Manually Install Tiny Core on a Hard Drive Without Being Connected to the Internet

This method may be used to install Tiny Core on the hard drive of a computer not connected to the internet. It may be used by people who don't have an internet connection. It may also be used by people using wireless or dial up internet connections, which can't be connected to the internet until after Tiny Core is installed.

There are other ways of installing Tiny Core, and new users may find them easier. See the Index.

This guide suggests options which may be used. This is to help people learning about this for the first time, who may not fully understand. There are also other options which may be used. You may set it up how you like.

Use the latest version of Tiny Core. New versions have additional features and improvements.

The Tiny Core CD.

The Parted Magic CD.

The grub-0.97-splash.tcz extension, as well as dependencies, and dependencies of dependencies. You need the .dep files, where extensions have them. If you plan to connect to the internet in the future, also include the .md5.txt files for each extension.

Download the latest version of Tiny Core from one of the mirrors, and write it to a CD.

Download the grub-0.97-splash.tcz extension, as well as dependencies, and dependencies of dependencies. You need the .dep files, where extensions have them. If you plan to connect to the internet in the future, also include the .md5.txt files for each extension. These may be downloaded from any of the websites above, under /3.x/tcz.

If you want other applications on the computer, you can also download them, for example, wireless internet drivers.

Download the latest version of Parted Magic.

Start the computer, running Parted Magic.

Before partitioning the hard drive, save a copy of all files you want to keep. All files on the hard drive will be lost.

Start the GParted Partition Editor.

Delete existing partitions.

If you plan to install only Tiny Core using the entire hard drive, make an Ext3 partition and a linux-swap partition.

Also see Partition a Hard Drive so you can Install more than one Operating System

You may need to mount the directory.

Open the file manager, create a new directory in the partition, and name it “tce.” Create a new directory in the tce directory, and name it “optional.”

Copy and paste all .tcz, .dep and .md5.txt files you downloaded to the /tce/optional directory.

Still running Parted Magic, put the Tiny Core CD in the drive. Still using the file manager, copy and paste Tiny Core (the directory “boot” and its contents) to the partition.

In this example, Tiny Core will be installed in sda1, which is the same as (hd0,0) in Grub. If you are install Tiny Core in another partition, change sda1 and (hd0,0) in all of the following.

Turn the computer off and restart it, running Tiny Core from the CD.

Open the AppBrowser. Click Local. Click grub-0.9.7-splash.tcz. Click OK

To start a root terminal, open the terminal and type:

sudo su

To create a directory for Grub, type:

mkdir -p /mnt/sda1/boot/grub

To copy files to grub, type:

cp -p /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/* /mnt/sda1/boot/grub

To start the file manager as root, open the terminal and type:

sudo fluff

Copy the directory /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc, including all of the files in it, to /mnt/sda1/boot. Rename “i386-pc” in /mnt/sda1/boot to “grub.”

Start the text editor as root by opening the terminal and typing:

sudo editor

Type the Tiny Core start commands in a new file, and save it with the name “menu.lst” in the directory “/mnt/sda1/boot/grub” (that is /mnt/sda1/boot/grub/menu.lst) (note “menu.lst” contains a lower case L, not a one).

The minimum Grub commands for Tiny Core are:

default 0
timeout 5

title   Tiny Core
root   (hd0,0)
kernel   /boot/bzImage quiet
initrd   /boot/tinycore.gz

Most people should include additional boot options, like this:

default 0
timeout 5

title   Tiny Core
root   (hd0,0)
kernel   /boot/bzImage quiet tce=sda1 opt=sda1 home=sda1 norestore
initrd   /boot/tinycore.gz

Other boot codes may also be added. For example, you can set the default resolution of the desktop by setting the “xvesa” parameter:

kernel   /boot/bzImage quiet xvesa=1280x800x24

The master boot record needs to be set up before Tiny Core can be started from the hard drive.

Open the Terminal and type:

sudo grub

After getting the Grub prompt, type:

root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)
quit

If you use a partition other than (hd0,0), change “root (hd0,0)” as appropriate.

When setting up the master boot record on a hard drive in a computer, leave “setup (hd0)” as it is (you may need to change it when setting up the master boot record on a removable drive, such as a USB drive).

If you now turn the computer off and restart, Tiny Core can be selected from the Grub menu and started. Remember to remove any CDs.

Have fun using Tiny Core.

If you have downloaded any extensions other than Grub, and copied them to /tce/optional, for example, wireless internet drivers, they need to be put in OnBoot or OnDemand, which can be done using Apps Audit.

Do not put dependencies in OnBoot or OnDemand. They will be automatically included.

For more information see Install Applications.

If you included the “norestore” boot option, backup will not be used.

If you install certain applications, you may want to save settings related to those applications. For example, if you install a printer, and want to save printer settings.

There are various ways to save settings.

1. The ideal method in most situations, is to make a new extension with settings. For more information, see Make Extensions for Settings.

2. Settings can also be saved in /opt. For an example of this, see Tiny Core Passwords.

3. Another option is to use backup. If you want to use backup, don't include the “norestore” boot option. Then edit /opt/.filetool.lst. If you are using persistent home and opt, delete all references to the home and opt directories. In the version I am using, that is everything. Add a list of files and directories you want backed up to /opt/.filetool.lst.

Also see Install Applications, Make Extensions for Settings, Backup and Backup when Installed on a Hard Drive.

These Grub commands may be used instead of those above.

title   Tiny Core
kernel   (hd0,0)/boot/bzImage quiet tce=sda1 opt=sda1 home=sda1 norestore
initrd   (hd0,0)/boot/tinycore.gz

The above method uses Grub Legacy. Some people may want to use Grub 2.

When using Grub 2 format the partition as Ext4.

Installing Grub 2 is very easy. Just grub-install

First, copy bzImage and tinycore.gz to /boot

Second, rename bzImage to vmlinuz-tinycore

Third, update-grub

Fourth, reboot

If you can't see the grub boot menu. Use shift (not esc as in grub-legacy)