install CentOS6.4 64bit from an USB stick

Here’s an explanation of how to install CentOS 6.4 64bit minimal from an USB stick.

prepare a USB stick. I have prepared a 8GB USB stick.

I downloaded CentOS-6.4-x86_64-minimal.iso.

launch unetbootin to make an USB-based CentOS installer.

If you have not installed unetbootin , you can install it by just typing “apt-get install unetbootin”

choose CentOS-6.4-x86_64-minimal.iso as an ISO image and then click.

copy the ISO to the top directory in the USB stick

# cp CentOS-6.4-x86_64-minimal.iso /path-to-USB-stick/

The top directory in the USB stick would be like this:

# ls CentOS-6.4-x86_64-minimal.iso  RELEASE-NOTES-en-US.html       images        ubnfilel.txt CentOS_BuildTag                RPM-GPG-KEY-CentOS-6           isolinux      ubninit EFI                            RPM-GPG-KEY-CentOS-Debug-6     ldlinux.sys   ubnkern EULA                           RPM-GPG-KEY-CentOS-Security-6  menu.c32      ubnpathl.txt GPL                            RPM-GPG-KEY-CentOS-Testing-6   repodata Packages                       TRANS.TBL                      syslinux.cfg

If the ISO image isn’t in the USB stick , you would face the following error during the installation and fail to install the OS into HDDs.

Missing ISO 9660 Image The installer has tried to mount image #1, but cannot find it on the hard drive.

In my experience , when using CentOS 6.4 normal DVD ISO image , 8GB USB stick does not have enough space to make an USB-based installer.

That’s why I use the minimal ISO image.

After preparing USB-based installer , insert the USB stick into your PCs and boot the USB first. You could install CentOS 6.4 from an USB stick.

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.

boot Fedora 15 Live via a USB stick

I built a bootable USB stick of Fedora 15 Live with unetbootin on Ubuntu 11.04

[ preparation ]

install unetbootin ( apt-get install unetbootin )
download Fedora 15 ISO image ( Fedora-15-i686-Live-Desktop.iso )
a USB stick ( I prepared 4GB USB stick )

[ procedure ]

on Ubuntu11.04 laptop machine:

insert a USB

launch unetbootin

root@hat1:~# unetbootin

choose Fedora ISO image and select USB drive in which you want to build bootable image.


click OK

Here’s an output of “ls” in the USB stick

root@hat1:.../12B5-186F# pwd /media/12B5-186F root@hat1:.../12B5-186F# ls EFI  LiveOS    ldlinux.sys  syslinux.cfg  ubninit  ubnpathl.txt GPL  isolinux  menu.c32     ubnfilel.txt  ubnkern

[ Let’s boot Fedora 15 live from the USB stick with my notebook ]

on my notebook:

enable boot from USB drive on BIOS setting
insert the USB stick
turn on my notebook

on Unet bootin boot menu , select “Fedora-15-i686-Live-Desktop.iso”

If your video card does not have a capability of GNOME3 , select BOOT ( Basic Video )

How to create bootable USB for ESXi 4.1 update1 with unetbootin on ubuntu 11.04

[ software info ]

ubuntu 11.04 server 64bit : 2.6.38-10-server
syslinux 4.02
unetbootin : 471-2ubuntu1
ESXi 4.1 update1 : VMware-VMvisor-Installer-4.1.0.update1-348481.x86_64.iso

[ logs ]

Step1

prepare USB stick ( I prepared 4GB USB stick. BUFFALO: model name YUF-4G-WH )
create a partition and format it by VFAT.

