how to install CentOS 6 via USB stick

At first , I made an installation USB stick for CentOS6 with unetbootin tool on Linux Mint 12 machine , however I can’t install CentOS6 via that USB stick created by unetbootin

unetbootin does not seem to support CentOS 6 as of now…

I could install CentOS 6 via USB stick by following instructions.

many tnx !

http://www.phoenixxie.com/?p=11

there are two ways to make an installation USB stick

- use CentOS iso

- use CentOS Live iso

the latter is easier. ( IMO )

[ use CentOS iso ]

download iso

# tail -1 /etc/lsb-release DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Linux Mint 12 Lisa" # uname -ri 3.0.0-16-generic x86_64 # ls *.iso CentOS-6.2-x86_64-bin-DVD1.iso  CentOS-6.2-x86_64-bin-DVD2.iso

make two partitions.

200MB for vfat and the other is for ext3.

# LANG=C fdisk /dev/sdd Command (m for help): n Command action   e   extended   p   primary partition (1-4) p Partition number (1-4, default 1): 1 First sector (2048-15826943, default 2048): Using default value 2048 Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G} (2048-15826943, default 15826943): +200M Command (m for help): t Selected partition 1 Hex code (type L to list codes): b Changed system type of partition 1 to b (W95 FAT32) Command (m for help): n Command action   e   extended   p   primary partition (1-4) p Partition number (1-4, default 2): 2 First sector (411648-15826943, default 411648): Using default value 411648 Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G} (411648-15826943, default 15826943): Using default value 15826943 Command (m for help): a Partition number (1-4): 1 Command (m for help): p Disk /dev/sdd: 8103 MB, 8103395328 bytes 250 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1021 cylinders, total 15826944 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disk identifier: 0x6b8b4567   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System /dev/sdd1   *        2048      411647      204800    b  W95 FAT32 /dev/sdd2          411648    15826943     7707648   83  Linux Command (m for help): w The partition table has been altered! Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table. WARNING: If you have created or modified any DOS 6.x partitions, please see the fdisk manual page for additional information. Syncing disks.

make filesystem

# mkfs.vfat -n boot /dev/sdd1 # mkfs.ext3 -m 0 -b 4096 -L data /dev/sdd2

make directores and mount iso

# mkdir /mnt/USB # mkdir /mnt/DVD # mount -t iso9660 -o loop CentOS-6.2-x86_64-bin-DVD1.iso /mnt/DVD/ # mount /dev/sdd2 /mnt/USB/

# cp -r /mnt/DVD/images /mnt/USB `# cp -r CentOS-6.2-x86_64-bin-DVD*.iso /mnt/USB # umount /mnt/USB

install MBR , syslinux etc

# apt-get install syslinux –y # locate mbr.bin /usr/lib/syslinux/altmbr.bin /usr/lib/syslinux/gptmbr.bin /usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin # dd if=/usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin of=/dev/sdd # syslinux -sddv/sdd1 # mkdir /mnt/BOOT # mount /dev/sdd1 /mnt/BOOT/ # cp /mnt/DVD/isolinux/isolinux.bin /mnt/BOOT/syslinux.bin # cp /mnt/DVD/isolinux/isolinux.cfg /mnt/BOOT/syslinux.cfg # cp /mnt/DVD/isolinux/vmlinuz /mnt/BOOT/ # cp /mnt/DVD/isolinux/initrd.img /mnt/BOOT/

edit syslinux.cfg like this

# cat /mnt/BOOT/syslinux.cfg default CentOS prompt 0 label CentOS        kernel vmlinuz        append initrd=initrd.img method=hd:sdc2:/

the line “method=hd … “ dpends on your environment. ( sda2 or sdd2 or sdc2 )

In my case , I could install CentOs6 when specifying sdc2.

( there are two HDDs have been installed in my PC )

# umount /mnt/BOOT # umount /mnt/DVD

get things done.

install CentOS6 by using that USB stick.

[ use CentOS Live iso ]

You can install CentOS6 using CentOS Live version.

download CentOS live CD and do the following command.

# LANG=C fdisk /dev/sdd Command (m for help): n Command action   e   extended   p   primary partition (1-4) p Partition number (1-4, default 1): 1 First sector (2048-15826943, default 2048): Using default value 2048 Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G} (2048-15826943, default 15826943): Using default value 15826943 Command (m for help): t Selected partition 1 Hex code (type L to list codes): b Changed system type of partition 1 to b (W95 FAT32) Command (m for help): w The partition table has been altered! Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table. WARNING: If you have created or modified any DOS 6.x partitions, please see the fdisk manual page for additional information. Syncing disks. # dd if=CentOS-6.2-x86_64-LiveCD.iso of=/dev/sdd bs=1M

Boot CentOS6 Live via the USB stick and then select “install” from the boot menu to install CentOS6 on your HDD.