle of configuring devices if the main ones do not work out of the box.

For easy Internet access use a wired ethernet connection. Fedora should be able to detect and use most ethernet cards automatically.