CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

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torontob123
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CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

Post by torontob123 » 2010/08/01 18:51:29

Hi Guys,

1- If I have a motherboard that supports USB boot (a Supermicro one), how can I put the CentOS DVD .iso that I just downloaded onto the stick to have the computer boot from it?

2- Certain Supermicro boards support IPMI (Kvm over LAN) and Serial over LAN and most notably Virtual Media Over Lan. I am wondering if there would be any problem installing CentOS using the Virtual Media over Lan.


Any guides or pointers are highly appreciated.

Bruce

pschaff
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CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

Post by pschaff » 2010/08/02 00:44:05

Best I can suggest is the Wiki article [url=http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey]HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey[/url]. No experience with #2.

Zirion
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Re: CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

Post by Zirion » 2010/08/16 16:45:14

Did you have any success with getting your USB stick set up as a CentOS installer? I'm currently trying to do the same thing but without success.

I'd already found the webpage that Phil pointed out and was following those instructions to create my USB stick installer. When I booted the box I saw the following error message (after the SYSLINUX intro):

"Could not find kernel image: linux"

Googling on that error pointed me at this page
[url=http://www.pendrivelinux.com/error-could-not-find-kernel-image-linux/]this page on pendrivelinux.com[/url] but those suggestions didn't help - the file's there, has the correct name and the relative references are correct.

The biggest problem is that most hits I get when searching are about creating a LiveCD equivalent on a USB stick, rather than something I can actually use to install Linux on the host computer.

Any hints you've got, even if you've not successfully set it up would be appreciated.

Thanks

Ken

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Re: CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

Post by pschaff » 2010/08/16 16:59:40

Welcome to the CentOS fora. The following reading is recommended for new users:
[url=http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=14274&forum=47]Readme First[/url]
[url=http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=14408&forum=47]Installing Software[/url]
[url=http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=14273&forum=47]Where to Find Answers[/url]
[url=http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=25128&forum=47]How to provide information about your system[/url]

It would be best to start a new Topic rather than hijacking an existing one, as explained above.

I will try to find time to have another look at that procedure. Meanwhile, you may want to look at some of the links at the bottom of the page to CentOS Mailing List posts that describe procedures said to work.

lalamax3d
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Re: CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

Post by lalamax3d » 2010/08/17 03:20:40

my suggestions:
creating bootable USB: use unetbootin, give is Live ISO image, thats it.

quite interestingly, i was trying to setup centOS. for first time, from last two years, using ubuntu... quite happy with that.

yesterday i created a bootable USB, boot from it and it worked, cent os is running via Live USB.

questions: if any one can answer, i'll be greatful and thanks in advance

1- normally in ubuntu / fedora, when i boot / run from live USB, after computer logs in, i have option (desktop icon) to install it... but it didn't happen in centOS..?? is it normal..?

2- when booting / running from LIVE USB, HOW TO INSTALL FROM IT??

hope to hear soon,
regards, lala

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Re: CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

Post by scottro » 2010/08/17 10:14:33

As far as I know, the live CentOS CD doesn't support installation. (DISCLAIMER--this might have changed, but I don't use the live CD).

Unetbootin doesn't seem to work very well with RH based systems--if one puts the first ISO of the CD set on the stick, at some point, it dies, saying it can't find the image. They do seem to have a Fedora and CentOS option, but I think that downloads the whole thing from the web.

What I have been able to do is start the install, and then choose a network installation, either from NFS or using a website. (I've only done the latter with Fedora--with CentOS, I've always just put the ISO in an NFS share.

Zirion
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Re: CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

Post by Zirion » 2010/08/17 17:06:35

Apologies if I should have posted in another thread. I *had* read those documents, and having searched the forums I found that someone was asking the same question ("How do I install CentOS using a USB key") so rather than post a duplicate thread, I thought it best to post my experiences alongside the existing one and ask if anyone had other suggestions (or the original poster could mention whether it had worked for him). Anyway, enough excuses...

I managed to get past that final problem and now have a bootable USB stick that can be used to install Linux. So in answer to Bruce's original question:

- Follow the instructions on this page: [url=http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey]http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey[/url]
- If you see a problem "Could not find kernel image: linux" then try moving some of the files you've found from the syslinux directory to the parent directory: I moved syslinux.cfg, vmlinuz, initrd.img and the message files, but they may not all be necessary.

I've NOT added a kickstart file to this process, although in principle that should be simple enough and then it would pretty much be an unmanned installation.

Thanks

Ken

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Re: CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

Post by pschaff » 2010/08/18 01:01:07

Thanks for reporting your success, and the variations you had to use.

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Re: CentOS install using a USB key than Optical Media Drive

Post by pschaff » 2010/08/18 01:09:23

[quote]
scottro wrote:
As far as I know, the live CentOS CD doesn't support installation. (DISCLAIMER--this might have changed, but I don't use the live CD).
[/quote]
No change. Still only netinstall (recommended only for local repos or "perfect" internet connections) is available as a boot option.

[quote]
Unetbootin doesn't seem to work very well with RH based systems--if one puts the first ISO of the CD set on the stick, at some point, it dies, saying it can't find the image. They do seem to have a Fedora and CentOS option, but I think that downloads the whole thing from the web.
[/quote]
Have had mixed results with Unetbootin. It worked in the past, but last couple of tries have failed. Not quite sure what the differences may be.

[quote]
What I have been able to do is start the install, and then choose a network installation, either from NFS or using a website. (I've only done the latter with Fedora--with CentOS, I've always just put the ISO in an NFS share.[/quote]
Agree. Either the ISO image or an installation tree, also suitable for yum use as a local repo, should work for local netinstalls. I usually use NFS.

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