Re: Installing netbsd on another drive using existing installation

[Mayuresh <mayuresh%acm.org@localhost>]

On Thu, Nov 17, 2011 at 12:43:02PM +0100, Ian D. Leroux wrote:
> On Thursday, November 17, 2011 4:55 PM, "Mayuresh" 
> <mayuresh%acm.org@localhost>
> wrote:
> > Now I want to install NetBSD on internal HDD of this computer by
> > booting it using this external HDD with NetBSD.
> >
> > Is there any way to do that?
> 
> Yes; it's just like any other installation.  Boot with external hard
> drive, then use the utilities of the running system to fdisk(1),
> newfs(1), installboot(1), and mount(1) the internal hard drive, then
> copy over the required files.  It may be possible to run sysinst from
> the external hard drive to automate or guide you through the process
> (I've never tried), but you can also do it by hand.  None of the steps
> are terribly difficult, though several are intimidating the first time
> through. If you tell us more specifically what you're concerned about we
> might be able to supply more precise advice.
> 
> --IDL

This sounds good to me and good to such an extent that even if my CD
drive works now, I'd prefer this method now!

The scary area for me will be:

1. This computer has 2 internal HDDs. I want to make sure I get it right.
(I can play safe by disconnecting the other one, but first would try to be
brave and try to identify the right one during installation. Fortunately
their sizes are different. So there is at least one sound clue.)

2. sysinstall does partitioning stuff - identifying right sizes for
various slices etc - well. I believe that will take some inputs for me if
to be done manually.

Other areas are nitty-gritties of commands. But I think I'll find some
documentation on that.

Mayuresh.