Install From USB

	Skill level: Medium
	The instructions on this page require a basic knowledge of linux.

SME Server 9

As of SME Server 9 a hybrid ISO image is used for creating bootable installation media. Note that not all USB Disk Creation software can properly handle this type of image (yet).

Requirements

• Bootable USB Disk - 2GB is sufficient
• SME Image of your choice - eg SME 9 RC1 smeserver-9.0rc1-i386.iso or smeserver-9.0rc1-x86_64.iso
• For Windows:
  • Fedora Live-USB Creator: https://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator/
• For Linux:
  • The dd command is used from the commandline
• For OS X:
  • The dd command is used from the commandline

Creating the USB stick on Windows

• Insert USB Device and note the drive-letter used for it by Windows
• Fire-up the the Fedora Live-USB Creator
• Click 'Browse' to use and existing Live CD and select the downloaded SME Server ISO
• Under 'Target Device' be sure to select the right USB Device
• Click 'Create Live USB'

Creating the USB stick on Linux

• Insert USB device
• Go to the commandline
• If the USB device gets automatically mounted, unmount it first.
  PAY ATTENTION! Be sure to use the right device.

umount /dev/sdX

Where sdX is your USB device name.

• Write the ISO to the USB device and make sure buffered data is written to disk.
  WARNING! Be sure to pick the right device as you might destroy your system when wrong!!

dd if=FILENAME.ISO of=/dev/sdX
sync

Again where sdX is your USB device name.

Creating the USB stick on OS X

• Insert USB Device
• Start the 'Terminal' program (Finder → Applications → Utilities)
• Find out what device name is your USB stick

diskutil list

• Unmount the USB device.
  PAY ATTENTION! Be sure to use the right device.

diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX

Where diskX is your USB device name.

• Write the ISO to the USB device and make sure buffered data is written to disk.
  WARNING! Be sure to pick the right device as you might destroy your system when wrong!!

dd if=FILENAME.ISO of=/dev/diskX
sync

Again where diskX is your USB device name.

Usage

Boot your server from USB device and when you get the 'Installation Method' dialog-box choose: Harddisk → sda1

SME Server 8

Requirements

• Bootable USB Disk - 2GB is sufficient
• SME Image of your choice - eg SME 8 smeserver-8.0-i386.iso or smeserver-8.0-x86_64.iso
• USB Disk Creation Software
  • http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
  • http://liveusb.info/dotclear/index.php?

Note: Using Windows 7, should work on XP and later

Note: Multisystem can be used on Windows and/or Linux, as can unetbootin :D

Creating USB stick

• Insert USB device
• Run the Software
• Point to the SME ISO file

Using

On your new Hardware ...

1. Boot from USB
2. Select Install from Hard Disk
3. Choose Partition

• • Generally it will be the last partition
  • it was /dev/sda1 when no partition, sde1 when I re-installed on the HP Microserver
  • leave the path blank

Make the USB-key with UNetbootin

	Note:
	5th July 2013: I found that unetbootin-windows-585.exe expanded the smeserver-8.0-i386.iso onto the USB stick (creating the directory structure etc), thus there was no .iso image to be found at the select an image point in the install process. I simply copied the smeserver-8.0-i386.iso into the USB sticks root directory.

• USB Disk In
• Run Unetbootin
• Point to the SME ISO file
• Wait until Unetbooting has finished
• Simply copy the smeserver-8.0-i386.iso into the USB sticks root directory.

Then

• Boot from USB
• Select Install from Hard Disk
• Choose Partition
  • Generally it will be the last partition
  • it was /dev/sda1 when no partition, sde1 when I re-installed on the HP Microserver
  • leave the path blank

	Warning:
	you don't have the boot menu where you can pass special commands on raid, no lvm...

Make the USB-key with Multisystem

Multisystem is a useful tool when you want to get several isos on your usb key, see multisystem

The installation is quite easy, drag and drop the iso in the below appropriate place, give the password of the user who needs the sudo right...it is nearly finished.

• USB Disk In
• Run multisystem
• Point to the SME ISO file
• Wait that multisystem is finished
• Simply copy the smeserver-8.0-i386.iso into the USB sticks root directory.

Then

• Boot from USB, select the right O.S you want to start.
• Optional : At boot prompt if you want to give some options to install sme in a particular way, you have to select the SME Server menu and press "e"

Then you need to find the line

linux (loop)/isolinux/vmlinux linux repo=hd:

and insert your option line like this :

linux (loop)/isolinux/vmlinux nolvm ext4 linux repo=hd:

All Booting options can be find in the wiki. once done, you can press ctrl+x or F10 to launch the installation.

• Select Install from Hard Disk
• Choose Partition
  • Generally it will be the last partition
  • it was /dev/sda1 when no partition, sde1 when I re-installed on the HP Microserver
  • leave the path blank

References

• http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
• SME Server USB installer topic in the Contribs forums
• http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/GrubInstallation

Long Live SME ...

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