USB stick device name ( /dev/sdg )
create a partition ( /dev/sdg1 )

root@hat1:~# LANG=C fdisk  /dev/sdg WARNING: DOS-compatible mode is deprecated. It's strongly recommended to        switch off the mode (command 'c') and change display units to        sectors (command 'u'). Command (m for help): p   <- no partitions Disk /dev/sdg: 4007 MB, 4007657472 bytes 124 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1018 cylinders Units = cylinders of 7688 * 512 = 3936256 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disk identifier: 0x4911f7a1  Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System Command (m for help): n   <- create a primary partition. # is 1 Command action  e   extended  p   primary partition (1-4) p Partition number (1-4): 1 <- partition 1 First cylinder (1-1018, default 1): 1  <- size Last cylinder, +cylinders or +size{K,M,G} (1-1018, default 1018): +450M Command (m for help): a  <- toggle bootable flag Partition number (1-4): 1 <- partition number 1 Command (m for help): t  <- change partition type as W95 FAT32 Selected partition 1  <- partition number 1 Hex code (type L to list codes): b  <- W95 FAT32 Changed system type of partition 1 to b (W95 FAT32) Command (m for help): w  <- save configuration 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.

root@hat1:~# LANG=C fdisk -l /dev/sdg Disk /dev/sdg: 4007 MB, 4007657472 bytes 124 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1018 cylinders Units = cylinders of 7688 * 512 = 3936256 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disk identifier: 0x4911f7a1  Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System /dev/sdg1   *           1         121      465093    b  W95 FAT32

Step2

format it

root@hat1:~# mkfs.vfat -n BOOT -F 32 /dev/sdg1 mkfs.vfat 3.0.9 (31 Jan 2010)

Step3

install unetbootin to  create a bootable USB.

root@hat1:~# apt-cache search unetbootin unetbootin - installer of Linux/BSD distributions to a partition or USB drive root@hat1:~# apt-get install unetbootin root@hat1:~# dpkg -l unetbootin | tail -1 ii  unetbootin                            471-2ubuntu1                                 installer of Linux/BSD distributions to a partition or USB drive

connect USB stick and mount a partition you created.
then start unetbootin.

# mount /dev/sdg1 /media/USB/ # unetbootin

seletct ISO image and press OK.

creating

overwrite menu.c32 ( click yes )

done. click exit.

change directory

root@hat1:~# cd /media/USB/ root@hat1:/media/USB# ls README.txt  cisco_n1k     isolinux.bin  open_source_licenses.txt  ubnpathl.txt a.z         ienviron.vgz  isolinux.cfg  sys.vgz                   vmkboot.gz boot.cat    imagedd.bz2   ldlinux.sys   syslinux.cfg              vmkernel.gz cim.vgz     imagedd.md5   mboot.c32     tboot.gz cimstg.tgz  install.vgz   menu.c32      ubnfilel.txt

Step4

modify syslinux.cfg. add “ks=usb:/ks.cfg”

root@hat1:/media/USB# cat syslinux.cfg default menu.c32 menu title VMware VMvisor Boot Menu timeout 80 label ESXi Installer menu label ^ESXi Installer kernel mboot.c32 append vmkboot.gz ks=usb:/ks.cfg --- vmkernel.gz --- sys.vgz --- cim.vgz --- ienviron.vgz --- install.vgz label ^Boot from local disk menu label ^Boot from local disk localboot 0x80

Step5

make ks.cfg file.

root@hat1:/media/USB# cat ks.cfg vmaccepteula rootpw welcome autopart --firstdisk --overwritevmfs install usb network --bootproto=static --ip=192.168.11.200 --gateway=192.168.11.1 --hostname=sumavihv --device=vmnic0 --nameserver=192.168.11.1 --netmask=255.255.255.0

Step6

copy /usr/lib/syslinux/mboot.c32 and /usr/lib/syslinux/menu.c32 to the USB stick’s partition.

root@hat1:/media/USB# cp /usr/lib/syslinux/mboot.c32 . root@hat1:/media/USB# cp /usr/lib/syslinux/menu.c32 .

unmont a partition.

root@hat1:~# umount /dev/sdg1

that’s it !

I could install ESXi 4.1 U1 using this USB stick on HP ML110 G6 :)

procedures are:

connect USB stick and boot from USB stick
install ESXi in DL110’s HDD
after finishing the installation , press reboot
disconnect USB stick