LinuxQuestions.org - how do I install slackware without any boot media

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how do I install slackware without any boot media

ok I have the ISO copied to /ext
I have a 30gig partition with a fresh ext4 filesystem a 4gig swap space
and a running slackware64.13.37 install to install from

now where do I find the install scripts
how do I tell them where to put the install
or do I just install all the packages with installpkg or pkgtool
and edit the configuration files by hand

Hi Rob,

Maybe this thread will help: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...cd-dvd-918763/

Good signature BTW.

I just re-read that thread to refresh my own memory, and you will find the answer in this post:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ml#post4551020

I never did figure out why setup would not complete, but this was an easy work-around for it.

Another way is to boot kernel+initrd containing installer with LILO (or other bootloader you use) and show them iso content as source.

1) Copy /isolinux/initrd.img and /kernels/huge.s/bzImage to /boot.
You can copy them from iso or download from any mirror, for ex. for Slackware64-14.0:
http://slackware.osuosl.org/slackwar...nux/initrd.img
http://slackware.osuosl.org/slackwar...huge.s/bzImage

To copy from iso mount it as loop device first:
a) get root, b) make mount point (or use existind, for ex. /mnt/cdrom), c) mount, and d) copy

Code:

$ su -

Password:

# mkdir /mnt/iso

# mount -o loop /ext/slackware64-14.0-install-dvd.iso /mnt/iso

# cp /mnt/iso/isolinux/initrd.img /mnt/iso/kernels/huge.s/bzImage /boot/

2) Configure LILO to boot Slackware installer
First we look into /isolinux/isolinux.cfg for parameters normally passed to kernel by isolinux on install media
http://slackware.osuosl.org/slackwar...x/isolinux.cfg or
less /mnt/iso/isolinux/initrd.img

Code:

label huge.s

  kernel /kernels/huge.s/bzImage

  append initrd=initrd.img load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 rw printk.time=0 SLACK_KERNEL=huge.s

Now we instruct our LILO to boot installer as isolinux does. We add to /etc/lilo.conf something as

Code:

image = /boot/bzImage

  addappend = " load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 rw printk.time=0 SLACK_KERNEL=huge.s"

  initrd = /boot/initrd.img

  label = Setup

and run lilo as root

Code:

# lilo

...

Added Setup +

3) Reboot, select Setup at LILO screen to boot to Slackware installer.

4) Before running setup mount containing install iso partition and the iso itself (don't use /mnt or /var/log/mount as mountpoints!), for ex.

Code:

# mkdir /hd /iso

# mount /dev/sda2 /hd

# mount -o loop /hd/ext/slackware64-14.0-install-dvd.iso /iso

5) Start install as usual, on SOURCE MEDIA SELECTION step select Install from a premounted directory and type path to packages
/iso/slackware64

6) Continue as usual.

Good luck!

PS. If your iso image named as slackwar*-install-dvd.iso, you can
skip manual mounting step (4),
select Install from hard drive partition on step (5),
type partition with iso, for ex.
/dev/sda2
and type path to containing iso directory in next dialog, for ex.
/ext/
then agree with prompt to mount iso from that directory:

Code:

┌────────────────────────USE ISO IMAGE──────────────────────────┐

│                                                              │

│ An ISO image of Slackware's install DVD was found.            │

│ Do you want me to mount the ISO image and use this as the    │

│ package source?                                              │

│                                                              │

├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤

│                  < Yes >          < No  >                    │

└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

thanks
got it working I'm using slackware-14.00 right now
first I deleted kdei
mounted the partition then entered this command
installpkg -root /ext /ext2/slackware64/*/*.txz
then I edited /etc/fstab copied it to the new install
copyed the kernel from slack-14 to slack-13.37 edited /etc/lilo.conf ran lilo
rebooted
@bormant I did less work installing it than than you did replying to my question thanks anyway

And two words about

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob.rice (Post 4808728)

where do I find the install scripts

in installed system... Run

Code:

# pkgtool

select Setup, mark scripts (as I can see without instal-kernel, make-bootdisk, liloconfig) and finish installation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob.rice (Post 4808830)

installpkg -root /ext /ext2/slackware64/*/*.txz

Some critical packages still in .tgz and was skipped by *.txz mask. *.t?z was more suitable there.
installpkg -root /ext /ext2/slackware64/*/*.tgz
from 13.37 can help.

PS. Skipped packages are:
a/pkgtools-14.0-noarch-2.tgz
a/tar-1.26-x86_64-1.tgz
a/xz-5.0.4-x86_64-1.tgz
ap/slackpkg-2.82.0-noarch-8.tgz

I keep a local mirror of slackware (rsync) and use the following in my lilo.conf

Code:

image=/local/mirrors/slackware64-14.0/kernels/huge.s/bzImage

  initrd=/local/mirrors/slackware64-14.0/isolinux/initrd.img

  append="rw printk.time=0 SLACK_KERNEL=huge.s"

  label=Install-14.0

That'll get you booted into the install environment. Then you mount the filesystem containing your mirror and use the "Install from already mounted directory" option in setup.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bormant (Post 4808900)

well it looks like I'm gonna hav ta reboot 13.37 and redo
the commands to get those other packages

thanks

bormant:
I loved the recipe and posted an article here with those steps, and I cited my source.

I hope you don't mind.

what I was looking for when I started this thread was the scripts that are written
to the initrd image mainly setup and it's slave scripts
hoping they would be in the slackware64.14.00 tree or installed on the system some place

the post was helpful just too late I'm running slackware-14 right now

this isn't windows there is no magic registry or machine only readable files that linux depends on (except /etc/ld.so.cache BUT that gets rebuilt on each boot up)
so the installation is mainly a matter of getting the packages installed to the partition and lilo and /etc/fstab setup to boot it

Quote:

Originally Posted by bormant (Post 4808785)

Another way is to boot kernel+initrd containing installer with LILO (or other bootloader you use) and show them iso content as source.

Hey bormant, don't you agree that this would be a valuable addition to http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:start ? Would you care to add it?

Quote:

PS. If your iso image named as slackwar*-install-dvd.iso, you can
skip manual mounting step (4),
select Install from hard drive partition on step (5),
type partition with iso, for ex.
/dev/sda2
and type path to containing iso directory in next dialog, for ex.
/ext/
then agree with prompt to mount iso from that directory:

Code:

┌────────────────────────USE ISO IMAGE──────────────────────────┐

│                                                              │

│ An ISO image of Slackware's install DVD was found.            │

│ Do you want me to mount the ISO image and use this as the    │

│ package source?                                              │

│                                                              │

├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤

│                  < Yes >          < No  >                    │

└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

This too, is worth mentioning in a HOWTO. I added direct support for Slackware ISO images to the installer, a couple of Slackware releases back, but never added that feature to the official documentation.
Perhaps it is time to document this "easter egg" in our SlackDocs wiki.

Eric