Finding and Installing a Linux emulator for your WINDOWS

operating system

Objectives:• Check your computer to verify that the computer name is

compatible with UNIX (no spaces in the name).• Check your computer to verify that you have enough disk

space.• Locate the Cygwin system software• Install Cygwin• Test Cygwin on your WINDOWS computer

If your laptop has been approved for accessing the wireless network, the name of the computer is most likely free of any spaces because the IT department will generally not place spaces in the name.

If your computer name has a space in it, you will need to rename your computer.

How: replace the spaces with underscore sign or delete the spaces

If your username has a space you will need to remove it.

How: Control panel, User accounts, properties.

Implications: There are no implications to any of the normal programs and tasks in the Windows operating system except that you will be greeted with a different name.

If your computer Username has a space, remove it

If your laptop has been approved for accessing the wireless network, the name of the computer is most likely free of any spaces because the IT department will generally not place spaces in the name.

If your computer name has a space in it, you will need to rename your computer.

How: replace the spaces with underscore sign or delete the spaces

If your username has a space you will need to remove it.

How: Control panel, User accounts, properties.

Implications: There are no implications to any of the normal programs and tasks in the Windows operating system except that you will be greeted with a different name.

How much disk space do you have?

We will need 2-3 Gb of space for HCS806

If you do not have sufficient space, make it by backing up and removing some of your files…

About Cygwin: www.cygwin.com

C:\CYGWINFILES

Tip:

Cygwin can be downloaded and installed through the internet or a local drive.

If files are to be installed from either DVD or USB, consider first copying all files to a folder on the C:\ drive. The folder name must not have spaces (I used C:\ CYGWINFILES). Copying the files will remove any issues of communication between the hard disk and DVD or USB. Double check that all files have been copied (see next slide).

Left click to toggle between options

There will be three more icons for a full installation.

Everything including commands in cygwin is case sensitive. Therefore, “pwd” and “PWD” are different in that “pwd” is a valid cygwin command while “PWD” is not. Windows system is NOT case sensitive. Try not to use too many upper-case letters.

Test the cygwin environment with some simple commands:

$ is the prompt

$ pwd

- “print working directory” will tell you what directory you are in

$ cd

- will allow you to change directories. For example “cd c:/CYGWINFILES” will allow you to change to the folder/directory I created to store the program files

$ cat file1 file2 > concat_file

-syntax for concatenating two files. An example follows.

Congratulations! You’ve installed a Linux emulator and run a simple Linux command.

The following slides show the entire www.cygwin.com entry page….