CentOS 5 minimal install

Last week I had to do sort of forensics on a Linux server.
Usually, I don't deal with this -I can't recall the last time I have installed Linux on a production server-, on a normal situation, the server is already handled to me installed, and I work remotely on it; matter of fact, there are a lot of the servers I work with that I have never saw "in the flesh", and that I never will.

But, last week, I had the chance to do a recovery on a server, actually... More than a recovery, it was a forensic re-install, or more like actually, a reinstall :D
One of the 3 HDDs died, taking along the whole RAID setup, but, on that LAN there were other servers that took over, so now rush not damage was done with the missing server.

The thing is, thanks to this, I was able to test a something, the newest release of CentOS comes in 6 CDs, and there is not a "Server CD" like they used to offer on the CentOS 4 release.

I read on the CentOS site, that there is an option to do a minimal install without all the CDs.

When you reach the package selection part of the install, deselect the "Gnome Desktop" and choose "Customize now".
On the next screen, deselect every single program, even the "Base" one.



I have tested this on 2 different, very different, boxes; without a single problem. After this, you'll have to install, via yum, what ever program you need, but you'll have a leaner system, not to mention that you'll install CentOS 5 on a jiffy.