Installing CentOS 6.3 from a USB mass storage device

I've done A LOT of research on this issue and I have finally been able to create a bootable USB to use for installing CentOS.

1. Download the Centos DVD for your system.
   
   (Optional: You can run the md5sum command on your download and compare the hash against that stored on the server)
2. Clear the USB (NOTE: This is assuming your device is sdb!!! Double check, otherwise you may wipe your hard-drive!!!):
   
   

   sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb bs=512 count=1

3. Make it bootable (you can type in 'm' to show a help menu):
   
   

   sudo fdisk /dev/sdb
   >n
   >p
   >1
   >(default)
   >(default)
   >a
   >1
   >t
   >c
   >w

4. Format the partition:
   
   

   sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb1

5. Download the livecd bash script and make it executable:
   
   

   wget http://git.fedorahosted.org/cgit/livecd/plain/tools/livecd-iso-to-disk.sh
   chmod +x livecd-iso-to-disk.sh

6. Install the software required by the script:
   
   

   sudo apt-get install isomd5sum syslinux extlinux

7. Run the script:
   
   

   sudo ./livecd-iso-to-disk.sh [your-dvd-iso] /dev/sdb1

8.  Insert your USB device and run!

Further reading

• The Fedora project hosting livecd tools
• This stackexchange guide

 You can also see my other related articles:

• Setting up a CentOS 6.2 web server: Installation
• Setting up a CentOS 6.2 web server: Software and package integrity and installation
• Setting up a CentOS 6.2 web server: Securing the file system