CentOS 7.x Linux Installation

Document Scope:

Provide an overall installation for a typical system with CentOS 7.x Linux, along with screen shots (single drive).

Objective: 

To provide a clear installation instruction for CentOS 7.x Linux Installation, and to prevent confusion of the system setup. (Standardize procedure.)

Assumption:

System must have at least one (1) hard drive and it must be first hard drive in the boot order if system has multiple hard drives.

The user has installation media created or provided.

Installation:

Insert the bootable USB flash drive with CentOS7.2 into the USB port and start the system.

Bring up the boot menu and select the USB flash drive as the bootable device.

• For Supermicro system, press F11 
• For Asus system, press F8

Select boot device.

• For using standard MBR Disk, select 'Sandisk' 
• For GPT Disk, select 'UEFI: SanDisk, Partition 1'

Select 'Install CentOS 7.'

Select preferred language and click 'Continue,' although instructions here will be in English. 

Click 'Software Selection.'

Select 'GNOME Desktop' (for GUI) or 'Compute Node' (Text Mode) or other option and then click on 'Done' at upper left corner to close this menu and then select network & Host name.

Select the first Ethernet (and then select 'ON' on the right side) to enable the ethernet during installation.

Click on 'Configure' on the lower right corner to configure this ethernet connection.

Select 'General' tab, and the check the box 'Automatically connect to this network when it is available' when a network cable is connected. Click 'Save' to close the box.

Repeat for any available Ethernet / Network connection. Update the Host name on the bottom of screen (using serial number of the machine).

Click on 'Done' on upper left corner when finished. Then select Installation destination.

Check the first disk (ATA ST1000DM003-1CH1) as an example for single disk installation. Then select 'I will configure partitioning.'

Click on the + sign on the bottom to add the first partition.

Fill in the info (Mount Point (/boot), Desired Size (500m)) and then click on 'OK' and select the device type (standard partition) and the file system 'ext4,' unless specified.

Click on 'update settings' to refresh the page. Repeat the process for all needed partition on the system (root, swap, and others, as needed).

Default Partition scheme (/ /boot and swap) as below: Click on 'Done' on the upper left corner to continue.

Confirm removal of old partition scheme and set the new partitioning scheme. Click on 'Accept Changes.' Optional, click on Date & Time.

When the network is connected, it is possible to use NTP and select the time zone. Click on 'Done' to continue.

Click on 'Begin Installation' on the lower right corner.

Set the root password and create user. Click on 'ROOT PASSWORD.'

Enter the root password ("exxact@1" for Exxact system). Click on 'Done' when ready and then click on USER CREATION.

Enter the user name ("exx") and password ("exxact@1"). Click on 'Done' twice.

Installation will continue while creating user and will prompt for reboot when installation is done.

Press 'Reboot' and remove the USB Flash drive to allow it to boot into CentOS7.x

Then update and install the drivers (NVIDIA / AMD / Intel) and other utilities for your system.
System will boot back to GUI (if select GNOME Desktop, after asking for license agreement) or Text terminal (Compute node).