Installing Haiku
Haiku is an open source clone of the BeOS personal computer (PC) operating system(OS). The fact that it is open source means that the source code that makes up the operating system is free to download. It also means that modified versions of the source code can be distributed provided the modified code is also made available. It was designed to resemble BeOS in look and action, and to run much of BeOS's software. It is capable of running on very minimal hardware and is thus very useful in the refurbishing of old computers. This being said it is as capable as most operating systems available today. It has a Graphical User Interface, is Internet capable and has vast repositories of software available for download.
Materials needed
A PC with Internet access and disk burning software, a PC with at least a Pentium 4 processor and 2 Gigs of RAM, a blank, unformatted CD or DVD, and a Haiku ISO file.
Note: The two computers need not be different machines.
Note: If you don't have Internet access in you house many local libraries now offer this as a service to card holders.
Note: The OS will run on something as slow as a Pentium 2 but it will run very slowly.
Obtaining the ISO
1. Open a browser on the web enabled computer and go to this address: www.haiku-os.org/. You should see a large button in the middle of the screen saying Download Now
2. Click on this button. It will take you to another page where you can download the latest version.
3. Scroll down the page until you see a section called Download Locations and find the one nearest you.
4. Click on the link under the ISO column marked zip. Your browser will give you a conformation box.
5. Select Save File. The zip file will now download itself to the location you have given your browser to save files.
You now have a copy of the ISO necessary to make the installation disk.
Making the installation disk
6. Find the folder where your web browser stores files downloaded from the Internet. This folder is typically called Downloads by default.
7. Find the zip file containing the Haiku ISO file. This folder is called haiku-r1alpha4.1-iso.zip.
8. Right click on this file and select Extract Here form the drop down menu. The computer will begin to unpack the compressed zip file to the folder you are presently in.
9. Open the new decompressed copy of haiku-r1alpha4.1-iso.
10. Right click on the file called haiku-r1alpha4.1-iso and select Write to disk from the drop down menu. This will start the disk writing software.
11. Open the disk drive on your machine and insert a blank, unformatted disk. Close the tray.
Note: You must use a blank, unformatted disk or the disk creation software will not work.
12. Click Create disk. When the software has stopped running it should eject the disk automatically.
You now have an installation disk.
Readying your machine for installation
Before installation can begin you must make sure that the machine your are installing Haiku on is ready to have a new OS installed on it.
13. Copy any files you wish to keep from the machine you are installing Haiku on, to a separate device.
14. Press the power button on the computer you are installing Haiku on.
15. Wait a few seconds for the BIOS screen to appear. This screen will typically have either the logo of the computer's manufacturer or statistics about the machine itself.
16. When this screen appears press F2 to enter the BIOS settings.
Note: F2 is the typical key to preform this operation. If your machine is different it will state the proper key on the BIOS screen.
17. Select the menu that has Boot operations.
18. Enable the CD/DVD drive as a boot-able device and place it first in the boot order. This will insure that the disk drive and not the hard drive is booted from.
Your computer is now ready for its new operating system.
Beginning the installation
Warning: The following steps will erase any data still left on your computer. See step 13.
19. Open the CD/DVD drive and place the installation disk you just made into the tray.
20. Exit the BIOS setup menu saving the changes you just made.
The computer will now restart and begin to boot off of the installation disk in the disk drive. A window will appear to begin the installation process.
21. Select the desired language from the menu in the window on your screen.
22. Press the Run install button.
A window will appear that will provide warnings and further information about the installation you are about to perform.
Warning: The following steps will erase any data still left on your computer. See step 13.
23. Click continue.
A window will appear. This window will contain options for where to install to and from. Where you are installing from will be selected automatically.
24. Click Begin.
Note: If you have not emptied the hard drive you are installing to you will see a dialog box warning you that the target still contains data. Press install anyway if you wish to continue.
Warning: Until this point you have not touched any of the data on your hard drive. The following steps will erase any data still left on your computer. See step 13.
The installation of the OS will take a few minutes depending on the hardware you are installing it on.
25. Press Restart.
The installation disk will be ejected automatically and the system will restart booting of the newly installed Haiku operating system.
26. Remove the installation disk from the CD/DVD tray and store in a safe place for future use.
You now have installed the Haiku operating system onto your computer. Have fun with your new operating system.
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