Installing (or upgrading) fedora without a CDROM

Here is a convenient way to install fedora without a cdrom. In my case I have a defective cdrom so I have been required to do this procedure a couple of times because I consider a network install a bit of a hassle (fussing with network drivers, etc). It might also be of interest to those who cannot boot from their cdroms. It also saves on having to burn CDs.

This procedure assumes you have some OS installed with a linux readable partition you can download the iso files to. For example, you currently have fedora2 installed and you want to upgrade to fedora3 and you have a partition available (in my case /dev/hda6).

<Note>
This partition will not be included in fstab after the installation (or upgrade) is complete. You must add it later. When the new system is installed add a line to fstab.

/dev/hda6 /storage ext3 defaults 1 2

(You would replace /dev/hda6 with whatever your partition is and /storage with whatever you want to call it in your file system.)

</Note>

After downloading the disk images (iso files) mount the first disk image

mount -r -o loop -t iso9660 /storage/FC3-i386-disc1.iso /mnt/iso
(if you do not have /mnt/iso you can mkdir iso or use /mnt/cdrom)

cd /mnt/iso
cd isolinux

cp initrd.img /boot/initrd.fedora-install.img
cp vmlinuz /boot/vmlinuz-fedora-install

Now you must edit grub.conf. The best way to proceed and not make any mistakes is to copy/paste the grub entry for the default kernel and change the initrd entry to initrd.fedora-install.img and do the same with vmlinuz (change to vmlinuz-fedora-install). Then change the title for the new entry to something like fedora-install. When you reboot you should select that entry as your boot option.

You new grub entry would be something like:

title fedora-install
root (hda,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-fedora-install root=LABEL=/ <more stuff>
initrd /boot/initrd.fedora-install.img

<Note>
Make a boot disk in case something goes wrong!!! You at least want to be able to reboot your system in case you make a mistake editing grub.conf !!!!! And do not include the exact string "<more stuff>" in your grub.conf script. That represents additional stuff particular to your system. If you copy/paste one of the other entries, namely the default, and simply make the changes mentioned above you should be OK.

The above procedure should also work with lilo (though I have not tried it).
Your lilo.conf entry would be something like:

image=/boot/vmlinuz-fedora-install
label="fedora-install"
root=/dev/hda2
initrd=/boot/initrd.fedora-install.img
append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/hda2 splash=silent"
read-only

If you copy/paste one of the other entries, namely the default, and simply make the changes mentioned above you should be OK.

If you use lilo do not forget to run '/sbin/lilo -v' after editing lilo.conf.
</Note>

Make note of the location you have stored the disk images.

Now reboot.

Select fedora-install as the boot option. Select Hard Drive as the installtion source. Now select the partition. In my case that is /dev/hda6. If you have stored them in a sub-directory, you will have to name that directory. For example, if they are stored in FC3-disks in partition /dev/hda6 you would select /dev/hda6 and then specify FC3-disks as the directory (not /dev/hda6/FC3-disks).

The rest of the installation should proceed as normal. Enjoy! Buy yourself a beer with the money you have saved not having to burn CDs.

Excellent stuff. Have you thought about submitting it to the Linux Tutorial section?