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7. Install Options

You should now be presented with a choice between a workstation, server, or custom install. You can also upgrade an older RedHat system. Each install has its differences and advantages.

7.1 Workstation

This is a default install that installs the components that would be most appropriate for a workstation or client system. This option will erase your hard drive and overwrite all current data so use this option with caution. It will also use default partition and swap sizes, so it is not always the most efficient choice. This will make many decisions on its own and many of the options that I describe later will not be displayed.

7.2 Server

This option does the same thing as a workstation install and uses the whole hard drive. The only difference is that it will install the packages that are most appropriate for a server machine.

7.3 Custom

This is the most preferable option, considering it does not decide anything for you and it does not take over your whole hard drive either. This is the install that I will describe in detail in the next sections.

7.4 Upgrade

This option will not install anything, but will actually find all the packages that are already installed and update them to the newer version that is on the RedHat CD-ROM. It sounds nice, but I have always preferred to do this manually.

7.5 What to Choose?

It is up to you which install option you choose, but keep in mind that the first two options overwrite your entire hard drive and choose many things on their own, and the upgrade option is only useful to upgrade an existing system. One of the biggest reasons I decided to use Linux is for more freedom and choice, so I always use "Custom."



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