Re: installing debian 10 without a cd and without usb but could use ethernet

[Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk>]

On Thu 21 Jan 2021 at 13:06:25 -0800, Dan Hitt wrote:

> On Thu, Jan 21, 2021 at 12:29 PM Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> wrote:
>
> > On Thu 21 Jan 2021 at 09:34:56 -0800, Dan Hitt wrote:
> >
> > > On Thu, Jan 21, 2021 at 3:33 AM Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> wrote:
> > >
> > > > On Wed 20 Jan 2021 at 20:31:53 -0800, Dan Hitt wrote:
> > > >
> > > > [...]
> > > >
> > > > >     menuentry "debian-10-iso" {
> > > > >         set isofile="/USER/iso/debian-10.7.0-amd64-xfce-CD-1.iso"
> > > > >         loopback loop (hd0,gptNN)$isofile
> > > > >         linux (loop)/install.amd/vmlinuz boot=install.amd
> > > > > iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
> > > > >         initrd (loop)/install.amd/initrd.gz
> > > > >     }
> > > >
> > > > This technique is doomed to failure. debian-10.7.0-amd64-xfce-CD-1.iso
> > > > needs to be mounted when it is found. However, the installer's initrd
> > > > does not contain a loop module, so this is not possible.
> > > >
> > > > David Wright's advice to use the hd-media kernel and initrd is your way
> > > > forward. The simplest GRUB stanza possible is
> > > >
> > > >    menuentry 'Debian 10' {
> > > >    linux /boot/vmlinuz
> > > >    initrd /boot/initrd.gz
> > > >    }
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Brian.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > Brian, thanks so much for your advice.  Thank you also Felix, David, and
> > > Bastien --- i need to study what you have all written.
> > >
> > > However, Brian's final stanza is so simple that i can ask a question
> > about
> > > it immediately.
> > >
> > > And that is: how can grub2 or any other software know what partition
> > > '/boot' refers to?
> >
> > You said originally:
> >
> >   > I have a machine that currently has linux mint 16.04 on it
> >
> > I assummed that that this was the only partition and that vmlinuz and
> > initrd.gz would go in /boot. How many partitions do you have?
> >
>
> Thanks Brian for your mail.
>
> I didn't mean to imply that linux mint 16.04 was the only OS on the
> machine, or that there was only one partition.

But you did say

  > I have a machine that currently has linux mint 16.04 on it.

That installation will be on (hdX,msdosY). So

    menuentry 'Debian 10' {
    linux (hdX,msdosY)/boot/vmlinuz
    initrd (hdX,msdosY)/boot/initrd.gz
    }

or use a "search" line.

-- 
Brian.