Fedora 7 - USB Install method - Everything ISO.

[Naoki]

On Tue, 2007-01-16 at 22:59 -0700, Jerry Williams wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: fedora-devel-list-bounces at redhat.com [mailto:fedora-devel-list-
> > bounces at redhat.com] On Behalf Of Jesse Keating
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 9:54 PM
> > To: fedora-devel-list at redhat.com
> > Subject: Re: Fedora 7 - USB Install method - Everything ISO.
> > 
> > On Tuesday 16 January 2007 23:35, Naoki wrote:
> > > I'd suggest variable sized ISO chunks rather than CD specific, but I
> > > understand it's pretty much a work in progress.
> > 
> > Well, presumably one could make the "CD Size" configurable, so you could
> > ask
> > for 4gig size "CDs" or whatnot.  Right now I think it is hardcoded, but a
> > sensable patch to make it a semi-hidden option would be acceptable to me.
> > 
> > > In the interim though, see any merit in an everything ISO?  Or is that
> > > just too big for mirrors and networks to deal with?
> > 
> > Mostly too big for mirrors, for the little use it would be for.
> > 
> > --
> > Jesse Keating
> > Release Engineer: Fedora
> 
> I looked at putting Linux on a USB flash drive and from what I have read
> they don't always work.  And if you get larger than 1 Gig then you have
> problems or have to have multiple partitions.  Most things I have read want
> to use FAT16 for compatibility.  So great idea, just don't think the
> hardware is that stable/compatible.

I would somewhat disagree here, there is always the problem with older
BIOSes but since USB boot has been pretty standard for motherboard
manufacturers for a while now that would be a special case, not the
norm. I've been installing windows from USB for a while now so the
hardware is stable (IME). Size also shouldn't be an issue, if the BIOS
can handle 750GB HDDs it can handle 8-16GB on a flash disk.

And the FS is a matter of what the kernel supports.  The BIOS is only
interested in boot sectors, not what file system is there.


> Here is a Knoppix how to http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Bootable_USB_Key
> I would think this would fit better into the Fedora Live CD project.
> 
> The only other thought I have is maybe to get around the boot problem is to
> use the small boot cd and then do a hard drive install from the usb device.
> So you could install on old hardware that doesn't boot from usb and have the
> ability to change the content on the usb device.

The boot process is the same for anything, be it CD/DVD/HDD/Flash with
the only difference being at the hardware enumeration level. In theory
you can make any device act the same so a boot and install should be
easily possible from USB storage. 

We already know we can run an installation from USB, we know we can make
USB rescue disks.  But so far it seems there has been no interest in
installing from USB, which is a shame as it's easier and cheaper than
CD/DVD.

If so, I'd like to document and add to the supported list of install
methods.