Install Slackware

Using the installer

assuming BIOS/legacy/CSM mode

partitioning using fdisk or cfdisk e.g.

    DOS/MBR
    partition 1 -- / -- 25 GiB -- MARK AS BOOTABLE FOR SYSLINUX -- EXT4
    partition 2 -- SWAP -- 7 GiB
    (the rest of the disk e.g. for /data/)

software selection

• server: everything but X11-related sets (without X XAP KDE XFCE)
• light server: A AP N
• super light/minimal server
• slackbuilds building system: all sets but KDE
• desktop/workstation: all sets and do not forget the Y set

the slackware installer prompts for install settings, here are some answers

• enable GPM unless it freaks-up some remote management module (seen on IBM xSeries)
• enable utf-8
• lilo standard vga, as there is KMS anyways
• define the hostname using (loopback) network setup and eventually choose localdomain as domain
• without rc.fuse nor rc.inetd (only messagebus/dbus, syslog and sshd)

Post-install

if you went for a short hostname then also tune /etc/hosts so it resolves HOST.localdomain.

see postinstall for a full-blown sysprep

Patch

Unless that’s current or you went boostrap, you are outdated already. you need to upgrade your system!

slackpkg update
slackpkg upgrade-all

Got serial?

is your console a shitty one?

• physical host with VGA console or remote Java or HTML5

then you need to enable SSH password auth temporarily, just to push your public keys over there.

or you got a true console with the advantage of being copy/paste capable?

• physical host with remote SP or serial
• a xen/pv guest

then just edit authorized keys and switch to SSH already.