It is just my experiment, to figure out how to use unetbootin to frugal install iso as well as full install to hard disk without using USB flash.
Well, many of us are using unetbootin to prepare bootable USB flash, so that we can test a new iso using usb flash/thumb drive/etc without a need to burn DVD/CD.
If we do not need USB flash, the procedure might be simpler and perhaps faster too because Hard disk is very fast on read/write cycle compared with USB flash.
Perhaps it helps for those who do not have DVD/CD ( like netbook or some laptops).
For this experiment, I will be using unetbootin, following their procedure in their website, to do a frugal install without using USB flash.
Here is the main link to unetbootin http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
Here is link inside the main link above: http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/unetbo ... howitworks
I copy out here on relevant portion so as reader can zoom into the subject.
Hard Disk (frugal) install mode
Code: Select all
On Windows, UNetbootin modifies boot.ini (on 2000/XP), or uses bcdedit (on Vista/7) to add a boot menu option titled UNetbootin. This loads the GRUB4DOS bootloader, which is installed at /ubnldr and /ubnldr.mbr, and this in turn reads boot menu entries from /unetbtin/menu.lst. The installation .exe file is copied to /unetbtin.exe, and this is added to autorun upon the next bootup. When run, this will uninstall UNetbootin by deleting the extracted files (which is recorded using /ubnfilel.txt and /ubnpathl.txt) and removing the UNetbootin boot menu entry.
On Linux, menu.lst (if using GRUB) or grub.cfg (if using GRUB2) is modified to add the UNetbootin entry. The existing config file is backed up to menu.lst.bak or grub.cfg.bak. When UNetbootin is run again, the uninstaller is run; this will delete the extracted files (which is recorded using /ubnfilel.txt and /ubnpathl.txt) and restore the backed-up boot configuration files. Let me start from my 'master boot loader', the one that control MBR.
I used grub legacy to control MBR. Below would be for grub legacy.
Later on I shall try experiment using grub2 and win7 and write down some information for people who are interested.
A. MBR controller by Grub legacy
1. Running from a distro already installed in hard disk, which has grub legacy as boot loader and it is controlling MBR.
2. Have some iso ready in your hard disk, for this illustration I have
lmdexfce32_up6beta1_201301.iso
3. Either run from installed unetbootin or download linux version of unetbootin and run directly
4. as usual , check 'Diskimage' , and select the iso file by pointing to the right file location,
reference image below.
http://sourceforge.net/dbimage.php?id=294733
5. on the last line, Type, you would see USB Drive by default, click the up/down arrow on its right , move mouse to Hard Disk and right click it. Now you see Hard Disk in the Type
well, take a deep breath... and click OK... watch it works.
6. at the end, it should complete just like what you are familiar with using usb flash.
This is where the above note said: unetbootin will modify grub legacy..
Below shows a new file menu.lst.bak
ls /boot/grub/
default iso9660_stage1_5 menu.lst.example stage2
device.map jfs_stage1_5 message xfs_stage1_5
device.map.example menu.lst minix_stage1_5
e2fs_stage1_5 menu.lst~ reiserfs_stage1_5
fat_stage1_5 menu.lst.bak stage1
Here I copy the /boot/grub/menu.lst that unetbootin added.
Code: Select all
title UNetbootin
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/ubnkern boot=live config live-media-path=/casper quiet splash --
initrd /boot/ubninit
boot
title Start Linux Mint
root (hd0,0)
kernel /casper/vmlinuz boot=live config live-media-path=/casper quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
boot
title Start Linux Mint (compatibility mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /casper/vmlinuz boot=live config xforcevesa live-media-path=/casper ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw noapic noapci nosplash irqpoll --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
boot
title Check the integrity of the DVD
root (hd0,0)
kernel /casper/vmlinuz boot=live integrity-check live-media-path=/casper
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
boot
title Memory Test
root (hd0,0)
kernel /isolinux/memtest
initrd /boot/ubninit
boot
title Boot from local drive
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/ubnkern
initrd /boot/ubninit
bootUNetbootin
Start Linux Mint
Start Linux Mint (compatibility mode)
Check the integrity of the DVD
Memory Test
Boot from local drive
8. select one of those, which is really similar to your usual menu on USB flash.
From their written procedure and other forums, usually forumers said to select UNetbootin, which is really the default.
Just to summarise, unetbootin has frugal installed the iso into the running Linux OS and it has also modified grub legacy's /boot/grub/menu.lst , so that when we reboot the new boot menu allow us to select and boot the iso, and run LIVE mode.
9. Next step, I proceed to install onto a pre-prepared / partition, as per normal installation procedure.
10. Reboot, and I can now run lmdexfce32_up6beta1_201301.iso installed on Hard disk.