Linux: Alternate Installation Methods

UNetbootin allows for the installation of Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva, OpenSuse, Arch Linux, or Debian to a real partition, so it's no different from a standard install, only it has the advantage that it needs no CD. This is meant for people who want to install Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva, OpenSuse, Arch Linux, or Debian but don't have a CD-R to burn, lack a CD writer, or they want to install on a computer that doesn't have a CD-ROM drive, like an ultra-portable laptop.

UNetbootin uses a Windows or Linux-based installer to install a small modification to the bootloader (grldr and boot.ini for NT-based systems, grub.exe and config.sys for Win9x, or grub on Linux), uses the bootloader to boot the netboot initrd and kernel, then uses that to download and install Ubuntu directly from the internet, no CD required. After Linux is installed, the modification to the bootloader is then undone.

Requirements

• Linux, or Microsoft Windows 95-XP (Vista support is in the works, though a temporary workaround can be found in the "Known Issues" section at the bottom of this page)
• A broadband internet connection (dial-up will take way too long to download)
• 3GB or more of spare hard drive space to install Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva, OpenSuse, Arch Linux, or Debian in

Installation Instructions

HowtoForge has a guide for installing Ubuntu or Fedora using UNetbootin.

Before installing, remember to back up all your data, in case you do something wrong in the partitioning stage of the installer.

1. Download the appropriate file for the distro and version you want to install; if using Windows, use the exe files, if using Ubuntu, Debian, or a deb-based distro, use the deb files, if using Fedora, Suse, or an rpm-based distro, use the rpm file, if using another Linux distribution, use the sh (self extracting) files: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=198821
2. If using Windows, run the file, and click "OK" to reboot.

Installing Multiple OS's Without A Floppy/CD/DVD/Etc. 

This article explains how I managed to install over 50 various operating systems on my computer (1 hard drive) without having to burn the distro ISO to disk to boot from. (No floppy, usb, cd, dvd, etc. needed!)

NOTE: There is a full-length version of this article.

Pendrivelinux 2008 is a remaster created from MCNLive and based purely on Mandriva Linux. Like Mandriva Flash and MCNLive, Pendrivelinux 2008 allows the user to save "ALL" installed software, changes, bookmarks, email, contacts and more by utilizing a persistent loop image. This means that you no longer needs to create a partition on the USB device for saving changes. Changes are saved and restored via a loop file that resides on the USB device by booting "Boot with Persistent changes" boot option.

Note: This tutorial is for users looking to install Pendrivelinux 2008 to a USB flash pendrive from within Windows

Pendrivelinux 2008 Screenshot:

Prerequisites:

• 1GB or larger USB flash drive
• PC must be able to boot from USB

Installing Pendrivelinux 2008 from Windows:

1. Ensure your USB flash drive is formatted as Fat16 or Fat32
2. Download Pendrivelinux08.zip
3. Extract the contents from Pendrivelinux08.zip to your USB device
4. From your USB device, click makeboot.bat to make the drive bootable
5. Reboot your computer, set your boot menu or BIOS to boot from the USB device

Login and passwords:

User: root password: root

User: guest password: guest

Additional notes: A loopfile with a capacity of 256MB has already been created on the USB flash device. If you would like to use a larger loopfile for saving changes, boot using the Boot Live (non persistent) option. Then delete the mcnlive.loop file on your flash drive and create a new VFAT loopfile by clicking the Penguin in the Taskbar and navigating to Pendrivelinux-> Create persistent loop and following the onscreen instructions.

The remaster Live script used to create Pendrivelinux is included in the download.
This remaster was made from MCNLive and is based on the free Mandriva Linux distribution "without changing the source". Sources are available from ftp.nluug.nl and distrib-coffee or from one of the mirrors.

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USB Linux Help Sections

QEMU is an emulator for various CPUs. It works on Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and Mac OS X (not complete). This guide covers installation of QEMU on a Windows host. To emulate a guest x86 machine on a host x86 architecture we use QEMU's Full System Emulation mode.

I decided that I wanted to have my Live PCLOS on a USB stick, but I wanted it to be easy for me to change from PCLOS KDE to PCLOS Gnome to BEL Server to Tiny to Flux etc, etc, as the mood and requirements dictated. This is what I have done. It works for me. No guarantees for anyone else.

I see lots of stuff written about putting PCLOS onto a pen drive/ USB stick/flash drive or whatever. Lots of people seem to have difficulty with this, or maybe it is the concept that escapes them. I don't know what it is, but what follows is a very useful way to have a USB drive set up for your favourite PCLOS distro or derivative. I use Grub as the bootloader.

What is required is a 1 GB USB drive. Smaller is manageable but does limit the distros that will fit on it. With a 1 GB drive anything that fits on a CD will fit on it. You can use a larger drive if you wish of course. To do so would make it possible to put your own remaster on the stick.

The Concept:

Create partitions on the drive to hold the OS files and also the boot files. For the sake of security we will keep the OS files separate from the boot files. There is no attempt in this document to extend the capabilities over those of the liveCD. In other words if you want to save changes or have persistence then you will have a little more work to do.

This guide is based largely on the following sources.  It could be useful to check them if something here doesn’t work:

• Ubuntu Mobile on GDM
• Free Like GNU: Ubuntu on OLPC XO

Requirements:

• OLPC XO
• 1+GB (2 GB or more is much better) SD card or USB thumbdrive
• SD card reader if you’re using an SD, which this guide assumes
• A linux box (besides the XO).  This guide assumes Ubuntu 8.04

First, download and install what you need to install Ubuntu on an SD.  We’ll be using Qemu and a Hardy Heron netboot image.

sudo apt-get install qemu qemu-launcher qemuctl
wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/hardy/main/installer-i386/current/images/netboot/mini.iso

Run qemu-launcher.  Check “Use CD-ROM,” set Boot Disk to CD-ROM, and in the CD-ROM field open the path to the mini.iso you downloaded earlier.  Set Hard disk 0 to the location of your SD card or thumbdrive, which will be something like /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc.  If you aren’t sure, after inserting the card or drive, open a terminal and run dmesg.  The last few lines will mention some sd* and that’s what you want to use.  If it automounted, unmount it before going on.  The last thing on this tab of qemu-launcher is to set RAM to 256mb.