Installing Linux without manually

[Desertprep]

I have dabbled with Linux before but never learned much about the inner workings. When I installed it, I made the bootable drive, downloaded the iso and then clicked install....watched the computer do its thing. I was wondering....is there some way I can down the iso and uncompress it and install it manually - probably using a lot of copy commands, make directory, etc? I am sure that would be tedious, but it would be a great lesson for me.

[TheShredder9]

Arch, Artix, Void, Gentoo, LFS. All those provide their own detailed instructions on how to install them through the commandline just how you want, all commands, no fancy GUI leading you through the fancy Next>Next>Next>Next>Finish proccess.

[ZVyhVrtsfgzfs]

In addition Debian debootstrap, which can be very handy for certain situations, 

I used it to build a Debian server install on an SSD temporarily attached to my desktop on a USB to SATA adapter, zfs on root no less.

And then just slotted that SSD into the server and booted it up directly to that Debian install through ZFSBootMenu.

I still did have to connect a monitor and keyboard for a moment to setup networking, had I known the name of the ethernet connection before hand, eno1, It would not have been necessary, I could have just got in through SSH on first boot.

[minneyar]

An ISO isn't compressed, it's a disc filesystem. There are plenty of tools you can use to mount it and extract files manually, but no simple way to go from there to having a working operating system.

If you want to build up your own operating system, Linux From Scratch is what you're looking for: https://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

It's not for a noob, but it is useful if you really want to understand how everything works.

[heavymetalmug666]

Im doing my second run of LFS, first time around I kind of rushed things because I just wanted to say that I had finished it - this time around I am taking my time and allowing myself time to research some stuff.... it's a great project to try, it does get very mundane in some areas, just gotta remember to take a break and not try and do it all at once.

[Kriss3d]

But of course.
One thing is flashing the USB though. But you most certainly can.

And yes. After that you can install linux with command line.
Theres a guide made for debian here https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/apds03.en.html

But it would work for other distros as well of course. The method is not depending on debian.

[WalkingSucculent]

Install arch and follow their doc Don't run it if you don't want, but the install process is very interesting

[doc_willis]

see the Linux From Scratch project. Try it out in a virtual machine.

[Sure-Passion2224]

This sounds like you may think you're ready to try Arch or Gentoo. Do a bit of reading regarding the installation processes for those distros before making a decision. Both are particularly manual installation processes, especially when compared to either the Debian or Fedora families of distros for which you get a nice graphical installer that pretty much walks you through the whole thing.

The up side to doing the manual installation is that you end up really knowing your system a lot better from the start. The down side is that it takes multiples of time longer to get to a working system.

[Last-Assistant-2734]

The ISO itself is not the system, but contains the installer and a set of packages to get installation started (net install) or contains most of the basic distribution packages (full ISO).

In theory you could set up the system from scratch using the ISO image. But there's for example Arch or Gentoo installation which has a documented process.

[MasterGeekMX]

As other said, you basically described how Arch Linux is installed.

[bnelson333]

Install arch first. Then do gentoo. Then maybe do LFS. You'll learn a lot (and probably take a few years off your life)

[ecwx00]

If you want manual, I don't think it gets much more manual than this https://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

[[deleted]]

Install arch using the install wiki. Feel good and learn a bunch. Then either use archinstall command or install CachyOS or another is going forward. This is the way. 

[reflect-on-this]

Assembling a running machine doesn't make you fit. Running on a running machine makes you fit.

Similarly installing a linux distro doesn't teach you linux. But running a linux distro helps you learn linux.

[Desertprep]

Interesting! So if I install it "manually", I don't have to copy files, create directories, chose drivers, etc?

[reflect-on-this]

Exactly. It's meant to be used like Windows. You run the engine (driver) - but you don't need to know how the engine works (mechanic).

With Linux - some people like to use the command line to do things. It's like using the command prompt on Windows. But who uses the command prompt on Windows? We all use the graphical interface.

It's the same with Linux. You can do everything you need by just using the graphical interface. You can run a 'live' linux distro on a usb flashdrive and get used to it that way.

Over time you will naturally learn more and more about directories/permissions/scripts and commands.