HD Install :: something like a "restore partition"

I had some old computers with no cdrom-drives attached. I temporarily attached a cdrom drive in order to install DSL.
Then I detached my cdrom-drive and gave the computers to some friends.

Now my problem is, some of my friends have a habit of messing up DSL, and since they don't have a cdrom-drive there is no easy way for them to reinstall it.

Now my question: can i somehow put the installation files of DSL on another partition, that can be CALLED UPON when needed, - that is - something that would make it reinstall DSL.

For example with Dell computers, you can press something like F11, and then you get the option of reinstalling windows (from some backup/restore partition Dell made).

Is this possible with DSL?

Thx in advance.

It would be piles easier if you did frugal install...then you could just overwrite the KNOPPIX file.

I suppose you could include the KNOPPIX file, and to fix it you could mount the file and copy the mounted file system over the existing system. This may overwrite some user-installed files, though.

Thx for the answer mikshaw!
The problem is that when I do a frugal install, it runs much slower than an ordinary hd-install (on a 166 mhz, 32 mb ram machine).
With a hd-install it takes around 10-20 seconds to open Firefox.
Frugal default install, takes around 10 minutes to open Firefox.
If i add a swap-partition to the Frugal installation, then it "only" takes a few minutes (but still far longer than the normal hd-install).

You can have your hard drive install and also make a small partiton for DSL frugal. You could use grub to menu select either one. In fact with the lastest RC you could even use gag bootloader and password protect the frugal lilo partition.

In either case when you enter the frugal partition at the boot prompt type install. Then you can re-install a regular hard drive install to the normal larger partition.

There you have it. A restore partition.

Thx for the answer Roberts!

I installed it via hd-install then, with grub.

So now I should install it via the frugal-method to a new linux-partition, right?

And then I should configure grub to somehow point to the frugal-partition, cos else it will just see the hd-install in the menu right ?

(sounds like good suggestions, i just want to be sure im doing them like intended).

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