Installation over network, no cd-rom, no internet connection.

[HyperUniverse]

Hi,

I want to build a Debian server RAID1 & 5, for home use.
I know how to do RAIDs in Debian at installation time.
The problem is I want to get rid of the DVD-ROM, so I can get an extra hard drive in its place.
I have a KOCAB motherboard, which I can fit 5 hard drives in it. Or 4 +1 dvd-rom.
I have laying around 9 hard drives 40 GB each same model and type.
So, if I fit 5 in the server I have another 4 as replacements when/if any fails.

Question:
How do I install Debian over LAN, from another pc running XP Pro or Debian or Ubuntu?
I have all Debian Etch and Lenny DVDs.
There is no internet connection available.
There is no floppy also.
There is a USB 80GB hard drive available I could use, if that is easier.
There is a 2GB pen drive available also.

Or is there a way to install Debian on a machine with DVD-ROM and after that remove the DVD-ROM and install another hard drive and then create the RAIDs?

Thank you.

[GNU-Fan]

Hello,

I installed Debian Etch on a system (A) without external drives. I had an extra computer (B) where Debian was installed already. On B I activated the bootp daemon and the tftp server daemon. From the Debian site I got a specially crafted network-kernel for A and some PXE configuration files. (Look in the Debian installation manual for the netboot chapter for details).

A and B where connected over LAN and when A started, it was served the initial install system by B. From that point on it was like a normal installation process.

Your situation differs a little bit because you said there is no internet connection available. Therefore you can't download the basic system packages from the online repos. But you could put a complete Debian DVD with the packages on it in B and make it available over FTP, HTTP or NFS.


But on the other hand, if you have a spare HD you could install Debian on it normally first, then built in the final 2 raid discs. Partition and format the 2 HDs for raid and make them bootable. Install GRUB on them and finally use debootstrap to copy a minimal system to them. Now you should be able to boot without the spare HD.