Hi

I'm trying to install CentOS 5.5 from harddrive using a kickstart file. Kickstart file is read correctly, it contains the following 3 lines (+ additional config):

install
harddrive --partition=sda11 --dir=repos/CentOS/5.5/isos/i386
repo --name="CentOS-5.5 - Updates" --baseurl=hd:sda11:repos/CentOS/5.5/updates/i386

I've downloaded both CentOS-5.5-i386-bin-DVD.iso and CentOS-5.5-i386-bin-1of7.iso, but anaconda (the installer) asks:
- What partition and directory on that partition holds the CD (iso9660) images for CentOS? ...
VT3 gives these messages:

INFO: partition /dev/sda11 selected
INFO: mounting device sda11 for hard drive install
INFO: mntloop loop7 on /tmp/loopimage as /tmp/hdimage/repos/CentOS/5.5/isos/i386/CentOS-5.5-i386-bin-1of7.iso fd is 12
INFO: mntloop loop0 on /mnt/runtime as /tmp/loopimage/images/stage2.img fd is 12
ERROR: disc /tmp/hdimage/repos/CentOS/5.5/isos/i386/CentOS-5.5-i386-bin-1of7.iso is not the right image
INFO: unmounting loopback /mnt/runtime loop0
INFO: unmounting loopback /tmp/loopimage loop7
INFO: mntloop loop7 on /tmp/loopimage as /tmp/hdimage/repos/CentOS/5.5/isos/i386/CentOS-5.5-i386-bin-DVD.iso fd is 12
INFO: mntloop loop0 on /mnt/runtime as /tmp/loopimage/images/stage2.img fd is 12
ERROR: disc /tmp/hdimage/repos/CentOS/5.5/isos/i386/CentOS-5.5-i386-bin-DVD.iso is not the right image
INFO: unmounting loopback /mnt/runtime loop0
INFO: unmounting loopback /tmp/loopimage loop7

Thus, the path to the iso files are correct, they are mounted but seems to be considered "invalid" install media. The iso files are verified with md5sum..
Am I doing something wrong, or am I right in suspecting this to be an error?


Also tried using a repo for the install, kickstart looks like this:

install
harddrive --partition=sda11 --dir=repos/CentOS/5.5/os/i386
repo --name="CentOS-5.5 - Updates" --baseurl=hd:sda11:repos/CentOS/5.5/updates/i386

No luck with this either, although I think this should be close to equal to http install which I successfully did in 5.3 x64 from http server using kickstart lines like these:

install
url --url http://n.n.n.n/repos/CentOS/5.3/os/x86_64/
repo --name="CentOS-5.4 - Updates" --baseurl=http://n.n.n.n/repos/CentOS/5.3/updates/x86_64/

Will check tomorrow if http install still works and report back. Greatful for any help.

Welcome to the CentOS fora. The following reading is recommended for new users:
Readme First
Installing Software
Where to Find Answers
How to provide information about your system

You don't say how you are booting. Sounds like the boot media doesn't match the ISO images.

Thanks for your reply

I booted form the CentOS 5.5 i386 LiveCD, using netinstall. I added the following parameters:
ip=dhcp ks=http://path_to_ks kssendmac

The kickstart file was read successfully, but neither the DVD or the 1st CD iso files where accepted (both isos are also i386) as described in first post.


I've now successfully installed another laptop via http. Copied vmlinuz and initrd.img from the /images/pxeboot/ directory of 5.5/os/i386 repo to the hd, and booted grub to it. I will paste the grub config later for those interested. Just have to boot back into old SUSE, as the config is on a reiserfs filesystem which I cannot mount in CentOS.


What I've found so far:
- vmlinuz:
pxeboot/vmlinuz is equal to LiveCD /isolinux/vminst and /isolinux/vmlinuz0. vminst seems to be the one used for LiveCD netinstall.
- initrd:
pxeboot/initrd.img, LiveCD /isolinux/initrd0.img and /isolinux/install.img are all different. Don't know which of the two latter are used by LiveCD netinstall.

I expected a LiveCD netinstall initrd equal to the one in pxeboot. Could the different initrds be causing the problem?


I will try to install from isos (or repo) on hd, booted from hd (pxeboot copy), later. The final idea is to have the install bootfiles, kickstart file and install iso or repo on hd to be able to reinstall without network or DVD available if necessary. Kind of system restore ...

Hopefully I will be posting the success story tomorrow ...

Here are some instructions for starting install from hd. If your platform is x64, change all i386 to x86_64.


This example grub config will work if /boot is on the first partition on first hd.
If your setup is different, change the "root (hd0,0)" to whatever fits your system. Remember counting from 0. That means if /boot is on /dev/hdb3, use "root (hd1,2)"
You most likely want to change the keymap, lang and method parameters, or use other parameters, to make it work the way you want it.
Different install methods like hd, http, nfs etc. are possible, or you can use a kickstart file. Refer to the installation manual.
This goes into /boot/grub/grub.conf:


Reboot and you're ready to go ...

(Administrator / moderator: Please feel free to move / add this to the wiki)
[Moderator edit: Fixed code tags.]

With this stimulus, and having seen and answered frequent queries on this in the past, created
http://wiki.centos.org/TipsAndTricks/InstallFromGRUB

Not yet linked to the top TipsAndTricks page yet. Comments welcome. See also
http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos-docs/2010-May/004094.html