Chapter 2. Obtaining Fedora
This chapter explains how to get the files you need to install and run Fedora on your computer. Concepts in this chapter may be new, especially if this is your first free and open source operating system. If you have any trouble with this chapter, find help by visiting the Fedora Forums at
http://www.fedoraforum.org/.
The Fedora Project distributes Fedora in many ways, mostly free of cost and downloaded over the Internet. The most common distribution method is CD and DVD media. There are several types of CD and DVD media available, including:
A full set of the software on DVD media
Live images you can use to try Fedora, and then install to your system if you so choose
Reduced-size bootable CD and USB flash disk images you can use to install over an Internet connection
Source code on DVD media
Most users want the Fedora Live image or the full set of installable software on DVD. The reduced bootable images are suitable for use with a fast Internet connection and install Fedora on one computer. Source code discs are not used for installing Fedora, but are resources for experienced users and software developers.
Users with a broadband Internet connection can download ISO images of CD and DVD media or images of USB flash disks. An ISO image is a copy of an entire disc in a format suitable for writing directly to a CD or DVD. A USB flash disk image is a copy of an entire disk in a format suitable for writing directly to a USB flash disk.
2.1.1. How Do I Download Installation Files?
Fedora software is available for download at no cost in a variety of ways.
The Fedora installation files are freely available from web servers located in many parts of the world. These servers
mirror the files available from the Fedora Project. If you visit
http://download.fedoraproject.org/, you are redirected to a mirror, based on a calculation of which mirror is likely to offer you the best download speed. Alternatively, you can choose a mirror from the list maintained at
http://mirrors.fedoraproject.org/publiclist. This page lists mirrors according to geographic location. The mirrors geographically closest to you are likely to provide you with the fastest downloads. If the company or organization that provides your internet access maintains a mirror, this mirror is likely to provide you with the fastest downloads of all.
Mirrors publish Fedora software under a well-organized hierarchy of folders. For example, the Fedora 20 distribution normally appears in the directory fedora/linux/releases/20/
. This directory contains a folder for each architecture supported inside that folder, in a folder called iso/
. For example, you can find the file for the DVD distribution of Fedora 20 for x86_64 at fedora/linux/releases/20/Fedora/x86_64/iso/Fedora-20-x86_64-DVD.iso
.
2.1.1.2. From BitTorrent
BitTorrent is a way to download information in cooperation with other computers. Each computer cooperating in the group downloads pieces of the information in a particular torrent from other peers in the group. Computers that have finished downloading all the data in a torrent remain in the swarm to seed, or provide data to other peers. If you download using BitTorrent, as a courtesy you should seed the torrent at least until you have uploaded the same amount of data you downloaded.
If your computer does not have software installed for BitTorrent, visit the BitTorrent home page at
http://www.bittorrent.com/download/ to download it. BitTorrent client software is available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and many other operating systems.
You do not need to find a special mirror for BitTorrent files. The BitTorrent protocol ensures that your computer participates in a nearby group. To download and use the Fedora BitTorrent files, visit
http://torrent.fedoraproject.org/.
Minimal boot CD and USB flash disk images are not available through BitTorrent.
2.1.2. Which Architecture Is My Computer?
Releases are separated by architecture, or type of computer processor. Use the following table to determine the architecture of your computer according to the type of processor. Consult your manufacturer's documentation for details on your processor, if necessary.
Table 2.1. Processor and architecture types
Processor manufacturer and model | Architecture type for Fedora |
---|
Intel Atom (see note below,) Core series, Pentium 4, and recent vintage Xeon; AMD Athlon, Duron, some Semprons; and older; VIA C3, C7 | i386 (32-bit) |
Intel Atom (See note below), Core 2 series, Core i series and Xeon; AMD: Athlon 64, Athlon II, Sempron64, Phenom series, Fusion series, Bulldozer series and Opteron; Apple MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air | x86_64 (64-bit) |
If you are unsure what type of processor your computer uses, choose i386
.
The Z Series and N200 Series Atom processors are based on the
i386
architecture. The 230 and 330 Series and the rest of the N Series Atom processors are based on the
x86_64
architecture. Refer to
http://ark.intel.com/products/family/29035 for more details.
Fedora only supports UEFI booting on 64-bit systems. Users with 32bit systems or those who wish to use 32-bit Fedora on a 64-bit system will need to use BIOS-style or CSM>
boot methods. This change is made in the system firmware's menu, refer to your manufacturer's documentation for details.
2.1.3. Which Files Do I Download?
You have several options to download Fedora. Read the options below to decide the best one for you.
Each file available for download in a Fedora distribution includes the architecture type in the file name. For example, the file for the DVD distribution of Fedora 20 for x86_64 is named
Fedora-20-x86_64-DVD.iso
. Refer to
Section 2.1.2, “Which Architecture Is My Computer?” if you are unsure of your computer's architecture.
Full Distribution on DVD
If you have plenty of time, a fast Internet connection, and wish a broader choice of software on the install media, download the full DVD version. Once burned to DVD, the media is bootable and includes an installation program. The DVD version contains a mode to perform rescue operations on your Fedora system in an emergency. You can download the DVD version directly from a mirror, or via BitTorrent.
Live Image
If you want to try Fedora before you install it on your computer, download the Live image version. If your computer supports booting from CD or USB, you can boot the operating system without making any changes to your hard disk. If you decide you like what you see, and want to install it, select
Install to Hard Drive
on the desktop to copy Fedora to your hard disk (alternatively, in GNOME, a shortcut can be found in the menu). You can download the Live image directly from a mirror, or using BitTorrent.
For more detailed instructions on setting up a Live image installation, including selecting a language for the installation process, refer to the Fedora Installation Quick Start Guide.
Minimal Boot Media
If you have a fast Internet connection but do not want to download the entire distribution, you can download a small boot image. Fedora offers images for a minimal boot environment on CD. Once you boot your system with the minimal media, you can install Fedora directly over the Internet. Although this method still involves downloading a significant amount of data over the Internet, it is almost always much less than the size of the full distribution media. Once you have finished installation, you can add or remove software to your system as desired.
Installing the default software for Fedora over the Internet requires more time than the Live image, but less time than the entire DVD distribution. Actual results depend on the software you select and network traffic conditions.
You can also download the images directly from a mirror, instead of browsing through
http://fedoraproject.org/get-fedora The following table explains where to find the desired files on a mirror site. Replace
arch with the architecture of the computer being installed. If you don't have a preferred mirror, the url
http://download.fedoraproject.org
will automatically resolve one.
Table 2.2. Locating files
Media type | File locations |
---|
Full distribution on DVD | fedora/linux/releases/20/Fedora/arch/iso/Fedora-20-arch-DVD.iso |
Live image | fedora/linux/releases/20/Live/arch/iso/Fedora-Live-Desktop-arch-20-1.iso , fedora/linux/releases/20/Live/arch/iso/Fedora-Live-KDE-arch-20-1.iso |
Minimal CD boot media | fedora/linux/releases/20/Fedora/arch/iso/Fedora-20-arch-netinst.iso |