not only ubuntu. all linux iso supports booting like that. only thing
is that we need to know how to be done.
On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 10:06:03 +0530, Vijairaj R
<vijairaj_sr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Ramanraj K wrote:
I would like to try FreeBSD and Ubuntu without burning the iso images
into cds.
Ubuntu has an option to boot from the iso images without a cd.
Its explained in the installation notes.
You had to copy /intall/vmlinux & /install/initrd.gz to a root
of some partition (different from your install location) along
with the the iso.
eg: (hd0,0)
install/vmlinux
install/initrd.gz
warty.iso
change the grub option to boot from this kernel.
root (hd0,0)
kernel /install/vmlinux ramdisk_size=16000 \
root=/dev/ram devfs=mount, dall
initrd /install/initrd.gz
This should do the detection and boot from warty.iso. but didn't
happen for me... Following was the hack to make it work for me,
this way, i think, should work for all the iso images.
* loop mount the iso image from a running linux and extract
loop.ko from some kernel*.deb (forgot the exact path/name) and
copy it to a fat partition.
once the kernel boots up and executes the initrd image and after
the hardware detection is over,
* press alt-f2 to get a new shell.
* modprobe vfat.
* cd to the path where loop.ko was copied and insmod loop.ko.
* now loop mount the cd to a folder.
* now link /dev/loops/0 to /dev/cdrom
Now, the installation should go fine, actually, mounting is not
needed if you have losetup in the initrd image.
There are other ways of doing this. initrd is your friend.
ubuntu has a cramfs initrd and fedora has a cpio image(much
better). get the necessary stuff, you would need, into the
initrd image and you can really do wonders.
The steps above are for ubuntu. The paths are for devfs. If you
are trying some other distro with static dev, it may be
necessary to create the devnodes in the initrd image.
For FreeBSD, please see my experience in the wiki
(http://www.chennailug.org/wiki/Articles/reviews/FreeBSD-5.2.1)
DISCLAIMER: I you are getting ready to follow the above
procedure, Please note that you are doing so at your own risk.
As always, please backup and read the installation notes before
its too late.
--
Regards,
R. Vijairaj
Jai Jawan! Jai Kissan! Jai FSFn!
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