Install Fedora 8 from USB stick.

Poopzilla · 04-21-2009, 08:12 AM

I'm installing Fedora 8 on a bunch of Dell servers (no CD/DVD). For this i would like to set up a USB stick with a Kickstart file.

The stick boots up, starts the install process and reads the KS file. The problem is that the OS gets installed on the USB stick and not on the HD.

The relevant part (i think) in ks.cfg looks like this:

Code:

clearpart --all --initlabel
zerombr yes
bootloader --location=mbr
part /boot --size 75 --fstype ext2
part / --size 500 --grow --fstype ext3
part swap --size 512 --fstype swap

I guess the problem has to do with the MBR and the boot loader. How can I force the install onto the HD?

Best regards
Thomas

linus72 · 04-21-2009, 08:40 AM

You could try it without the kickstart file too...

Extract and /or copy the contents of the Fedora 8 iso image to a folder(we'll call it fedora8 folder).

Gointo the isolinux folder and move all those files out of the isolinux folder, into the root(top) directory of the fedora8 folder.

Rename the isolinux.cfg to syslinux.cfg

Open the new syslinux.cfg and edit it so that there is a forward-slash (/) in front the kernel/initrd, and f1, etc txt

"kernel vmlinux" should be "kernel /vmlinux"
"initrd=initrd.img" equals "initrd=/initrd.img"
"display boot.msg" equals "display /boot.msg"
"F1 boot.msg" = "F1 /boot.msg"
"menu background splash.jpg" = "menu background /splash.jpg"

Now copy all files to USB, install syslinux to mbr and reboot.
It should install...

You can also try "netbootcd", although it will install via net.

linus72 · 04-21-2009, 08:44 AM

APPEND-you can put netbootcd on USB too-same way.