curl > dev/sda: How I made a Linux distro that runs `wget | dd` https://astrid.tech/2026/03/24/0/curl-to-dev-sda/

[nixcraft@mastodon.social]

curl > dev/sda: How I made a Linux distro that runs `wget | dd` https://astrid.tech/2026/03/24/0/curl-to-dev-sda/

[agowa338@chaos.social]

@nixCraft This is how we usually install windows in case the IPMI is too shitty to use the ISO (as it keeps disconnecting or causing read errors while the setup is trying to copy stuff from it to disk).

All you need for that to work is install windows in a VM but turn the VM off at first reboot and then use that raw disk image form qemu as source and have it written to disk through a minimalistic linux live iso (or pxe boot).

[rhempel@cosocial.ca]

@nixCraft Nice! Bonus points for the webring (ok, I'm old) links at the bottom of the page.

[xfranky@ioc.exchange]

@nixCraft as it turns out, we do something slightly similar at work, downloading an iso in memory from a custom initram and booting it (still in memory), with some extra security and safety checks in between.

[someone_else@infosec.exchange]

@nixCraft