Re: Is it possible to install from a USB disk with sysinstall or Grub?

["Thomas Mueller" <mueller6724%bellsouth.net@localhost>]

> I'm trying to install the amd-64 port onto my ageing Thinkpad X61,
> which has no cdrom/dvd slot.

> I was wondering if I could reuse of my usb flash drives with Sysrescd
> on it, without sacrificing a new one.

> I've downloaded both the .iso and the usb image and I can launch them
> fine using syslinux and memdisk:

> LABEL netbsd
> MENU LABEL 8) Netbsd install
> LINUX memdisk
> INITRD /netbsd/NetBSD-6.1.2-amd64.iso
> APPEND iso raw
> TEXT HELP
> Boot into Netbsd iso installer
> ENDTEXT
        
> or in the case of the usb image:
        
> LABEL netbsd
> MENU LABEL 8) Netbsd install
> LINUX memdisk
> INITRD /netbsd/NetBSD-6.1.2-amd64-install.img
> APPEND harddisk raw
> TEXT HELP
> Boot into Netbsd usb installer
> ENDTEXT
        
> In both cases, if is use the ACPI option the installer hangs trying to
> find a boot and root device.
> If I select the second or third option (no ACPI) the installer hangs
> even before reaching that stage.
        
> Has anybody got a clue of how to give the right parameters?
        
> A second option would be creating a second partition on the USB drive
> and 'dd' the image over there, but in this case how would I boot the
> second partition?

> Thanks for your input.

--
> Ottavio

Question is whether the second partition would have a recognizable file system, 
since the USB memstick image might have an embedded MBR.

If the result is a recognizable BSD file system, you could boot the Super GRUB2 
Disk image on the SysRescCD USB stick.

Then, possibly,

set root=(hd0,msdos2)
insmod ufs2 (or maybe it would be ufs1, or try both)
knetbsd /netbsd (assuming that's the kernel name)
boot

You would be advised to run "ls" to make sure the USB stick with SysRescCD is 
(hd0) as opposed to (hd1) or other.

Otherwise, you could format the second partition, using NetBSD or FreeBSD newfs 
if possible, otherwise FAT32 might possibly work, and copy the files into that 
partition, then you'd have a root partition, but the question is what NetBSD 
would call it, nothing so easy as with FreeBSD (/dev/da0s2, or /dev/da1s2, 
etc).  Maybe sd0f, or sd1f, etc?

In that case, you would boot the .iso or .img but would be able to specify a 
root partition.

I've never done this but have experience, favorable and unfavorable, with Grub2 
and syslinux. 

I think the root would have to be on the cyber version of terra firma.

Tom