Install from iso on hard disk in a multi boot system without burning a DVD

JZL240I-U · 12-09-2009, 03:25 AM

I know, there are a lot of similarly called threads but I found none with the answer I need. Here goes:

I have a SuSE 11.0 / openSolaris / FreeBSD multi boot system and 80 GB free partition space. I have a SuSE 11.2 iso copied to the disk as well as a FreeBSD 8.0. Both exist as iso files in my home partition of SuSE 11.0.

Can I install these iso files in /home directly from the the running SuSE 11.0 system without burning a DVD and without destroying the existing system and if so how? As I understand it, that would mean changing kernels "on the fly", can that be done?

evo2 · 12-09-2009, 03:38 AM

I'm not sure what you are trying to do here. Are you saying that you want to boot off the SuSE 11.2 iso file, so that you can upgrade your SuSE 11.1 installation? Or perhaps you want to simply install SuSE 11.2 in the free 80 GB partition?

Can you clarify?

Cheers,

Evo2.

JZL240I-U · 12-09-2009, 03:41 AM

I want to keep all my systems and to additionally install SuSE 11.2 in the free partition. It's like using that iso file as DVD-substitute -- a hard disk is faster than a DVD after all.

evo2 · 12-09-2009, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JZL240I-U

I want to keep all my systems and to additionally install SuSE 11.2 in the free partition. It's like using that iso file as DVD-substitute -- a hard disk is faster than a DVD after all.

If you are using grub2, I think this can be done quite easily. Please see this page:

http://michael-prokop.at/blog/2009/0...iso-via-grub2/

Cheers,

Evo2.

JZL240I-U · 12-09-2009, 03:47 AM

No, it is the old GRUB (0.98?)

. But thanks for the link.

evo2 · 12-09-2009, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JZL240I-U

No, it is the old GRUB (0.98?)

. But thanks for the link.

No probs. Actually, I did a bit more reading and it seems it's not really all that easy to get it to work: depends heavily on the iso itself.

Evo2.

JZL240I-U · 12-09-2009, 03:57 AM

Just to make it clear: I don't want to run a live CD from hard disk, I want to install from hard disk iso (image) to hard disk normal installation.

evo2 · 12-09-2009, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JZL240I-U

Just to make it clear: I don't want to run a live CD from hard disk, I want to install from hard disk iso (image) to hard disk normal installation.

Actually, I think it makes no difference. The main thing is being able to boot directly from the iso stored on the hard disk. What you do once you have booted into the image shouldn't matter.

Evo2.

JZL240I-U · 12-09-2009, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evo2

...boot directly from the iso stored on the hard disk. What you do once you have booted into the image shouldn't matter.

Evo2.

Right. But to my understanding that means the current kernel has to "quit gracefully", ceding control in a stable hand over to the new one. Can this be done?

evo2 · 12-09-2009, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JZL240I-U

Right. But to my understanding that means the current kernel has to "quit gracefully", ceding control in a stable hand over to the new one. Can this be done?

Ohh I see what you meen. I was thinking that you would first extract the linux and initrd files from the iso (mounted loopback), and use them along with the iso file as the boot media.

Evo2.