how to install linux from hard disk?

mukeshj · 07-09-2005, 01:59 AM

i have fc3 installed on my laptop.
i also ave all fc4 iso images in separate ext2fs partition (other than root).

is there any way of installing linux from these iso images without burning them on cds?

if yes, i want detailed step by step procedure, how to do it?

if we dont have cds then how system will boot for installation? (this question is ticking me.)

please help.

Kernel 2.6.5 · 07-09-2005, 02:45 AM

yes you can do this, but i am not sure 100% how.

if anyone could point me the right way also that would be great. i want to do this with minislack on my laptop vary soon (i dont have the optional cd-rom drive).

enemorales · 07-09-2005, 03:20 AM

I remember doing something like that, maybe with Slackware. I burned only the first CD and the setup program allowed me to use the ISOs of the rest of the CDs. I don't know if FC4 will allow you something similar. About CD-less installations in general, you can also install Linux thru the network or using diskettes.

mukeshj · 07-10-2005, 01:29 PM

hi to all,

here is the way i went -

i had fc3 running on my system.
i had all iso images in some directory in a partition which is not going to be formatted in installation process.
(in my case partition was /dev/hda8 and directory was fc4. and /dev/hda8 was mounted at /data)
note down the number of partition which contains iso images.

then issue following commands-

$ mkdir /mnt/tmp
$ mount -o loop /data/fc4/FC4-i386-disc1.iso /mnt/tmp
$ cp /mnt/tmp/isolinux/vmlinuz /boot/vmlinuzMy
$ cp /mnt/tmp/isolinux/initrd-XXX.img /boot/initrdMy.img

then add following lines to /etc/grub.conf

title Fedora Core 4 Installer
root (hd0,6) <<------------ this must be your boot partition
kernel /vmlinuzMy
initrd /initrdMy.img

then issue
$ /sbin/grub-install /dev/hda

then reboot.

select the newly added option
and it will ask you options like language, keyboard, type of install
here select hard disk and specify the directory containing iso images.
( in my case - it was /dev/hda8 and fc4)

press enter and you are done.

normal installation will continue afterwards.

cheers!!!.

enemorales · 07-11-2005, 11:43 AM

Nice! So Fedora actually supported to be installed from ISOs in harddisk... Good to know