Installing AROS without DVD reader

[Nonefornow]

I wanted to install AROS (Icaros desktop) on another old Dell Optiplex. 

However the internal DVD reader in this computer does not seem to work.  I replaced the DVD reader and the cables but still no success. 

So I was wondering if there are any workarounds to install AROS without a DVD reader.

Maybe from an external DVD reader or an USB stick? Any help is appreciated.   

Thank you.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Yes you can use an External DVD or a Pendrive (recommended)

For the Pendrive there are USB images that you can write directly to a Pendrive, read the directions on the Distro you intend to install.

[magorium]

As indicated by AMIGASYSTEM there are special USB pendrive images that you can (raw) write to a USB-Pendrive.


For icaros desktop in particular that image can be found on the download page of icaros desktop and is named Icaros Desktop Light Pendrive which links to this file. Do read the instructions though because that particular image has an additional 512 byte header that is not recognized b y all USB raw image file writer utilities. If you can use the software that paolone recommends to use.

In case you wish to create your own 'image' in case a AROS distribution (such as for example a nightly) does not have a separate USB pendrive image, then i would recommend to use another machine that is capable of running virtualisation software such as vmware/virtual box, boot the AROS ISO file in a virtual machine, and raw mount a USB pendrive that you want to install AROS to. Detailed instructions on how to setup such a Virtual Machine can be read in the Icaros Desktop Manual and is only used to create an AROS  USB pendrive (installation of AROS into the VM itself isn't necessary).

AROS requires that the USB pendrive is formatted using a Amiga (compatible) filesystem and the installation process takes care of that for you automatically. It is also the reason that many USB writing software is not capable of supporting AROS (so do not try to use utilities such as rufus etc to 'burn' the ISO file to an USB pendrive as it simply will not work. Most of those tools do handle special crafted USB pendrive/flashdrive images correctly.

In case you run into issues then please report back, because that is the only way we can try to help you out. The process is not a 100% guarantee to work for your particular used hardware but usually works on machines that supports legacy/BIOS USB boot.

edit: Some clarifications added.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

512 byte header that is not recognized b y all USB raw image file writer utilities.

In order not to get a large USB image, I use a 4GB Pendrive, this way if you burn the image to a larger Pendrive, the remaining space (partition) you can format it in Fat32 and use it for data exchange between AROS and Other OS.

However, I encountered a strange thing between "Rufus" and "Etcher", the 4GB image created with "Rufus", if you burn with "Etcher", this program requires a little extra space.

 In practice the same Pendrive used to generate the image with "Rufus" turns out to be small for "Etcher" but correct for "Rufus", to solve this you have to use a slightly larger Pendrive.

In any case the burning is successful with both programs, my Distribution starts perfectly, there are also other programs that correctly burn the USB image I created.

[Nonefornow]

Rather than "burning" the ISO would it be the same if I extract it using winzip and then copy all the contents to a USB stick? 

[AMIGASYSTEM]

No because the ISO contains the native AROS Bootloader, and as if you wanted to boot an Amiga floppy without the initialization (write bootloader), basically the ISO generates a "native AROS" Bootable DVD

In any case it is easier to write the USB image where in addition to including the USB peripheral specific bootloader, you create it in a few minutes, a copy as you asked for in addition to not working would take so much time