install from rsync tree on local partition possible?

[Gianluca Cecchi]

Hello,
I have an rsync tree of rawhide on a local f8 partition.
I would like to install rawhide to another partition.
Is there a way without generating iso images? I can boot from a cd
containing the boot.iso, but it seems there is no menu for this situation.
It should be a sort of nfs in method, but using as a target the local tree
top on a local partition....
Could be the local install serve as a localhost nfs server in some way?
In case of no, what should be the right command to generate iso from the
complete rsynced tree at this moment?
Thanks,
Gianluca

[Michal Jaegermann]

On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 07:48:19PM +0100, Gianluca Cecchi wrote:
> I have an rsync tree of rawhide on a local f8 partition.
> I would like to install rawhide to another partition.
> Is there a way without generating iso images?

I would think so.
> I can boot from a cd containing
> the boot.iso, but it seems there is no menu for this situation.

Just add vmlinuz and initrd.img from the current installation images
to your f8 boot partition and make a corresponding grub entry.  Boot
this and that should get you anaconda running with a root on a
ramdisk.
> It should be a sort of nfs in method, but using as a target the local tree top
> on a local partition....

I did not look yet at the latest anaconda but it used to have
among installation methods "from a local disk partition"
(or something to that effect).  That is what you are trying to find.

Michal

[Todd Denniston]

Michal Jaegermann wrote, On 03/27/2008 05:36 PM:
> On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 07:48:19PM +0100, Gianluca Cecchi wrote:
> > I have an rsync tree of rawhide on a local f8 partition.
> > I would like to install rawhide to another partition.
> > Is there a way without generating iso images?
>
> I would think so.
> > I can boot from a cd containing
> > the boot.iso, but it seems there is no menu for this situation.
>
> Just add vmlinuz and initrd.img from the current installation images
> to your f8 boot partition and make a corresponding grub entry.  Boot
> this and that should get you anaconda running with a root on a
> ramdisk.
> > It should be a sort of nfs in method, but using as a target the local tree top
> > on a local partition....
>
> I did not look yet at the latest anaconda but it used to have
> among installation methods "from a local disk partition"
> (or something to that effect).  That is what you are trying to find.
>
> Michal

Unfortunately some folks believe it causes too many bug reports against anaconda
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=435976

I was wondering (have not had time to play) if you could tell it you were 
doing an install from the web/ftp and when giving the URL give it 
file:///where/my/repo/is/

Like you I don't understand why it is so much harder to support the Everything 
directory on the local hard drive vs NFS|HTTP|FTP.

<not so gentle chain pull>
I would have thought that Katz would have been clever enough to have an 
indicator printed (for placement in the bug) whenever the person pointed 
anaconda at a non-iso-image so he could just respond 'oh not using an iso, 
must be a half mirror problem, get an iso and try that' when he got the error 
message.
</not so gentle chain pull>

Jeremy, could we have a sub OPTION (not auto find) or separate option for hard 
drive work that would let us pick install from an Everything that is on a 
local hard drive, and of course I could live with it having in 18pt font "IF 
YOU GET A FAULT WHILE USING THIS METHOD, USE AN ISO IMAGE BEFORE REPORTING A 
PROBLEM!" above the entry box for the URL of the Everything?

[Michal Jaegermann]

On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 06:14:05PM -0400, Todd Denniston wrote:
> Michal Jaegermann wrote, On 03/27/2008 05:36 PM:
> > On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 07:48:19PM +0100, Gianluca Cecchi wrote:
> > > I have an rsync tree of rawhide on a local f8 partition.
> > > I would like to install rawhide to another partition.
> > > Is there a way without generating iso images?
> >
> > I did not look yet at the latest anaconda but it used to have
> > among installation methods "from a local disk partition"
> > (or something to that effect).  That is what you are trying to find.
>
> Unfortunately some folks believe it causes too many bug reports against 
> anaconda
> https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=435976

Bummer!
> I was wondering (have not had time to play) if you could tell it you were 
> doing an install from the web/ftp and when giving the URL give it 
> file:///where/my/repo/is/

My expectations would be that anaconda will try to find that URL
with a help of a protocol you specified (http/ftp/nfs) and it will
fail unless you are running a corresponding local server (and
that is not there on standard installation images).

