[CentOS] USB Stick Install

[James Pearson]

Bards1888 wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
>     I'm looking at setting up a sort of 'appliance' server and as such
> its really not going to have a lot packages etc. I thought of installing
> 4.2 on a 1gb USB stick, however, the stick is not even recongnized by
> anaconda. It did appear when I did 'modprobe usb-storage.ko' as /dev/sdc
> (i have already have 2 SATA disks which are sda, sdb). Then the disk
> partitioner does not allow me to install on the USB stick, its not even
> listed as an available drive. Does anyone have any redhat/centos
> experience with this ? I've successfully managed to get OpenBSD and
> Ubuntu to install and boot on exactly the same kit so there is nothing
> wrong hardware wise. I might try and disconnect the SATA drives before
> attempting the install to see if that make any difference.

RedHat don't support installs on removable drives - see:

https://www.redhat.com/archives/anaconda-devel-list/2005-July/msg00021.html

But, looking at the anaconda source - in partedUtils.py at around line 833:

             if isys.driveIsRemovable(drive) and not flags.expert:
                 DiskSet.skippedDisks.append(drive)
                 continue

So it looks like if you boot the installer with 'expert' on the command 
line it may work.

I've just tried this, I can get disk druid to see the USB drive - but I 
did have to 'go back' and re-try disk druid before it found the USB 
drive - I didn't get as far as installing (I don't have a 1GB USB 
stick), but it may work...

James Pearson