This book describes how to use CD or DVD media to install the Solaris Operating System (Solaris OS) on a nonnetworked system.This chapter describes the preparations for completing a successful installation, including the sections described below. The following chapter describes each step in an installation for SPARC systems and an installation for x86 systems.System Requirements and RecommendationsThis section describes system requirements to install the Solaris OS. General guidelines for planning the disk space are also provided. Checklist for InstallationThis section contains a checklist to help you gather all of the information that you need to install your system. Where to Find Additional Installation Information This book uses the term slice, but some Solaris documentation and programs might refer to a slice as a partition. To avoid confusion, this book distinguishes between fdisk partitions (which are supported only in Solaris for x86 based systems) and the divisions within the Solaris fdisk partition, which might be called slices or partitions. The following tables list basic system requirements to install the Solaris OS.SPARC Based System Size Memory to install or upgrade 512 MB is the recommended size. 256 MB is the minimum size.Some optional installation features are enabled only when sufficient memory is present. For example, if you install from a DVD with insufficient memory, you install through the Solaris installation program's text installer, not through the GUI. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1–3. Swap area 512 MB is the default size.You might need to customize the swap space. Swap space is based on the size of the system's hard disk. Processor requirements 200–MHz or faster processor is required. x86 Based System Size Memory to install or upgrade 512 MB is the recommended size. 256 MB is the minimum size.Some optional installation features are enabled only when sufficient memory is present. For example, if you install from a DVD with insufficient memory, you install through the Solaris installation program's text installer, not through the GUI. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1–3. Swap area 512 MB is the default size.You might need to customize the swap space. Swap space is based on the size of the system's hard disk. Processor requirements 120–MHz or faster processor is recommended. Hardware floating-point support is required. The Solaris installation program on the Solaris Operating System DVD or Solaris Software - 1 CD can be run with a graphical user interface (GUI) or as an interactive text installer in a desktop or console session. For x86 based systems, the Solaris Device Configuration Assistant is included in the Solaris installation program.GUI – The Solaris installation GUI provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images to enable you to interact with the installation program. The GUI requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, video adapter, keyboard, monitor, and enough memory. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1–3 and Table 1–4. Text installer – The Solaris interactive text installer enables you to type information in a terminal or console window to interact with the installation program. You can run the text installer in a desktop session with a windowing environment, or in a console session. The text installer requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, keyboard, and monitor. You can run the Solaris installation text installer with the tip command. For more information, see the man page, tip1. You can choose to install the software with a GUI or with or without a windowing environment. If there is sufficient memory, the GUI is displayed by default. Other environments are displayed by default if memory is insufficient for the GUI. You can override defaults with the nowin or text boot options. But, you are limited by the amount of memory in your system or by installing remotely. Also if the Solaris installation program does not detect a video adapter, it automatically displays in a console-based environment. Table 1–3 and Table 1–4 describe these environments and list memory requirements for displaying them. SPARC: Memory Type of Installation Description 256-511 MB Text-based Contains no graphics, but provides a window and the ability to open other windows. If you install by using the text boot option and the system has enough memory, you are installing in a windowing environment. If you are installing remotely through a tip line or using the nowin boot option, you are limited to the console-based installation. 512 MB or greater GUI-based Provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images. x86: Memory Type of Installation Description 256–511 MB Text-based Contains no graphics, but provides a window and the ability to open other windows. If you install by using the text boot option and the system has enough memory, you are installing in a windowing environment. If you are installing remotely through a tip line or using the nowin boot option, you are limited to the console-based installation. 512 MB GUI-based Provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images. You can also specify the installer you want to use during the installation by entering a selection or special command at a prompt. For instructions, see the procedures in Chapter 2, Installing With the Solaris Installation Program (Tasks). Planning disk space is different for everyone. Consider allocating space for the following conditions, depending on your needs.Conditions for Space Allocations Description File systems For each file system that you create, allocate an additional 30 percent more disk space than you need to enable you to upgrade to future Solaris versions. By default, the Solaris installation methods create only root (/) and /swap. When space is allocated for OS services, the /export directory is also created. If you are upgrading to a major Solaris release, you might need to reslice your system or allocate double the space that you need at installation time. If you are upgrading to an update, you could prevent having to reslice your system by allocating extra disk space for future upgrades. A Solaris update release needs approximately 10 percent more disk space than the previous release. You can allocate an additional 30 percent of disk space for each file system to allow space for several Solaris updates. The /var file system If you intend to use the crash dump feature savecore1M, allocate double the amount of your physical memory in the /var file system. Swap The Solaris installation program allocates a default swap area of 512 Mbytes under the following conditions:If you use the installation program's automatic layout of disk slices If you avoid manually changing the size of the swap slice By default, the Solaris installation programs allocate swap space by placing swap so that it starts at the first available disk cylinder (typically cylinder 0 on SPARC based systems). This placement provides maximum space for the root (/) file system during the default disk layout and enables the growth of the root (/) file system during an upgrade. If you think you might need to expand the swap area in the future, you can place the swap slice so that it starts at another disk cylinder by using one of the following methods. For the Solaris installation program, you can customize the disk layout in cylinder mode and manually assign the swap slice to the desired location. For the custom JumpStart installation program, you can