I created a boot disk using the boot.img from the red hat install CD. I managed to boot from startup but it cannot detect the CD although it is in there. What folder or file or image does the computer look for to start anaconda or the installation process?

Can your pc boot from cd? That would be an easier way of booting/installing. I believe that cd drives are normally on hdc.

How did you create the install cd? It may be that there is a problem with the disk itself.

XavierP,

if you refer to General>bootable CD I had some weird problem with my CD. That's why, I have been trying to figure out what the problem is. However, this came to my mind. How does the computer know which file or image to use. It must start from somewhere, rite?

From what I think I know, the boot image is used to load the vmlinuz and initrd.img. Then,it needs to find a certain file in the CD to start the installation process. This is my guess. But which file is it looking for? And why it does not recognize the CD as Red Hat? Does this has anything to do with the naming of the CD label?

How did you create it? I created mine from an iso - the label was automatically created. The cd was set as bootable by the expanded iso.

I used rawrite from the Red Hat Install CD, to create a bootable floppy disk. The install CD I created using Nero - to create bootable data disc.
Can you tell me step by step if possible, how you create yours from the iso?

I use Easy CD Creator, but the steps are very similar under Nero

D/l the iso to my hard disk
put in a blank 700mb (or more) cd
Select File-->"Record cd from cd image"
Browse to the iso file and record

The RedHat installer is simple to hack.

The image boot.img is the compressed image of the files vmlinuz, initrd.img and more. Once initrd is loaded, from the floppy, the installer looks for stage2.img if it is the CD-ROM installation or hdstg.img if it is the Hard-Disk installation for continuing the setup.

Does this answer your question?

praveenk,
Your post answered my questions. That is EXACTLY what I am looking for. ThankS!
But how come the computer cannot verifiy the CD as the installation CD, although the stage2.img is in the CD. The img is in the /RedHat/base folder. PLease guide me.

Did you hacked stage2.img or boot.img? I mean did you changed something present in the boot.img for customizing the RedHat for your own distro? Normally, this problem occurs only when you change the loader.c in anaconda source. loader.c is the source code for the first stage loader, which loads the second stage stage2.img from /RedHat/base/stage2.img I suppose. If this path is modified by you in loader.c, then it fails to find the stage2.img file. Or else, if you don't have stage2.img in /RedHat/base/stage2.img, then the installation fails. For my customized ditro, I have /FunLin/base/stage2.img and I changed the loader.c apropriately.

Am I confusing you too much?

A quick note is that, as long as you are not changing the original directory structure or boot.img file, there will not be any problems in loading the second stage.

I have the same problem: I downloaded the three RedHat 9 isos and burned them with Nero. According to praveenk there shouldn't be a problem. But the CD boots, and after selecting keyboard, language and install source (=local CDROM) I am asked to insert the CD... (which is of course in the drive!).

So, editing the mentioned files is not the only way to cause this error...

Btw, what *should* the cds be labeled? I get "Red Hat Linux_i3", which might be accidently cut off...? On the other hand I cannot edit the label for the iso in Nero, can I...?!?

praveenk,

I did not change anything. What I did was using rawwrite to write the boot.img to a floopy disk. Then, I used the floppy disk to boot at startup. After selecting keyboard, language and install source, I was told that the media is not the installation CD-rom and asked to insert the CD-Rom. The stage2.img is in the /redHat/base folder. That's all. Funny it cannot work. I labeled the CD-rom as "RedHat_Disc1". Would this label cause any effect?

The label has no effect on it. I wonder what the problem could be. I will try once and get back to you. Sorry!