[vox-tech] Debian Net Install Question

[Peter Jay Salzman]

On Wed 05 Jan 05,  4:04 PM, Robert G. Scofield <rscofield at afes.com> said:
> On Wednesday 05 January 2005 15:10, Peter Jay Salzman wrote:
> > 
> > Also, just to make sure the iso file isn't corrupted, do:
> >
> >    file sarge-i386-netinst.iso
> >
> 
> That's interesting because it says the CD is bootable.  But I think I need to 
> try the suggestions of Marc and Jonathan.  I did choose "data CD" and I don't 
> remember if I chose "iso."  I've got to get to a meeting.  I'll try to 
> re-burn later tonight, or tomorrow.
 
Don't forget Rick's idea.  md5sum was invented (partially) for this very
purpose!
 
> > and do (as root):
> >
> >    mount -o loop sarge-i386-netinst.iso /mnt
> >    ls /mnt
> 
> I found this to be a fascinating command.  It shows a lot of files and 
> directories that do not show up if I mount the CD itself in the regular 
> manner.  And those files suggest ways to boot by way of a floppy should the 
> CD not boot.  I don't know what this command does exactly, but it's nice.

An ISO image is a filesystem, just like root and /home.  Whereas root and
/home are on your hard drive as ext3 (or reiserfs) filesystems,
sarg-i386-net.inst.iso is a filesystem contained within a file using the
iso9660 filesystem.

Having a filesystem in an actual *file* may sound wierd, but it's not so
wierd when you consider that your home partition resides in a "file" called
/dev/hdb2 (or whatever).  Everything is a file.

You can mount iso9660 filesystems just like you can mount root and /home.
The difference is, you need to tell mount to handle it a bit differently,
because it IS different.  "-o loop" tells mount to do a "loop mount" of a
file called "sarge-i386-netinst.iso" onto the /mnt directory.

A very useful command to know.

> So here's a question.  When one is done with this command, does one issue
> some

You can umount loop mounted images just like you can umount "regular"
filesystems.  Just "umount /mnt".

Pete

-- 
The mathematics of physics has become ever more abstract, rather than more
complicated.  The mind of God appears to be abstract but not complicated.
He also appears to like group theory.  --  Tony Zee's "Fearful Symmetry"

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