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<!-- retain these comments for translator revision tracking -->
<!-- $Id$ -->
<sect1 id="needed-info">
<title>Information You Will Need</title>
<sect2>
<title>Documentation</title>
<sect3>
<title>Installation Manual</title>
<para condition="for_cd">
This document you are now reading, in plain ASCII, HTML or PDF format.
</para>
<itemizedlist condition="for_cd">
&list-install-manual-files;
</itemizedlist>
<para condition="for_wdo">
The document you are now reading, which is the official version of the
Installation Guide for the &releasename; release of &debian;; available
in <ulink url="&url-release-area;/installmanual">various formats and
translations</ulink>.
</para>
<para condition="for_alioth">
The document you are now reading, which is a development version of the
Installation Guide for the next release of &debian;; available in
<ulink url="&url-d-i-alioth-manual;">various formats and
translations</ulink>.
</para>
</sect3>
<sect3><title>Hardware documentation</title>
<para>
Often contains useful information on configuring or using your hardware.
</para>
<!-- We need the arch dependence for the whole list to ensure proper xml
as long as not architectures have a paragraph -->
<itemizedlist arch="x86;sparc;mips;mipsel">
<listitem arch="x86"><para>
<ulink url="&url-hardware-howto;">Linux Hardware Compatibility HOWTO</ulink>
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="sparc"><para>
<ulink url="&url-sparc-linux-faq;">Linux for SPARC Processors FAQ</ulink>
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="mips;mipsel"><para>
<ulink url="&url-linux-mips;">Linux/Mips website</ulink>
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</sect3>
<sect3 arch="s390">
<title>&arch-title; Hardware References</title>
<para>
Documentation of &arch-title;-specific boot sequence, commands and device
drivers (e.g. DASD, XPRAM, Console, OSA, HiperSockets and z/VM interaction)
</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>
<ulink url="http://download.boulder.ibm.com/ibmdl/pub/software/dw/linux390/docu/l26cdd02.pdf">Device Drivers, Features, and Commands (Linux Kernel 2.6 — October 2005 stream)</ulink>
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
<para>
IBM Redbook describing how Linux can be combined with z/VM on
zSeries and &arch-title; hardware.
</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>
<ulink url="http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/pubs/pdfs/redbooks/sg244987.pdf">
Linux for &arch-title;</ulink>
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
<para>
IBM Redbook describing the Linux distributions available for the
mainframe. It has no chapter about &debian; but the basic installation
concepts are the same across all &arch-title; distributions.
</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>
<ulink url="http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/pubs/pdfs/redbooks/sg246264.pdf">
Linux for IBM eServer zSeries and &arch-title;: Distributions</ulink>
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</sect3>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="fsohi">
<title>Finding Sources of Hardware Information</title>
<para>
In many cases, the installer will be able to automatically detect your
hardware. But to be prepared, we do recommend familiarizing
yourself with your hardware before the install.
</para><para>
Hardware information can be gathered from:
</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>
The manuals that come with each piece of hardware.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
The BIOS setup screens of your computer. You can view these screens
when you start your computer by pressing a combination of keys. Check
your manual for the combination. Often, it is the <keycap>Delete</keycap> key.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
The cases and boxes for each piece of hardware.
</para></listitem>
<listitem arch="any-x86"><para>
The System window in the Windows Control Panel.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
System commands or tools in another operating system, including file
manager displays. This source is especially useful for information
about RAM and hard drive memory.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Your system administrator or Internet Service Provider. These
sources can tell you the settings you need to set up your
networking and e-mail.
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
<para>
<table>
<title>Hardware Information Needed for an Install</title>
<tgroup cols="2">
<thead>
<row>
<entry>Hardware</entry><entry>Information You Might Need</entry>
</row>
</thead>
<tbody>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry morerows="5">Hard Drives</entry>
<entry>How many you have.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Their order on the system.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry>Whether IDE (also known as PATA), SATA or SCSI.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Available free space.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Partitions.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry>Partitions where other operating systems are installed.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry morerows="5">Monitor</entry>
<entry>Model and manufacturer.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Resolutions supported.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Horizontal refresh rate.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Vertical refresh rate.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry>Color depth (number of colors) supported.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Screen size.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry morerows="3">Mouse</entry>
<entry>Type: serial, PS/2, or USB.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Port.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Manufacturer.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Number of buttons.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry morerows="1">Network</entry>
<entry>Model and manufacturer.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Type of adapter.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry morerows="1">Printer</entry>
<entry>Model and manufacturer.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Printing resolutions supported.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry morerows="2">Video Card</entry>
<entry>Model and manufacturer.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="not-s390"><entry>Video RAM available.</entry></row>
<row arch="not-s390">
<entry>Resolutions and color depths supported (these should be
checked against your monitor's capabilities).</entry>
</row>
<row arch="s390">
<entry morerows="1">DASD</entry>
<entry>Device number(s).</entry>
</row>
<row arch="s390"><entry>Available free space.</entry></row>
<row arch="s390">
<entry morerows="2">Network</entry>
<entry>Type of adapter.</entry>
</row>
<row arch="s390"><entry>Device numbers.</entry></row>
<row arch="s390"><entry>Relative adapter number for OSA cards.</entry></row>
</tbody></tgroup></table>
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2>
<title>Hardware Compatibility</title>
<para>
Many brand name products work without trouble on &arch-kernel;. Moreover,
hardware support in &arch-kernel; is improving daily. However, &arch-kernel; still does
not run as many different types of hardware as some operating systems.
</para><para arch="any-x86">
In particular, &arch-kernel; usually cannot run hardware that requires a
running version of Windows to work.
</para><para arch="x86">
Although some Windows-specific hardware can be made to run on Linux,
doing so usually requires extra effort. In addition, Linux drivers
for Windows-specific hardware are usually specific to one Linux
kernel. Therefore, they can quickly become obsolete.
</para><para arch="any-x86">
So called win-modems are the most common type of this hardware.
However, printers and other equipment may also be Windows-specific.
</para><para>
You can check hardware compatibility by:
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>
Checking manufacturers' web sites for new drivers.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Looking at web sites or manuals for information about emulation.
Lesser known brands can sometimes use the drivers or settings for
better-known ones.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Checking hardware compatibility lists for &arch-kernel; on web sites
dedicated to your architecture.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Searching the Internet for other users' experiences.
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2>
<title>Network Settings</title>
<para>
If your computer is connected to a network 24 hours a day (i.e., an
Ethernet or equivalent connection — not a PPP connection), you
should ask your network's system administrator for this information.
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>
Your host name (you may be able to decide this on your own).
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Your domain name.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Your computer's IP address.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
The netmask to use with your network.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
The IP address of the default gateway system you should route to, if
your network <emphasis>has</emphasis> a gateway.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
The system on your network that you should use as a DNS (Domain Name
Service) server.
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para><para>
On the other hand, if your administrator tells you that a DHCP server
is available and is recommended, then you don't need this information
because the DHCP server will provide it directly to your computer
during the installation process.
</para><para arch="not-s390">
If you use a wireless network, you should also find out:
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>
ESSID of your wireless network.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
WEP security key (if applicable).
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>
</sect2>
</sect1>
|