How to install Scientific Linux without install media

You've wondered to yourself, how are you going to install your old machine. It only has a floppy disk, the cd-rom is really flaky, it doesn't have any removable media, or you just are in the mood to install without a floppy disk or cd-rom.

Well, you're in luck cuz that is what this is about.

First, get your install files.
The easiest way to get these is in your distribution pxeboot area. This is usually found at
ftp://linux.fnal.gov/linux/<distribution>/<arch>/sites/Fermi/images/pxeboot/
The files that you want are vmlinux, and initrd.img
So, for our example here is what we would get
ftp://linux.fnal.gov/linux/lts304/i386/sites/Fermi/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz
ftp://linux.fnal.gov/linux/lts304/i386/sites/Fermi/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
and for our example, we are saving them in the directory
/tmp/304/

Second,

If you are using GRUB
edit your grub.conf file

Below are some example entries you can make, or you can make them all.

This is just plain, you get asked all questions, including what language, keyboard, where to install from.
title Install LTS 304 plain
    root (hd0,0)
    kernel /tmp/304/vmlinuz site=Fermi
    initrd /tmp/304/initrd.img

This will be just like you would get from the network install cd.
title Install LTS 304 nfs
    root (hd0,0)
    kernel /tmp/304/vmlinuz keymap=us lang=en_US.UTF-8 method=nfs:linux.fnal.gov:/export/linux/lts304/i386 site=Fermi
    initrd /tmp/304/initrd.img

This will be just like the network install cd, but will do an ftp based install instead of a nfs one. (Note: ftp based installs are text only, no graphics)
title Install LTS 304 nfs
    root (hd0,0)
    kernel /tmp/304/vmlinuz keymap=us lang=en_US.UTF-8 method=ftp://linux.fnal.gov/linux/lts304/i386 site=Fermi
    initrd /tmp/304/initrd.img

This will not work in our example. This is because the install image is Scientific Linux Fermi, yet we don't have a 'site=Fermi' in our options. This will work if you downloaded a plain Scientific Linux install files, but you will only be able to install Scientific Linux, but will not get any of the Fermi stuff.

title Install LTS 304 plain
    root (hd0,0)
    kernel /tmp/304/vmlinuz
    initrd /tmp/304/initrd.img

If you are using LILO
edit your /etc/lilo.conf and then rerun lilo (/sbin/lilo)
Below are some sample entries you can make.
image=/tmp/304/vmlinuz-install
    label=install
    initrd=/tmp/304/initrd-install.img
    append="site=Fermi"

image=/tmp/304/vmlinuz-install
    label=install
    initrd=/tmp/304/initrd-install.img
    append="keymap=us lang=en_US.UTF-8 method=nfs:linux.fnal.gov:/export/linux/lts304/i386 site=Fermi"

image=/tmp/304/vmlinuz-install
    label=install
    initrd=/tmp/304/initrd-install.img
    append="keymap=us lang=en_US.UTF-8 method=ftp://linux.fnal.gov/linux/lts304/i386 site=Fermi"

Third, reboot, and select your install line from the boot menu.

And vola'... you are done