• Downloading MEPIS

Downloading MEPIS

A MEPIS CD image, called an ISO, is about 700MB. You need a broadband connection (DSL, cable modem, T1, etc) to download it. To get MEPIS CD ISOs, you can buy a download or subscription at http://store.mepis.com. If you have good high speed connection, and if the Internet is working well, a CD ISO should download in about a half hour.

Burning a MEPIS CD is a problem if you are running Windows XP. The downloaded ISO file is a literal “image” of the CD. The problem comes because the XP burning software strips out the boot code, which instructs the computer how to start up. If you drag and drop the file onto a CD, you get a real nice coaster, but it won't boot MEPIS.

If your computer or drive came with third party CD burning software—NOT Windows built in burning software--we recommend that you use that to burn your new MEPIS CD. Otherwise, you will need to download something which will burn ISO images. Windows won't.

In this example, we'll be downloading and using Cheetah CD Burner. To our knowledge the Cheetah CD Burner demo does not include spyware. This is no guarantee that Cheetah will not include spyware at a future time. When using Windows, make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software is updated before downloading anything from the Internet. This will not be a problem when you are using MEPIS. Go to http://www.download.com/Cheetah-CD-Burner/3000-2646_4-10357411.html (1) and click Download Now (2). A Save window will appear. Click OK (3)to save to disk.

Double click the setup.exe for Cheetah CD Burner. Click Next> at the first screen. Scroll down through the license (we DO suggest you actually read it) and click Yes to accept the terms. On the third screen accept the default destination (your Program Files folder) or browse to choose your own. Click Next>. Cheetah will begin installing. If it asks whether to overwrite a system file—which it will if your service packs are completely up to date—click No (1). When the installation finishes, click Finish. Your computer will restart.

Your download of Cheetah CD Burner's demo will expire in 15 days. If you plan to continue using Windows, you may register it for $15 or get a registration code for free by linking to Cheetah's web site from your web site.

Put a blank 700MB CD in your drive. Start Cheetah CD Burner (either from the desktop shortcut or from the start menu). In Cheetah CD Burner click Start (1) and choose Burn ISO File (2). Cheetah CD Burner will auto-detect your CD burner and give you a chance to choose another if you have more than one and ask you to browse for the ISO file you want to burn. Click on browse. Click on SimplyMEPIS-current.iso when you find it. Click Open. The in the main Cheetah CD Burner window, click Write. Cheetah CD Burner will throw up a progress window while it's writing the CD and then disappear when it's done.

If you have different CD burning software, the process should be similar. It's always important that you tell the software you are burning an ISO file.

After burning the CD, boot from it and follow the instructions to install MEPIS. Make sure to back up your data!