Slackware as a Linux rescue environment

• Download from one of the Slackware mirrors the kernel and initrd image, which Slackware uses for the installation:

http://mirrors.slackware.com/slackware/slackware64-14.2/kernels/huge.s/bzImage

http://mirrors.slackware.com/slackware/slackware64-14.2/isolinux/initrd.img

It is possible to use bzImage from a different Slackware version (e.g., -current), in this case the directory /lib/modules/X.X.X/ inside initrd.img must be upgraded to the same version (see next item for how to unpack initrd.img). This can be useful to support newer hardware.

• Unpack initrd image (as root):

# mkdir dir
# cd dir
# zcat ../initrd.img | cpio -di

• Chroot to dir and set a root password; exit chroot
• Add to the file dir/etc/hosts the ip address of a Slackware mirror that will be used for installation (since no nameserver will be accessible)
• Pack the modified initrd image: cd dir; find . | cpio -o -H newc | gzip -9fv > ../initrd.img
• Install a Linux distribution (e.g., Debian) on the remote server
• Put bzImage and initrd.img to /boot/slack/ directory on the remote server
• Overwrite the content of the file /boot/grub/grub.cfg with the following, mutatis mutandis:

set default=0
set timeout=0
set root='mduuid/b8608ac730803da4ddddedeb768a2e24'
menuentry "Slackware 14.1 install" {
  linux  /slack/bzImage  load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 rw \
                               printk.time=0 SLACK_KERNEL=huge.s \
         kbd=us nic=auto:eth0:static:198.51.100.85:26:198.51.100.65
  initrd /slack/initrd.img
}

where the network configuration is [ip-address]:[netmask]:[gateway]. For more options see

http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:slackware_admin:booting_install_from_hdd and

http://alien.slackbook.org/blog/remote-installation-of-slackware-using-ssh/

• Reboot, then run source /etc/profile
• Install Slackware in the usual way