I'm having problems installing CentOS via a USB drive.
First, I tried using Unetbootin, but with no avail. The 8MB netinstall doesn't work, and the big DVD image doesn't work either.
http://lubi.sourceforge.net/unetbootin.html
Then I tried this
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-centos-5-live-install-via-windows/
with a CentOS DVD file, and that did not work (just hangs). I tried to use the live cd, but then found out that I cannot install the OS with the live cd (like you can with Ubuntu).
I don't have easy access to Linux or spare computers, so I used my Windows laptop to dd to the USB.
********************************************** C:\installs\dd>dd if=c:\installs\CentOS-5.3-i386-bin-dvd.iso of=\.\Volume{5a5e4 fb1-b53a-11dd-b7f4-001492190322} --size --progress bs=1M rawwrite dd for windows version 0.5. Written by John Newbigin jn@it.swin.edu.au This program is covered by the GPL. See copying.txt for details 3,971,014,656 3787+1 records in 3787+1 records out **********************************************
Then I tried to install the bootsect.bin bit
********************************************** C:\installs\mkbt>mkbt -x d: bootsect.bin * Expert mode (-x) Size=0bytes OEM="" VolLabel="" FileSys="" **********************************************
I then booted to it, but it didn't work!
Any suggestions?
From: Rogelio scubacuda@gmail.com
I'm having problems installing CentOS via a USB drive.
Here's how I did my USB key (minus the kickstart part) but you need a linux (in a VM or from the live CD)... And you will have to change devices names!
1. Create a small VFAT partition, then a big linux one:
fdisk /dev/sdg
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sdg1 * 1 3 23126 6 FAT16 /dev/sdg2 4 1023 7873380 83 Linux
mkfs.vfat -n BOOT /dev/sdg1 mkfs.ext2 -m 0 -b 4096 -L DATA /dev/sdg2
Unplug/plug => /media/BOOT and /media/DATA
2. Install syslinux on the VFAT partition:
syslinux -s /dev/sdg1 cd /media/BOOT cp -rv /mnt/cdrom/isolinux syslinux mv syslinux/isolinux.cfg syslinux/syslinux.cfg rm -f syslinux/isolinux.bin vi syslinux/syslinux.cfg
append method=hd:sda2:/centos
3. Copy the CentOS ISOs to the linux partition (I had to use the CD ISOs because the DVD ones would get corrupt on my USB key for some reason):
mkdir /media/DATA/centos for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do cp -v CentOS-5.3-i386-bin-${i}of6.iso /media/DATA/centos/; sync; done for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do diff /IOL/CENTOS_repo/CentOS-5.3-i386-bin-${i}of6.iso /media/DATA/centos/CentOS-5.3-i386-bin-${i}of6.iso; done
4. Optionaly (?), to be sure that it boots:
dd if=/usr/share/syslinux/mbr.bin of=/dev/sdg
JD
John Doe wrote: ...
Here's how I did my USB key (minus the kickstart part) but you need a linux (in a VM or from the live CD)... And you will have to change devices names!
Cool! Any problems with the bug mentioned in the release notes about /boot being written to a USB key, or does that only happen with diskboot.img?
http://wiki.centos.org/Manuals/ReleaseNotes/CentOS5.3
"When using diskboot.img to install from a USB drive, anaconda tries to install GRUB on the USB drive rather than on the local HDD. Removing the USB drive after getting into the GUI (before the partitioning section) works around this problem."
Would you be interested in doing a Wiki article on this, or alternately, would you approve if I used your material for one?
I already took the liberty of posting the procedure as an answer to a related thread on the Forum, with credit of course:
http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&topic_id...
Thanks, Phil
From: Phil Schaffner Philip.R.Schaffner@NASA.gov
John Doe wrote: ...
Here's how I did my USB key (minus the kickstart part) but you need a linux
(in a VM or from the live CD)...
And you will have to change devices names!
Cool! Any problems with the bug mentioned in the release notes about /boot being written to a USB key, or does that only happen with diskboot.img?
http://wiki.centos.org/Manuals/ReleaseNotes/CentOS5.3
"When using diskboot.img to install from a USB drive, anaconda tries to install GRUB on the USB drive rather than on the local HDD. Removing the USB drive after getting into the GUI (before the partitioning section) works around this problem."
Would you be interested in doing a Wiki article on this, or alternately, would you approve if I used your material for one?
I already took the liberty of posting the procedure as an answer to a related thread on the Forum, with credit of course:
http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&topic_id...
Hum, my bad... I am myself using a kickstart file and I forgot I had to use the following line in it (and I use HP raid controlers):
bootloader --driveorder=cciss/c0d0,sda --location=mbr
For the kickstart, I use the following:
In syslinux/syslinux.cfg: append initrd=initrd.img ks=hd:sda2:/ks.cfg method=hd:sda2:/centos
In /media/DATA/ks.cfg (in their respective sections): harddrive --partition=sda2 --dir=/centos ignoredisk --drives=sda bootloader --driveorder=cciss/c0d0,sda --location=mbr
And, to be honest, I should not really get credit for this; I found most of the info on the web... ^_^
And I also reported earlier that: 1. My server HP does not seem to want to boot on a write protected USB key. 2. Anaconda tries to fetch the ks.cfg too early... If, once the detection is over (just 2-3 seconds later), I retry, it works. 3. There is an error message "cannot mount read/write, will mount read-only" (I like to write protect)
JD
John Doe wrote:
From: Phil Schaffner Philip.R.Schaffner@NASA.gov
...
Hum, my bad... I am myself using a kickstart file and I forgot I had to use the following line in it (and I use HP raid controlers):
...
And, to be honest, I should not really get credit for this; I found most of the info on the web... ^_^
You certainly get credit for pulling it together, but I'm taking this as implicit permission and have created a Wiki page. If you prefer, I'll omit mention of "John Doe" there, but then I'm even more undeserving of credit for just documenting it, so will leave in the attribution unless you object.
And I also reported earlier that:
...
OK will take all that into account.
Thanks, Phil
-
John Doe -
Phil Schaffner -
Rogelio