Maybe to get around you can find where anaconda keeps a local
cache of packages retrieved via http or ftp, fill up that cache
with copies of what you have on a local disk and point anaconda
to some remote server?  What you already have likely will be
not retrieved again.  Sounds like a very roundabout hack.

If you have another machine which you can use as an NFS server
then a cross ethernet cable works just fine (or a "normal" hookup on
LAN).  With the layout described by OP you can boot from a local
disk.  That is likely the simplest and I used such approach a number
of times; in particular when performing distro updates.
> Like you I don't understand why it is so much harder to support the 
> Everything directory on the local hard drive vs NFS|HTTP|FTP.

I have no idea.  One would think that a "null" protocol would
be the simplest thing to do but what I imagine how things work
and reality could be quite divergent.

Michal

[Andrew Farris]

Michal Jaegermann wrote:
> On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 06:14:05PM -0400, Todd Denniston wrote:
> > I was wondering (have not had time to play) if you could tell it you were 
> > doing an install from the web/ftp and when giving the URL give it 
> > file:///where/my/repo/is/
>
> My expectations would be that anaconda will try to find that URL
> with a help of a protocol you specified (http/ftp/nfs) and it will
> fail unless you are running a corresponding local server (and
> that is not there on standard installation images).

That is correct, I have tried it, and it fails.

[Andrew Farris]

Michal Jaegermann wrote:
> On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 07:48:19PM +0100, Gianluca Cecchi wrote:
> > I have an rsync tree of rawhide on a local f8 partition.
> > I would like to install rawhide to another partition.
> > Is there a way without generating iso images?
>
> I would think so.
> > I can boot from a cd containing
> > the boot.iso, but it seems there is no menu for this situation.
>
> Just add vmlinuz and initrd.img from the current installation images
> to your f8 boot partition and make a corresponding grub entry.  Boot
> this and that should get you anaconda running with a root on a
> ramdisk.
> > It should be a sort of nfs in method, but using as a target the local tree top
> > on a local partition....
>
> I did not look yet at the latest anaconda but it used to have
> among installation methods "from a local disk partition"
> (or something to that effect).  That is what you are trying to find.

'local hard disk' install requires the iso images to be present on the disk at the 
location you specify; afaik there is no way to use local hard disk with loose packages.  I 
believe there is an anaconda bug on that subject, but it has not been added since its a 
fairly rare use case and one more install path to maintain.

[Bill Crawford]

On 28/03/2008, Andrew Farris  wrote:
> 'local hard disk' install requires the iso images to be present on the disk at the
>  location you specify; afaik there is no way to use local hard disk with loose packages.  I
>  believe there is an anaconda bug on that subject, but it has not been added since its a
>  fairly rare use case and one more install path to maintain.

I think you're cutting down on the potential testing of both everyday
rawhide and snapshots like the beta by preventing people who e.g. only
have one machine in use from trying out an install *quickly* on a
spare partition. It's *much* too slow over a typical UK cable
connection (leaves you unable to use the machine for a long time) to
test fully by doing a network install, whereas I am happy to leave a
mirror process running overnight if I have to, and have most of the
tree up to date anyway; normally rsync from mirrorservice.org, but can
always grab the latest with wget. Being able to launch the installer
out of grub and grab packages from local hard drive enables *much*
faster testing, i.e. doable more that once a month :o)

I've had network installs fail in the middle too ... which is more
likely when sharing the connection with a couple of gamers who will
insist on leaving lots of torrents running then complaining that the
internet is "slow" ...