Here are some brief notes on installing CentOS 7. The CentOS web site is at https://www.centos.org/ .

• Download ISO image from the CentOS site.
• Download the full ISO image, not the minimal ISO.
• Use an approved disk imager to put a bootable ISO image on a flash drive - if you wish to boot a machine to Linux in oder to install Linux.
• If you are installing a virtual machine using, say, VMWare Workstation Player, then only the ISO image file is needed.
• Configure the target computer BIOS for proper boot.
• Some computers may require a BIOS setting change. If so, VMWare would inform you about this needed change.
• Boot the ISO image from the flash drive.
• Install CentOS.
• Configure CentOS

I installed the GNOME Desktop environment. By default the command line minimal install is done.

Here are some brief notes of issues I encountered. Additional details will be added over time.

Insert the flash drive in the computer and boot it.

Note: You may have to select the boot menu from the BIOS or otherwise properly configure the BIOS.

The details of the boot menu and BIOS configuration can change from computer to computer.

My mini-computer:

• Press Delete key on boot to get to the BIOS. Some computers use F2.

It is best if your computer is connected to the Internet for certain updates, but these can be done later.

Select "DATE & TIME" and set the desired date and time.

I use the Dvorak keyboard layout. In a new install select "English" and "Continue".

After "KEYBOARD" finishes "Getting list of layouts..." the keyboard will be "English (US)".

• Select "KEYBOARD".
• In the lower left select the plus sign "+" to add a keyboard layout.
• Scroll down and select "English (Dvorak)".
• Select "Add".
• Select "English (US)".
• In the lower left select the minus sign "-" to remove this layout.
• In the upper left select "Done".

If you will only be using English skip this section. Otherwise (I like natural languages as well as programming languages) select "LANGUAGE SUPPORT".

For each desired language (to which you may want to switch) do the following.

• In the left listbox, select the desired language.
• In the right listbox, check the desired language variation.

I selected the following additional languages.

• German: "Deutch" and "Deutch (Deutchland)"
• Greek: "Ελληνικά" and "Ελληνικά (Ελλάδα)"
• Russian: "Русский" and "Русский (Руссия)"
• Spanish: "Español" and "Español (España)"

When done select "Done" in the upper left.

If you do not select any of these, the default is a minimal install with just the command line. I prefer to have a GUI available so you might consider the following.

• Select "SOFTWARE SELECTION".
• On the left select "GNOME Desktop".
• Then, on the right, select the following. (If not sure, you could just check everything)
• "GNOME Applications"
• "Internet Applications"
• "Office Suite and Productivity"
• "Development Tools"
• "Security Tools"
• "System Administration Tools"

When done select "Done" in the upper left. Wait for "Checking software dependencies" to complete.

Note: It may take several minutes to check your choices before you can continue.

You need to specify a place to install Linux. Be careful not to overwrite any existing operating systems (unless you really want to do that).

Note:You may want to use just part of the disk for this operating system in case you want to add additional operating systems and boot into the desired operating system.

• Select "INSTALLATION DESTINATION".
• Under "Local Standard Disks" select the desired local disk. I usually have installed a new/clean disk (SSD, mSATA, etc.) on which to do the install. If the check mark on the disk does not appear, you may have to select it again.
• Even with a new/clean disk, you need to check "I would like to make additional space available" since it is not known what is on the disk nor if it should be used.

When done select "Done" in the upper left.

• The "RECLAIM DISK SPACE" modal dialog box should appear.
• You can now select or manage partitions, but for a new/clean disk I select "Delete all" and then "Reclaim space".

Note: It may take several seconds to check your choices before you can begin installation.

Note: This step may not be needed if installing for a virtual machine using VMWare Workstation Player.

At this point, I check "NETWORK & HOST NAME" so I can determine the MAC address of the machine and the IP address assigned by the router.

I then adjust my scripts to assign a static IP to the machine and change this setting in the router and on the main Windows machine (e.g., the hosts file)

I then turn the wired (or wireless) connection off and on so that the machine gets the new IP just arranged for that machine. If installing for a virtual machine using VMWare Workstation Player, you may want to enable the network connection. Provide a "Host name:" and turn Ethernet "ON".

When ready to begin installation (after completing the above steps) select "Begin Installation".

You should now set the following.

• Select "ROOT PASSWORD" for the admin user.
• When done select "Done" in the upper left.
• Select "USER CREATION".
• For a local test machine that is not accessible from the Internet, I often do the following. Otherwise, you should use different password for each account.
• I usually check "Make this user administrator".
• I usually use the same password for this user as for the admin user.

When done select "Done" in the upper left.

Installation continues and can take a while.

When the installation is complete, select "Reboot" to reboot and finish the installation and start customizations.

Note: Remember that when the system shuts down to remove the bootable ISO image flash drive (unless installing as a virtual machine).

The initial setup (after installation) start with "LICENSING".

• Select "LICENSE INFORMATION".
• Check the "I accept the license agreement" checkbox in the lower left.
• In the upper left select "Done".

Then do the following.

• Select "NEWORK & HOST NAME".
• Configure the desired network connections. I usually start with the wired connection which I turn "ON".
• In the upper left select "Done".

In the lower right select "FINISH CONFIGURATION".

You are now ready to login for the first time.

It can take a minute for the initial GUI to appear. Some decisions need to be done again.

• Select your language, probably "English". Select "Next".
• Select your keyboard layout, probably "English (US)" but I use "English (Dvorak)". Select "Next".
• You may wish to set up your Wi-Fi connection at this point.