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Linux Instal Fest Belgrade

(dmz.rs)
175 points ubavic | 2 comments | 06 Dec 25 10:20 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
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Panino ◴[06 Dec 25 19:47 UTC] No.46176076[source]▶
I've been thinking a lot about organizing an installfest sometime in the next year or so, which would be my first time in over 20 years. To anyone with current experience running one, do you have any advice?

I'm also interested in smartphone operating systems like Ubuntu Touch and postmarketOS etc.

replies(1): >>46176339 #
ubavic ◴[06 Dec 25 20:26 UTC] No.46176339[source]▶
This is my third install fest and I planned to write some check list that I compiled in these years. I can share this:

- make sure bring extension chords, and make sure you have enough fast wifi for all participants

- bring enough USB-s. Installation on older laptops can take time

- ventoy is useful

- for beginners stick to Fedora/Debian. Popular distros come and go, but these two are constant and will be supported for a long time

- don't give options to beginners if they don't ask for it. You will induce paralysis of choice

- automatic dual boot setup by Debian installer works very well. Partition shrinking on Windows isn't scary as I thought before

- sometimes you can't install BIOS/UEFI drivers without windows (on older devices). You maybe want to do that before installing Linux

- i think it is good to have a windows installation ready. At least for windows boot loader recovery if anything goes bad

- bitLocker can be PITA. Don't lock users device

- after installation update system

- write some material, what-to-do-after-installation guide, and give to participants. Maybe create group on some social network or messaging app

replies(2): >>46176653 #>>46177225 #
rtp4me ◴[06 Dec 25 21:16 UTC] No.46176653[source]▶
I have never been to one of these "fests" but wouldn't be easier to just bring a small PXE server with an SSD and 10G NIC with an 8-port switch for net booting/install? Are the machines so old they can't boot off the network? The PXE server could easily handle 5-6 install clients via the 10G NIC.
replies(2): >>46177673 #>>46182354 #
1. theandrewbailey ◴[07 Dec 25 15:25 UTC] No.46182354[source]▶
A 10G NIC is unnecessary. I've used iVentoy with a dozen laptops installing Linux simultaneously with no obvious slowdowns hosted from a Dell Optiplex Micro 7050 (7th gen i5, 1G NIC, SSD).

https://www.iventoy.com/en/index.html

replies(1): >>46183340 #
2. rtp4me ◴[07 Dec 25 17:25 UTC] No.46183340[source]▶
Yes, I have used iVentoy very much in the past as well. However, running a dozen (+12) simultaneous installs of Linux seems a stretch for 1G NICs. Using a small PC with a 2.5G NIC could probably do just as well as the 10G one - just slightly less expensive. The 2.5G NIC hardware has really come down in price; you can get an 8-port 2.5G switch for $45, and many mini-PCs have 2.5G built-in.