Can we install linux from ISO image?

[Beginner_2]

Hi,

I have ISO image of RHEL 5 on my hard disk or in my USB. So can we just boot the system from ISO or can we also install whole Linux system from ISO image?
If yes , can somebody list of some steps for it?

Thanks in advance ,
Rahul

[Rob Leadbeater]

Hi,

Yes it's possible to boot the system from the ISO.

The exact procedure will depend on the hardware that you're using...

Regards,

Rob

[Matti_Kurkela]

A real CD-ROM drive cannot be accessed the same way as an ISO image on a HDD or in a USB memory stick. Just saving the ISO image on disk or USB won't work. In short, you need to make your disk bootable, by installing an approriate bootloader to it.

And here we come back to Rob's remark: as EFI is starting to replace the traditional BIOS on regular PC hardware (it's not strictly Itanium thing any more), the list of steps will depend on what exactly are you booting.

But for the common case, a 32- or 64-bit x86 system, you can find a lot of documents with Google. Here's the first hit with keywords "redhat boot usb":

http://www-03.ibm.com/support/techdocs/atsmastr.nsf/WebIndex/WP101131

It's an IBM whitepaper titled "Installing RedHat Linux from USB". It's been updated in 2008, and covers also RHEL 5.

MK

[boukari]

Hi,
You can use "ISO" image to boot live system under virtual machine , "ISO" is compressed format, so i don't think that firmware is programmed to read such format that's why USB must be programmed to be usable like a bootable USB-Disk.

But if you like to Create a bootable system from an USB, use (Unetbootin) . for any information about Unetbootin try this link :

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

it's really good and work with any system.

N.B: An ISO image is a compressed format can be used with virtual machine or with other software like (DaemonTools) or others to be burned or used as a live image but not to boot, in my knowledge its not possible .

Best regards,

[Steven Schweda]

> [...] "ISO" is compressed format [...]

Actually, "ISO" is a standards organization.

http://www.iso.org

One of its standards (ISO 9660) describes a
CD-ROM file system.

http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=17505

So far as I know, there's nothing in it about
compression. Of course, it is possible to
compress files and store them in a CD-ROM
file system, but that's no different from any
other file system.

[Alzhy]

Greetings..

ISO Disc Images of OS Installer Physical CD or DVD discs are now the most common media releases.

Most servers these days have management modules that can access the ISO file from just about anywhere. If you run the Server's management module (aka the iLO3, GSP modle on HP's) from your PC - and if you're ISO file is accessible from that PC or from the network -- the Server can be installed from that ISO image.. meaning it can boot off of that ISO image.


The SAME thing holds true for todays Virtual Hosts or Hypervisors -- practically ALL expects the OS Image to be an available ISO image.

Cheers!

[Alzhy]

Oh BTW.. if you're really serious about Operating Systems -- not just Linux - I suggest you set yourself up your own Virtualization Server. Your choice is up to you as most HyperVisors are "free" --- vMware Server, vMware ESXi, Linux Xen, Linux KVM or Sun Virtual Box on Linux (or WIndows) are your choices. My preference however will be KVM on Fedora or Ubuntu as the OS is "free".

An 8GB , Quad or Hexa Core system is very ideal as it is not that expensive these days. Wth a Virtualization environment -- you can quickly download an ISO image of a Linux, WIndows, FreeBSD or SOlaris OS or even ISO's of ready to run "appliance" Virtual machines and explore systems to your hearts content as easy as changing clothes --- ALL because of the portability provided by the ISO image format.

Cheers!