It is sometimes necessary to create a diskette from an image file (for example, you might need to use updated diskette images obtained from the Red Hat Linux Errata).
As the name implies, an image file is a file that contains an exact copy (or image) of a diskette's contents. Since a diskette contains filesystem information in addition to the data contained in files, the image file is not usable until it has been written to a diskette.
To start, you'll need a blank, formatted, high-density (1.44 MB), 3.5-inch diskette. You'll need access to a computer with a 3.5-inch diskette drive, and capable of running a DOS program, or the dd utility program found on most Linux-like operating systems.
The image files are found in the following directories on your Red Hat Linux CD:
images -- Contains the boot images for Red Hat Linux/Intel, and the various kernel and ramdisk images for Red Hat Linux/Alpha.
On the Red Hat Linux/SPARC CD, this directory contains the boot image, and an image for network booting.
milo -- Contains the various images for the Red Hat Linux/Alpha miniloader, MILO. This directory exists only on Red Hat Linux/Alpha CDs.
Once you've selected the proper image, it's time to transfer the image file onto a diskette. As mentioned previously, this can be done on a DOS-capable system, or on a system running a Linux-like operating system.
To make a diskette under MS-DOS, use the rawrite utility included on the Red Hat Linux CD in the dosutils directory. First, label a blank, formatted 3.5-inch diskette appropriately ("Boot Diskette," "Supplemental Diskette," etc). Insert it into the diskette drive. Then, use the following commands (assuming your CD is drive d:):
C:\> d: D:\> cd \dosutils D:\dosutils> rawrite Enter disk image source file name: ..\images\boot.img Enter target diskette drive: a: Please insert a formatted diskette into drive A: and press --ENTER-- : Enter D:\dosutils> |
rawrite first asks you for the filename of a diskette image; enter the directory and name of the image you wish to write (for example, ..\images\boot.img). Then rawrite asks for a diskette drive to write the image to; enter a:. Finally, rawrite asks for confirmation that a formatted diskette is in the drive you've selected. After pressing Enter to confirm, rawrite copies the image file onto the diskette. If you need to make another diskette, label another diskette, and run rawrite again, specifying the appropriate image file.