Red Hat Bugzilla – Bug 108705
Idea for a better Installer - Live-Installation a la Knoppix
Last modified: 2007-11-30 17:10:32 EST
Description of problem: This is a feature request. I don't know if it placed correctly here, but nonetheless, i think i have a good idea and i want to share it with the developpers: What about including an option into the install routine to boot fedora/redhat before installing, just like knoppix. i can imagine 2 possibilities: 1. an option to boot fedora into a fully running system in the "hit "return" to start installation" window (like typing "live-install" to boot up the system from cd instead of installing directly). that would be great for sysadmins like me who want to check if fedora workes in a specific computer before installing it. that would be a minor visible change, a nice feature for those who use it. 2. a truly 21st century installing method: insert cd 1, boot into a fully running fedora core/redhat, that has already probed for every device on your system (just like knoppix) and that gives you the option to see and solve possible problems BEFORE installing the distro. imagine the install-process being what redhat-firstboot is now - but before the damn thing is installed! :-) advantage: visibly better installing method vs. windows. a really cool new feature that could be a nice selling argument. i imagine that most of the current installation programs (e.g. anaconda) could be used in this context too. so not too much work. disadvantage: hmm... i don't know how difficult it is to add these "knoppix-features" into a normal fedora/redhat-install cd. well, i am not a programmer. could be a lot of programming problems. you gotta tell me what reasons there are that would make this a bad idea :-) Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): How reproducible: Steps to Reproduce: 1. 2. 3. Actual results: Expected results: Additional info:
I have been very impressed with Knoppix, and I've been using every version of Redhat since 4.2. I booted up from the Knoppix CD, hit return key at prompt. Knoppix detected all of my hardware, connected me to the internet, played startup sounds, brought up a nice graphical desktop. And it has a bunch of great software too! The Knoppix approach is a great way to get people started with linux/open source. I used to give away Redhat CD's but they were mostly wasted. People did not want to go through the multiple CD install/hard drive partition/bootloader configuration routine. I've given away some Knoppix CD's and people have been able to try out linux/open source in a fast simple and safe way. Some of these people have then gone on to do a regular linux installation. Perhaps there could be a single CD version of fedora similar to Knoppix. New users could try the software out safely, learn about it's capabilities, and then migrate to fedora core when they are ready.
Some of the stateless linux work allows the creation of a live CD.