Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Basic Installations

System Requirements and Recommendations

The following tables list basic system requirements to install the Solaris OS.

Table 1–1 SPARC: Memory, Swap, and Processor Recommendations


SPARC Based System	Size
Memory to install or upgrade	256 MB is the recommended size. 128 MB is the minimum size. Note – Some optional installation features are enabled only when sufficient memory is present. For example, if you install from a DVD with insufficient memory, you install through the Solaris installation program's text installer, not through the GUI. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1–3.
Swap area	512 MB is the default size. Note – You might need to customize the swap space. Swap space is based on the size of the system's hard disk.
Processor requirements	200–MHz or faster processor is required.

Table 1–2 x86: Memory, Swap, and Processor Recommendations


x86 Based System	Size
Memory to install or upgrade	Starting with the Solaris 10 1/06 release, 512 MB is the recommended size. 256 MB is the minimum size. For the Solaris 10 3/05 release, 256 MB is the recommended size. 128 MB is the minimum size. Note – Some optional installation features are enabled only when sufficient memory is present. For example, if you install from a DVD with insufficient memory, you install through the Solaris installation program's text installer, not through the GUI. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1–3.
Swap area	512 MB is the default size. Note – You might need to customize the swap space. Swap space is based on the size of the system's hard disk.
Processor requirements	120–MHz or faster processor is recommended. Hardware floating-point support is required.

Solaris Installation Program GUI or Text Installer Requirements

The Solaris installation program on the Solaris 10 Operating System DVD or Solaris 10 Software - 1 CD can be run with a graphical user interface (GUI) or as an interactive text installer in a desktop or console session. For x86 based systems, the Solaris Device Configuration Assistant is included in the Solaris installation program.

GUI – The Solaris installation GUI provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images to enable you to interact with the installation program. The GUI requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, video adapter, keyboard, monitor, and enough memory. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1–3 and Table 1–4.
Text installer – The Solaris interactive text installer enables you to type information in a terminal or console window to interact with the installation program. You can run the text installer in a desktop session with a windowing environment, or in a console session. The text installer requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, keyboard, and monitor. You can run the Solaris installation text installer with the tip command. For more information, see the man page, tip(1).

You can choose to install the software with a GUI or with or without a windowing environment. If there is sufficient memory, the GUI is displayed by default. Other environments are displayed by default if memory is insufficient for the GUI. You can override defaults with the nowin or text boot options. But, you are limited by the amount of memory in your system or by installing remotely. Also if the Solaris installation program does not detect a video adapter, it automatically displays in a console-based environment. Table 1–3 and Table 1–4 describe these environments and list memory requirements for displaying them.

Table 1–3 SPARC: Memory Requirements for Display Options


SPARC: Memory	Type of Installation	Description
128–383 MB	Text-based	Contains no graphics, but provides a window and the ability to open other windows. If you install by using the `text` boot option and the system has enough memory, you are installing in a windowing environment. If you are installing remotely through a `tip` line or using the `nowin` boot option, you are limited to the console-based installation.
384 MB or greater	GUI-based	Provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images.

Table 1–4 x86: Memory Requirements for Display Options


x86: Memory	Type of Installation	Description
Starting with the Solaris 10 1/06 release: 256–511 MB For the Solaris 10 3/05 release: 128–383 MB	Text-based	Contains no graphics, but provides a window and the ability to open other windows. If you install by using the `text` boot option and the system has enough memory, you are installing in a windowing environment. If you are installing remotely through a `tip` line or using the `nowin` boot option, you are limited to the console-based installation.
Starting with the Solaris 10 1/06 release: 512 MB For the Solaris 10 3/05 release: 384 MB	GUI-based	Provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images.

You can also specify the installer you want to use during the installation by entering a selection or special command at a prompt. For instructions, see the procedures in Chapter 2, Installing With the Solaris Installation Program (Tasks).

Disk Space Recommendations for Software Groups

The Solaris software groups are collections of Solaris packages. Each software group includes support for different functions and hardware drivers.

For an initial installation, you select the software group to install, based on the functions that you want to perform on the system.
For an upgrade, you must upgrade to a software group that is installed on the system. For example, if you previously installed the End User Solaris Software Group on your system, you cannot use the upgrade option to upgrade to the Developer Solaris Software Group. However, during the upgrade you can add software to the system that is not part of the currently installed software group.

When you are installing the Solaris software, you can choose to add or remove packages from the Solaris software group that you selected. When you are selecting which packages to add or remove, you need to know about software dependencies and how the Solaris software is packaged.

The following figure shows the grouping of software packages. Reduced Network Support contains the minimal number of packages and Entire Solaris Software Group Plus OEM Support contains all the packages.

Figure 1–1 Solaris Software Groups

Table 1–5 lists the Solaris software groups and the recommended amount of disk space that you need to install each group.

Note –

The disk space recommendations in Table 1–5 include space for the following items.

Swap space
Patches
Additional software packages

You might find that the software groups require less disk space than the amount that is listed in this table.

For additional information about how to plan your disk space, see Allocating Disk and Swap Space in Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations.

Table 1–5 Disk Space Recommendations for Software Groups


Software Group	Description	Recommended Disk Space
Entire Solaris Software Group Plus OEM Support	Contains the packages for the Entire Solaris Software Group plus additional hardware drivers, including drivers for hardware that is not on the system at the time of installation.	6.8 Gbytes
Entire Solaris Software Group	Contains the packages for the Developer Solaris Software Group and additional software that is needed for servers.	6.7 Gbytes
Developer Solaris Software Group	Contains the packages for the End User Solaris Software Group plus additional support for software development. The additional software development support includes libraries, include files, man pages, and programming tools. Compilers are not included.	6.6 Gbytes
End User Solaris Software Group	Contains the packages that provide the minimum code that is required to boot and run a networked Solaris system and the Common Desktop Environment.	5.3 Gbytes
Core System Support Software Group	Contains the packages that provide the minimum code that is required to boot and run a networked Solaris system.	2.0 Gbytes
Reduced Network Support Software Group	Contains the packages that provide the minimum code that is required to boot and run a Solaris system with limited network service support. The Reduced Network Support Software Group provides a multiuser text-based console and system administration utilities. This software group also enables the system to recognize network interfaces, but does not activate network services.	2.0 Gbytes