Very Computer

I'm trying to install this operating system (version 7.2).

I've the CD 1 and 2 but my old CDROM drive can't read these CDs very
well. The system boots from the CD1 and the installation requests a
lot of settings... until it starts copying or reading the packets from
the CD, then after a while it aborts scrolling the screen with
messages like 'undoing...' and 'unmounting...'. What's happening is
that some files are hard to read, and need many retries, and a lot of
patience.

Anyway I managed to copy the entire CD into a directory of my harddisk
(I had to copy some files using another PC), and would like to install
from there instead of the CD, but don't know how. There is a point
where the installation program wants to know where the source packets
are, if I tell the HardDisk option it'll come up with a screen
requesting where is the CD image is - don't know what to tell to it,
and am not familiarized with that "dev/hdda1" format to specify
directories. The partition where I have put the CD files is a FAT32
Windows partition.

Secondly someone told me I'll have to create an image of the CD, since
as I told the CD can't be read very well it'll be impossible to create
an image from the CD in that PC, unless the image can be done from the
files in the harddisk.

I've never worked in Linux before, so I've no idea

You tell it where the RedHat directory is located like this.

/path/to/RedHat

Quote:> Secondly someone told me I'll have to create an image of the CD, since
> as I told the CD can't be read very well it'll be impossible to create
> an image from the CD in that PC, unless the image can be done from the
> files in the harddisk.

> I've never worked in Linux before, so I've no idea

Copy the RedHat directory and all files and directories in the RedHat
directory on both of the CD's to your hard drive. Then as mentioned
above tell it the path to the RedHat directory.

--
   Confucius:  He who play in root, eventually kill tree.
Registered with the Linux Counter.  http://counter.li.org

Thanks, I see it's seeing the directories in the disk.

Quote:

> > Secondly someone told me I'll have to create an image of the CD, since
> > as I told the CD can't be read very well it'll be impossible to create
> > an image from the CD in that PC, unless the image can be done from the
> > files in the harddisk.

> > I've never worked in Linux before, so I've no idea

> Copy the RedHat directory and all files and directories in the RedHat
> directory on both of the CD's to your hard drive. Then as mentioned
> above tell it the path to the RedHat directory.

Well, first just copying the CD1 it won't want to install, just tells
that the CD image (ISO9660) is not there. I tried every directory with
the same result.
Unfortunately I can't fit the data of the two CDs, since there's not
enough room in the disk, even only copying the REDHAT directory.

What's exactly that CD image (ISO9660) that it speaks about? I was
told it has to be created with some tool like Nero, but since the CD
can't be read it'll be impossible.

I'm running out of alternatives... Seemingly the installation program
wants to see the CD to install (either physical or image), and having
the files of the CD won't help.

Thanks,
Jeroni Paul

The ISO9660 file is an image of all the files included in the
distribution that you burn to a CD. You have to burn it as an image.

--
   Confucius:  He who play in root, eventually kill tree.
Registered with the Linux Counter.  http://counter.li.org

Quote:

> > You tell it where the RedHat directory is located like this.

> > /path/to/RedHat

> Thanks, I see it's seeing the directories in the disk.

> > > Secondly someone told me I'll have to create an image of the CD, since
> > > as I told the CD can't be read very well it'll be impossible to create
> > > an image from the CD in that PC, unless the image can be done from the
> > > files in the harddisk.

> > > I've never worked in Linux before, so I've no idea

> > Copy the RedHat directory and all files and directories in the RedHat
> > directory on both of the CD's to your hard drive. Then as mentioned
> > above tell it the path to the RedHat directory.

> Well, first just copying the CD1 it won't want to install, just tells
> that the CD image (ISO9660) is not there. I tried every directory with
> the same result.
> Unfortunately I can't fit the data of the two CDs, since there's not
> enough room in the disk, even only copying the REDHAT directory.

> What's exactly that CD image (ISO9660) that it speaks about? I was
> told it has to be created with some tool like Nero, but since the CD
> can't be read it'll be impossible.

> I'm running out of alternatives... Seemingly the installation program
> wants to see the CD to install (either physical or image), and having
> the files of the CD won't help.

Exactly right.  You can get the image by:
- run the installer, let it get the the point where it needs some info from
you
- press Ctrl+Alt+F1 (or try with F2 or F3 etc) until you get to a bash
prompt (where you can type in stuff)
- mount your FAT32 parition if it isn't already mounted
    -> type 'mkdir /mnt/mywin' <enter>, then type 'mount /dev/hda1
/mnt/mywin'
    -> type 'ls /mnt/mywin' to see if it shows your FAT32 partition.  If
not, use 'umount /mnt/mywin' and try this step again using /dev/hda2
/dev/hda3 etc until you get it.
- copy the CD to an image file.
    -> type 'dd if=/dev/cdrom of=/mnt/mywin/redhat1.iso'
- go through the install and when it asks for the 2nd disk, put it in, and
go through the same process, but in the last step use
'of=/mnt/mywin/redhat2.iso'

Now, you will have the images that it's looking for.

If this sounds too hard, you may be able to find a program for windows (or
whatever you already have) that will make the isos from the cds.  You could
also download the isos from the net, but if you're going to download them,
you might as well just do a network install in the first place!

Natman

When you do a hard disk install, you use the ISO files, not copies of the
CD.  You then have to use the boot floppy to use the HD install.  You can
place the files on any partition that's readable by linux, includinf fat32.

In linux, all IDE drives are listed under /dev, in the form /dev/hda for the
1st drive, /dev/hdb for the second etc.  Then attach the partition number.  
For example the 2nd partition on /dev/hda, would be /dev/hda2 etc.

You can use the linux fdisk to display the various partitions.  You have to
specify which drive to want to look at.  i.e fdisk /dev/hda

--

Fundamentalism is fundamentally wrong.

james.knott.

NO!!!!!

You do *NOT* copy the CD contents, when performing the HD install.  You use
the ISO files.

--

Fundamentalism is fundamentally wrong.

james.knott.

Here's the hard drive install info.

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.3-Manual/install-guide...

--

Fundamentalism is fundamentally wrong.

james.knott.

Thank you,

With either Ctrl+Alt+F3 or Ctrl+Alt+F4 brings me to a text screen
where I can type, but nothing I type seems to be interpreted. Pressing
Ctrl+Alt+F1 will bring back to the installation program.

Quote:> - mount your FAT32 parition if it isn't already mounted
>     -> type 'mkdir /mnt/mywin' <enter>, then type 'mount /dev/hda1
> /mnt/mywin'
>     -> type 'ls /mnt/mywin' to see if it shows your FAT32 partition.  If
> not, use 'umount /mnt/mywin' and try this step again using /dev/hda2
> /dev/hda3 etc until you get it.
> - copy the CD to an image file.
>     -> type 'dd if=/dev/cdrom of=/mnt/mywin/redhat1.iso'
> - go through the install and when it asks for the 2nd disk, put it in, and
> go through the same process, but in the last step use
> 'of=/mnt/mywin/redhat2.iso'

> Now, you will have the images that it's looking for.

To create this image will need to read the entire disk, which is
impossible in that CDROM. It seems I'll have to put another CDROM unit
in that machine to install this.

Quote:> If this sounds too hard, you may be able to find a program for windows (or
> whatever you already have) that will make the isos from the cds.  You could
> also download the isos from the net, but if you're going to download them,
> you might as well just do a network install in the first place!

> Natman

Thanks,
Jeroni Paul