Looking for a HOW-TO to ftp install linux

[Kevin Buettner]

On Jun 7,  4:12pm, Mark Berkwitt wrote:

> I just downloaded Red Hat 6.2 using ftp.  In spite of my cable modem it
> still took a long time.  I would like to ask about an ftp installation
> because I've never done it that way and it sounds like it should be quicker.
> Is it possible to select the features, video card drivers, applications, etc
> and then download only those files needed for that config?  It would save me
> time and hard drive space if I could.  In fact it would eliminate a
> partition I use to first download to before I install.

I've done FTP (and even NFS) installs before.  The way I usually do it,
I first download the distribution to a harddrive on one of my local
machines.  Then I create a boot floppy for the distribution.  After
booting, you have to pick the install media.  If you pick a network
install, you can install via ftp or a number of other means.  Again,
since I've downloaded the files to one of my local machines, I
specify the IP address of that machine and then the installation is
fairly quick.  (Sometimes quicker than off a CD.)

I've also, on at least one occasion, installed via ftp where I didn't
first download the entire distribution to a local machine.  This is
good because you can pick the packages you want to install and then
the installer grabs just the ones that are needed and transfers those. 
Usually though, the ftp sites that I get the distributions from are so
busy that I can't expect this to complete in a timely manner.  (It's
no fun having your install die partway through because of an ftp
timeout.)

Kevin