Install FC2 boot from floppy?

[James Wilkinson]

YigalB wrote:
> So can I do the following: Have an 8MBytes DiskOnKey with a
> Linux kernel on it, let the PC boot, load the Kernel, connect to the
> internet and download all the rest?

Well, you need the appropriate image file, not just a kernel, but yes
(under some circumstances). I did it with the boot.iso, a CD-R/W, and
Rawhide a few weeks back.

> Can I save the need to download the
> CDs, burn them and install from them?

Yes.

> I always wondered why do I need the CDs since it's all there, on the web
> anyway.

Well, the circumstances do have to be right. Principally, you need a
suitable network connection. I've got ADSL, but I use an ADSL router
that connects to my computers through Ethernet. So I can just let the
install pick up network settings through DHCP, point it at a suitable
FTP site [1], and let the router handle the connection to the Net.

But the boot images will do little more than that. If you need Fedora
to handle PPP authentication (or PPP, I believe), or if you need special
drivers for an "ADSL modem", or anything similar, then the boot image
just doesn't have the smarts, as far as I am aware. You need Fedora
installed so you can get Fedora installed.

For a limited install, the overall time is less because you're
downloading much less.

An FTP (or NFS) install is *really* useful on a campus when used with
Kickstart, and you're getting the image from a local mirror. And I've
assumed that it was designed mainly for these situations. In those
situations, you will have a fast network connection.

Hope this helps,

James.

[1] Which, I suppose, is not technically "on the web". If you care,
you can insist on an HTTP mirror...
-- 
E-mail address: james | "Hardware simply does not work like the manual says
@westexe.demon.co.uk  | and no amount of Zen contemplation will ever make you
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                      |     -- Alan Cox