assign the swap slice in the profile file. For more information about the JumpStart profile file, see Creating a Profile in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Custom JumpStart and Advanced Installations. For an overview of the swap space, see Chapter 20, Configuring Additional Swap Space (Tasks), in System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems. A server that is providing home directory file systems By default, home directories are usually located in the /export file system. The Solaris software group you are installing A software group is a grouping of software packages. When you are planning disk space, remember that you can add or remove individual software packages from the software group that you select. For information about software groups, see Disk Space Recommendations for Software Groups. Upgrade If you are using Solaris Live Upgrade to upgrade an inactive boot environment and want information about disk space planning, see Solaris Live Upgrade Disk Space Requirements in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Solaris Live Upgrade and Upgrade Planning If you are using other Solaris installation methods to plan disk space, see Upgrading With Disk Space Reallocation in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade. Language support For example, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. If you plan to install a single language, allocate approximately 0.7 Gbytes of additional disk space for the language. If you plan to install all language supports, you need to allocate up to approximately 2.5 Gbytes of additional disk space for the language supports, depending on the software group you install. Printing or mail support Allocate additional space. Additional software or third-party software Allocate additional space. The Solaris software groups are collections of Solaris packages. Each software group includes support for different functions and hardware drivers. For an initial installation, you select the software group to install, based on the functions that you want to perform on the system. For an upgrade, you must upgrade to a software group that is installed on the system. For example, if you previously installed the End User Solaris Software Group on your system, you cannot use the upgrade option to upgrade to the Developer Solaris Software Group. However, during the upgrade you can add software to the system that is not part of the currently installed software group. When you are installing the Solaris software, you can choose to add or remove packages from the Solaris software group that you selected. When you are selecting which packages to add or remove, you need to know about software dependencies and how the Solaris software is packaged.The following figure shows the grouping of software packages. Reduced Network Support contains the minimal number of packages and Entire Solaris Software Group Plus OEM Support contains all the packages.

The context describes the illustration.

Table 1–6 lists the Solaris software groups and the recommended amount of disk space that you need to install each group.The disk space recommendations in Table 1–6 include space for the following items.Swap space Patches Additional software packages You might find that the software groups require less disk space than the amount that is listed in this table.For additional information about how to plan your disk space, see Allocating Disk and Swap Space in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade. Software Group Description Recommended Disk Space Entire Solaris Software Group Plus OEM Support Contains the packages for the Entire Solaris Software Group plus additional hardware drivers, including drivers for hardware that is not on the system at the time of installation. 6.8 Gbytes Entire Solaris Software Group Contains the packages for the Developer Solaris Software Group and additional software that is needed for servers. 6.7 Gbytes Developer Solaris Software Group Contains the packages for the End User Solaris Software Group plus additional support for software development. The additional software development support includes libraries, include files, man pages, and programming tools. Compilers are not included. 6.6 Gbytes End User Solaris Software Group Contains the packages that provide the minimum code that is required to boot and run a networked Solaris system and the Common Desktop Environment. 5.3 Gbytes Core System Support Software Group Contains the packages that provide the minimum code that is required to boot and run a networked Solaris system. 2.0 Gbytes Reduced Network Support Software Group Contains the packages that provide the minimum code that is required to boot and run a Solaris system with limited network service support. The Reduced Network Support Software Group provides a multiuser text-based console and system administration utilities. This software group also enables the system to recognize network interfaces, but does not activate network services. 2.0 Gbytes Use the following checklist to gather the information that you need to install the Solaris OS. You do not need to gather all of the information that is requested on the checklist. You only need to collect the information that applies to your system.Use this checklist if you are performing an initial installation. If you are upgrading your system, see Checklist for Upgrading in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade.If you have a system that contains non-global zones, Solaris Live Upgrade is the recommended upgrade program or program to add patches. Other upgrade programs might require extensive upgrade time, because the time required to complete the upgrade increases linearly with the number of installed non-global zones.For information about upgrading with Solaris Live Upgrade, see Part I, Upgrading With Solaris Live Upgrade, in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Solaris Live Upgrade and Upgrade Planning. &checklist-install; For additional information about requirements and recommendations for installing the Solaris OS, see the following sections in the Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade. This document provides system requirements and high-level planning information, such as planning guidelines for file systems and upgrade planning.Topic Reference New installation features Chapter 2, What’s New in Solaris Installation, in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade Network security planning Planning Network Security in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade Disk space guidelines and recommendations Allocating Disk and Swap Space in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade Additional requirements and recommendations for upgrading to the Solaris OS Upgrade Planning in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and UpgradeChecklist for Upgrading in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade Information about working with x86 partitions during your installation Partitioning Recommendations in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade Information about GRUB based booting, Solaris Zones partitioning technology, and RAID-1 volumes that can be created at installation Part II, Understanding Installations That Relate to GRUB, Solaris Zones, and RAID-1 Volumes, in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade Road map of the overall installation process Task Map: Installing or Upgrading the Solaris Software in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade