Any way to install new Fedora on second drive of a running system?

[Phil Meyer]

B Wooster wrote:
> I wonder if this can be done - I'm have a system that is running Fedora Core 7.
>
> I want to avoid shutting down and rebooting and spending the hours to
> install Fedora 10 on this.
>
> I do have a second drive in this system that is not being used.
>
> So, wondering if I could run some special install program, that
> formats, partitions the second drive, installs Fedora 10, allows me to
> select and update and install packages.
>
> Then after I'm done, I'll just boot using the second drive.
>
> Is this possible?
>
>   

If your system is capable of running a virtual machine, then yes.

I do this all the time as a matter of my work.

You will need the DVD image as an iso file.

Run the emulator pointing its cdrom to your iso, and pointing your 
second hard drive as iits primary.

And away you go!

here is an example:

$ sudo qemu-kvm -hda /dev/sdb -cdrom F10.iso  -boot d -net user -net nic 
-m 1024

If your system does not support kvm, then just use qemu.
The actual name of the .iso file will be different from my example, of 
course.
MAKE SURE /dev/sdb is the drive you want to wipe.

CAVEAT EMPTOR:

grub will be installed on the second drive.  You will need to add one by 
hand to the running system for it to show on the normal list -- or -- 
boot it from the BIOS boot menu.  This usually is by pressing F8 or F12 
or some other key during the BIOS processing to get a boot menu.

You may want to hit <ALT>F2 at the REBOOT prompt and clean out the 
/etc/udev/rules.d/*persistant* files before booting it up the first 
time.  For this reason, I always install in text mode.  Its a PITA to do 
a <CNTRL><ALT>F2!!!


Good Luck!

Good luck!