CentOS Stream Installation and Configuration Guide: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Introduction

CentOS Stream is a rolling-release Linux distribution positioned between Fedora and RHEL, offering a stabilized preview of future RHEL updates. Ideal for developers and sysadmins who need RHEL compatibility with newer packages, this guide covers installation and essential configuration.

Prerequisites

1. Hardware:
   • 2+ GHz CPU, 4+ GB RAM, 20+ GB disk space
   • Physical/Virtual machine (VMware, VirtualBox, KVM supported)
2. Download CentOS Stream ISO:
   Visit CentOS Stream Download Page, select ISO under “CentOS Stream 9” (or latest version).
3. Bootable USB:
   • Use balenaEtcher (Windows/macOS/Linux) or dd (Linux):

     sudo dd if=/path/to/centos-stream.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress

   • Replace /dev/sdX with your USB device (e.g., /dev/sdb).

Installation Steps

1. Boot the Installer:

   • Insert USB, reboot, and select boot device (UEFI/BIOS).
   • Choose Install CentOS Stream 9.

2. Language & Keyboard:

   • Select language (e.g., English) and keyboard layout (e.g., US).

3. Installation Destination:

   • Select disk (automatic partitioning recommended for beginners).
   • Advanced: Custom partitioning (e.g., / for root, swap, /home).
   • Confirm with Done.

4. Network & Hostname:

   • Enable Ethernet/WiFi, set hostname (e.g., centos-stream.local).

5. Software Selection:

   • Base Environment: Minimal Install (CLI-only) or “Server with GUI”.
   • Additional Software: Add development tools if needed.

6. Begin Installation:

   • Set root password and create a user account (enable admin privileges).
   • Wait ~10-20 minutes for completion.

Post-Installation Configuration

1. System Updates

sudo dnf update -y
sudo reboot

2. Network Setup (Static IP)

Edit connection (e.g., enp0s3):

sudo nmcli con mod "enp0s3" ipv4.addresses "192.168.1.100/24"
sudo nmcli con mod "enp0s3" ipv4.gateway "192.168.1.1"
sudo nmcli con mod "enp0s3" ipv4.dns "8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4"
sudo nmcli con mod "enp0s3" ipv4.method manual
sudo nmcli con up "enp0s3"

3. Firewall & SELinux

• Firewall (firewalld):

  sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http  # Allow HTTP
  sudo firewall-cmd --reload

• SELinux:
  • Check status: sestatus
  • Temporarily disable: sudo setenforce 0
  • Permanently set to permissive (edit /etc/selinux/config).

4. Essential Tools

sudo dnf install -y epel-release  # Extra packages
sudo dnf install -y vim git curl wget

5. User Management

• Add user to wheel group (admin access):

  sudo usermod -aG wheel your_username

Troubleshooting Tips

• Boot Failure: Check BIOS/UEFI settings (disable Secure Boot if needed).
• Network Issues: Verify NIC drivers with lspci | grep -i network.
• Package Errors: Clear DNF cache: sudo dnf clean all.

Conclusion

CentOS Stream delivers a cutting-edge RHEL-compatible environment perfect for development and testing. By following this guide, you’ve configured a stable foundation. Next steps:

• Explore CentOS Stream Documentation
• Join the community at CentOS Forums.

> Pro Tip: Use dnf history to track/rollback package changes!

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