[CentOS] Install CentOS directly from usb drive?

Fri Apr 3 15:10:27 UTC 2009
Tosh <toshlinux at gmail.com>

Neil Aggarwal wrote:
> Hello:
>
> I followed the instructions here:
> http://www.centos.org/docs/5/html/5.2/Installation_Guide/ch02s04s01.html
> to put isolinux on a usb drive.  When I boot from the usb drive,
> the installer comes up and I can do a network install.  I have
> to say that is very impressive!
>
> But, since I have a 4GB usb drive, I am thinking I can
> load the rest of the installation onto the usb drive
> so I do not have to use a network install.
>
> I searched the Internet but could not find any instructions
> on doing that.
>
> Can someone point me in the right direction?
>
> Thanks,	
> 	Neil
>
> --
> Neil Aggarwal, (832)245-7314, www.JAMMConsulting.com
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I currently use a different method.

1) make the first partition active
	fdisk /dev/sd[c]1 then a, 1 and w to write and quit
2) format the usb stick with fat or ext3
3) if you chose
	(a) fat : you will need to make syslinux work on the stick
		syslinux /dev/sd[c]1
	(b) ext3 : you will need to use extlinux work on the stick
		extlinux /dev/sd[c]1
4) I extract the isolinux folder from the dvd iso
5) rename all isolinux to (a) syslinux - (b) extlinux
6) copy the dvd/cd iso(s) to your stick
7) normally you should get the same boot loader as when you would pop in 
the cd/dvd, centos install will start loading necessary drivers and then 
you will have to chose hard disk install and point to the drive where 
your dvd/cd iso(s) are
8) anaconda will start and well the rest you know

I have a 16gb stick with CentOS 4 32bit & 64bit and CentOS 5 32bit & 
64bit to install my systems
There is one problem, if you want to use kickstart, it will want the 
mounted iso files, have not yet figured a way to get around this or to 
get some command to mount the images somewhere

Regards,
Tosh.

-- 
Toshaan <toshlinux at gmail.com> - http://www.toshaan.be