Despite PCLOS having one of the better install routines, it unfortunately doesn't provide setting certain aspects you might want or expect at the Install or first boot stages. These aspects are the localisation - country, timezone and keyboard - and network name in particular.
The LiveCD does show an initial keyboard setup choice but even if you invoke ControlCentre (PCC) and System/Localization/Manage the settings don't stick for the install. When you first boot the newly installed PCLOS from the hard disk it comes up with USA settings. You have to dig into PCC and do other settings and reboot before you have correct Locale settings. It's best to have that from the outset.
Here's the method to get around this for non-USA users.
There is a file which governs providing the Locale dialog at first boot - finish-install.
The following assumes you have booted the LiveCD into the PCLOS desktop before starting the Install from there.
Open a Terminal window.
At the prompt $
type: su
enter password for root,
type: root
type: cd /etc/draklive-install.d/sysconfig
type: ls
one of the files shown should be 'finish-install'
you need to edit that file.
be cautious and copy it first,
type: cp finish-install finish-installold
type: nano finish-install
change these parts from 'no' to 'yes'
LANGUAGE, KEYBOARD, TIMEZONE, COUNTRY, NETWORK
This means that as the newly installed PCLOS is booting up for the first time, these parts will present a dialog to choose the correct setting. The 'NETWORK' item allows you to set, amongst others, your network or hostname which will also be what you see alongside your username at a command prompt - user@mypc$.
The nano editor, if you haven't used it before, shows key combos at the bottom. To save your changes use the 'write out' combo, Ctrl-O, meaning hold Ctrl key and hit letter 'O' key. It asks filename to save and shows the actual name 'finish-install', just hit 'Enter' key. Exit nano by combo Ctrl-X.
To check that this change will be carried out by the Install, go to the /changes directory and see if there is a sub-directory with the newly edited file.
type: cd /changes/etc/draklive-install.d/sysconfig
type: ls -l
it should show the edited 'finish-install' file with recent timestamp. You could double-check content,
type: cat finish-install
Go ahead with the Install from the desktop and when you reboot into the hard disk you get prompts to set up the correct country, timezone and keyboard before you set root and user info.
For those who might just use the 'Install PCLinuxOS' choice on the booted CD menu, ignoring Live desktop and going for straight install.
You need to access the freshly installed filesystem and edit the 'finish-install' file before you reboot into the hard disk for the first time. As well as the directory mentioned above, there is another copy in directory /etc/sysconfig/. Both need to be edited as shown above.
The simplest method is to finish the install BUT keep the PCLinuxOS CD in the drive and reboot onto it. Choose to run LiveCD. When it gets to the Desktop,
open a Terminal window.
type: su
type: root
now you have to mount the partition chosen for the Install, the root (/) partition if you set up several. If that was 'sda2' -
type: mount /dev/sda2 /media
if /media doesn't exist then first type: mkdir /media
advanced users who set up encryption of root (/) will know how to get to their partition.
type: cd /media/etc/draklive-install.d/sysconfig
edit the 'finish-install' file as above.
type: cd /media/etc/sysconfig
edit the 'finish-install' file as above
unmount the partition
type: cd /
type: umount /dev/sda2
reboot into hard disk and enjoy making correct Locale (and network) settings.
I will pre-empt those who might comment.
Possibly you could do the edit while in pure Install mode by switching to another console login. Do this just before the routine has finished and inviting you to reboot.
Hold keys Ctrl and Alt and hit a Function key, F2 or F3 or F4, which should bring you to a black screen with "localhost login:".
There, type: root
give password: root
you may find that the partition is already mounted,
type: mount
if mounted it may say "/dev/sda2 on /media/disk" or "/dev/sda2 on /mnt/install" or similar and if using encryption "/dev/mapper/xxxxx on /media/disk". the 'xxxxx' will vary depending on your setup.
otherwise the mounting can be done as before as can the file editing.
When done editing,
type: cd /
if you _had_ to mount the partition, unmount it. If you found it already mounted:
type: exit
type: Ctrl-Alt-F8
hold Ctrl and Alt and hit key F8, or whichever Function key brings you back to the Install finish dialog.
