When installing a Linux system, selecting the appropriate ISO image is crucial, as it directly affects the user experience and performance after installation. Today, we will take CentOS 7 as an example to explore the characteristics and suitable scenarios of different types of ISO images such as Minimal, DVD, KDE, LiveCD, GnomeLive, Everything, and NetInstall, while also supplementing with other image types to help everyone make the best choice during installation.
Minimal Image
The Minimal image, as its name suggests, is the minimal installation version of CentOS 7. It only contains the core components and basic tools necessary for the system to run, occupying very little storage space, generally around a few hundred MB. This makes the installation process quick and straightforward, while the system resource consumption is also very low. However, due to its streamlined nature, the Minimal image does not come with a pre-installed desktop environment or a large number of applications after installation. If you want to use a graphical interface or specific software, you need to manually install them via the command line. This image is suitable for users with some Linux experience who have high customization requirements for the system and primarily use the system in a server environment or need to run specific services.
DVD Image
The DVD image, also known as the standard installation version, is one of the more commonly used image types in CentOS 7. This image contains a rich set of software packages, including not only the core components of the system but also a large number of commonly used software and tools covering various fields such as development, office, and multimedia. Compared to the Minimal image, the DVD image does not require manual installation of a large number of basic software after installation, allowing users to start working with the system immediately. Additionally, the DVD image provides a relatively complete graphical interface environment, making it easier for users to perform visual operations and lowering the usage threshold. However, due to the large amount of content included, the image file size is larger, the installation process is relatively time-consuming, and it occupies more disk space after installation.
KDE Image
The KDE image is specifically designed for users who prefer the KDE desktop environment. KDE is a powerful and highly customizable desktop environment that offers an attractive, intuitive user interface, along with a rich set of desktop applications and tools. By installing CentOS 7 using the KDE image, users can directly experience the unique features of the KDE desktop environment, such as beautiful window effects, convenient multitasking management, and a wealth of personalization options. This image is suitable for users who have high aesthetic and functional requirements for the desktop environment and wish to achieve a rich desktop experience similar to Windows or Mac OS on a Linux system. The system installed with the KDE image has relatively high hardware resource requirements and may not run smoothly on lower-spec machines.
LiveCD Image
The LiveCD image is a very convenient type of image that allows users to boot and run the CentOS 7 system directly from a CD or USB drive without installing the system on the hard drive. This image includes a complete runnable system environment, including a graphical interface and commonly used software. Users can use the LiveCD image to experience the features of the CentOS 7 system, check if the system meets their needs, or perform data recovery and troubleshooting operations when the system encounters issues. For example, when your CentOS 7 system fails to boot normally, using the LiveCD image allows you to access files on the system and attempt to repair damaged system files.
GnomeLive Image
The GnomeLive image is based on the GNOME desktop environment, which is another popular desktop environment in Linux systems, known for its simplicity and ease of use. By using the GnomeLive image, users can directly experience the operating interface and features of CentOS 7 under the GNOME desktop environment without installation. It is suitable for those who prefer the clean style of GNOME and want to quickly experience a GNOME-based CentOS 7 system, or for users who need to temporarily use the CentOS 7 system on different machines and like the GNOME desktop. Similar to the LiveCD, the GnomeLive image can be used for system testing, data recovery, and other scenarios, and due to the relatively lightweight nature of the GNOME desktop environment, it can perform well on some mid-to-low configuration machines.
Everything Image
The Everything image contains all available software packages for CentOS 7, making it a “big collection” of CentOS 7 software packages. Its image file size is enormous, and compared to the DVD image, it includes more niche and specific-purpose software packages. By installing the system using the Everything image, users can obtain an extremely complete CentOS 7 environment, almost without needing to download additional software packages to meet various needs. The download time for the Everything image is long, the installation process is very time-consuming, and it occupies a large amount of disk space. It is suitable for users who have very high requirements for software completeness in the system, such as those who need to try various types of software on one system, conduct large-scale software testing, or those who do not want to frequently install software packages manually afterward, seeking a “one-stop” installation experience.
NetInstall Image
The NetInstall image is very small, containing only the most basic boot files and network installation tools for installing the CentOS 7 system. When using the NetInstall image to install the system, the computer needs to be connected to the internet, and during the installation process, the system will download the required software packages and components from the network server. The advantage of this image is its flexibility in installation; users can choose the software packages and services to install according to their needs during the installation process, and it ensures that the latest versions of software packages are installed. The NetInstall image is suitable for users in a good network environment who want to customize the installation content on demand or wish to install the latest software versions. However, if the network is unstable, the installation process may experience interruptions or slow downloads, affecting installation efficiency.
Conclusion
CentOS-7.0-x86_64-DVD-1503-01.iso Standard installation version, generally downloading this is sufficient (recommended)CentOS-7.0-x86_64-NetInstall-1503-01.iso Network installation image (for network installation or rescue system)CentOS-7.0-x86_64-Everything-1503-01.iso Complements the software of the full installation disk, integrating all software. (Includes a complete set of software packages for centos7, can be used to install the system or fill the local image)CentOS-7.0-x86_64-GnomeLive-1503-01.iso GNOME desktop versionCentOS-7.0-x86_64-KdeLive-1503-01.iso KDE desktop versionCentOS-7.0-x86_64-livecd-1503-01.iso System running on CD, similar to winpeCentOS-7.0-x86_64-minimal-1503-01.iso Minimal version, with the least software included