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Installer for computers without a CD or DVD drive.

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Guy:
I have been working on another installer.

It is designed to install Tiny Core on a computer without a cd or dvd drive.

Users can download Parted Magic and install it on a usb drive using UNetbootin.

Set up partitions.

Create a boot directory.

Copy tinycore.gz, bzImage, and my installer to boot.

Then run a script to install extlinux.


It can also be run from other linux distros.


It consists of the essential extlinux files with an install script.

I think it is a good idea to make it available as a tar.gz file.

It is under 250 kb uncompressed, and under 150 kb as a tar.gz file.


1. Is the team happy to have another starter pack?


2. I am looking for suggestions as to what to call it.

If I call it install.tgz, people will confuse it with install.gz.

I could call it install-without-cd.tgz, but that seems too long.

It would be ideal to call it extlinux.tgz, but that may also confuse people, as install.tgz also has extlinux.


3. Where do I send it?

roberts:
Both current installers work without a CD or DVD drive.
In fact, you already know, that I will be offering a install CD as requested by the community.
Let try to focus to improve on that which has already been made available instead of trying to compete.

Guy:
The current installers work without a CD or DVD drive after Tinycore has already been installed the first time.

They cannot install Tinycore the first time, without a CD or DVD drive, on their own.

We use Parted Magic and UNetbootin, as that makes it possible, and as easy as possible for new users.


I suggest the following:

Make this new CD an install CD, as well as a repair and rescue CD.

Include a file manager. DirWin is one possibility.

Include GParted. I know you don't need GParted, but it is probably the easiest for people learning for the first time.

If anyone thinks of other apps which would be widely used for installation, or repair or rescue, also include them. Don't bother with rarely used apps, they can use Parted Magic for that.

At this point, we don't need to use Parted Magic. Some people may still use it, but Tinycore has all of the tools needed so it is not necessary to use Parted Magic.

Tinycore has a big advantage over Parted Magic. It starts a lot quicker, particularly if apps are loaded when you need them (ie OnDemand is used). If you are busy, this makes a difference.


After doing this, it still can't be installed without a CD or DVD drive, the first time, on it's own.

I suggest having two scripts, one to run in Linux, and one to run in Windows, which can be used to install Tinycore without a CD or DVD drive.

At this point, we don't need to use UNetbootin. Some people may still use it, but Tinycore has all of the tools needed so it is not necessary to use UNetbootin.

roberts:
From day one you could install Tiny Core without a CD or DVD.

Copy two files, bzImage and tinycore.gz, from the distribution files area (http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/3.x/release/distribution_files/) into ether an existing directory or a partition.  Add, adjust, or install a boot loader of your choice and away you go.

Tiny Core does not promote a traditional installation. The only thing the new GUI Installers do is make the choice of which boot loader to use and automate the process of copying said files.

The after setup files and directories are easily created via appbrowser's Set button which is enabled when booted into cloud mode.

Guy:
Robert

What you said is true, after they are running Tinycore. But if they can't run Tinycore to start with, it is not.

I am trying to understand if you get what I am saying or not.

Many people have a computer with only Windows.

If they have a CD or DVD drive, they can run Tinycore from the CD and install it.

If they don't have a CD or DVD drive, they can't run Tinycore from the CD, so they can't install it, without using some other method.

One of those methods is to use UNetbootin.

Do you think it is not a good idea to have a script which can be run from Windows, and used to install Tinycore without a CD or DVD drive, and another script which can be run from Linux, and used to install Tinycore without a CD or DVD drive?

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