install from usb key? (Slightly OT)

[Ryan Golhar]

I have a smaller version of this working now.  I have a 64 MB usb key
that contains a linux boot disk.  The kickstart configuration file on it
is set up to automatically begin an automated NFS installation.  I
suppose you can set it up to use different kickstart files to install
different images...Its all in the config file on the boot image.  Here's
the steps I used:

a.	Format the USB stick as one big FAT partition: "mkdosfs
/dev/sdb1"
b.	Copy everything from the CD's isolinux dir to the memory stick.
You can omit isolinux.bin, boot.cat, and TRANS.TBL
c.	Rename isolinux.cfg to syslinux.cfg
d.	Copy the initrd.img from /images/pxeboot to the memory stick.
(At present I believe the two initrd.img's are the same)
e.	Modify syslinux.cfg
f.	Make the memory stick bootable: "syslinux /dev/sdb1".  Remember
to unmount the memory stick prior to performing this.  
g.	Boot from stick

The syslinux.cfg file is what you want to take a look at.  Set up your
parameters for booting there and you should be all set.

-----Original Message-----
From: redhat-list-bounces at redhat.com
[mailto:redhat-list-bounces at redhat.com] On Behalf Of Furnish, Trever G
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 11:22 AM
To: redhat-list at redhat.com
Subject: install from usb key? (Slightly OT)


I have an 8GB usb key.  I'd like to be able to do an automated install
of RHEL4 from it.  But I'd also like to boot other ISOs from it as well.
Anyone have any ideas or pointers even for where to start looking for
info on doing that?
 
Note, I already know how to build a custom kickstart CD -- that's not
what I need help with.
 
I'm looking for a way to put multiple, completely unrelated ISO images
on a single USB key and then have a boot-loader that lets me choose
between them, then boot from them as though the CD was in the drive.
 
For example, here are possible ISO images and floppy disk images I would
like to store on the USB key and boot from:
 
- custom kickstart iso image to do an automated install of redhat
- per-server boot floppy image (as produced using mkbootdisk)
- SystemRescueCD iso image (http://www.sysresccd.org)
- msdos floppy disk image to boot memtestx86
- "Ultimate Bood CD for Windows" (http://www.ubcd4win.com)
 
So basicly I need some way to select from among multiple boot sectors
(grub would probably be fine) and some way to determine those boot
sectors (this is where i'm lost).
 
Any ideas?

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