For Rocky / Alma / RHEL 9

This is how to do a minimal installation of Enterprise Linux 9. We are using Rocky Linux, but the instructions should also work for Alma Linux 9 and RHEL 9

1. Grab the Boot ISO from https://rockylinux.org/download
2. Boot the CD, choose “Install Rocky Linux 9.1”
3. Choose your language, click continue
4. Choose “Installation Destination”, choose “Storage Configuration” → “Custom”, click “Done”
5. Create partitions as you wish, click “Done”
6. Back in the Installation summary choose “Software selection”
7. choose “Custom Operating System” (Note: this is even smaller than the “Minimal Installation” option)
8. Create a User account by clicking at “User Creation”
9. Click “Done”, then “Begin Installation”
10. When finished click “Reboot System”

After installation login and become root and execute the following commands

systemctl mask systemd-hostnamed
dnf update
# replace dnf with microdnf, a more lightweight and faster implementation of dnf
dnf install microdnf
ln -sf /usr/bin/microdnf /usr/bin/dnf
dnf upgrade
 
# remove unnecessary packages
dnf remove firewalld
dnf remove audit
dnf-3 remove NetworkManager*
dnf install dhcp-client
echo "dhclient eth0" >> /etc/rc.d/rc.local #replace eth0 with your network interface
chmod +x /etc/rc.d/rc.local

Then reboot. Congratulation, you have now the smallest EL 9 system possible.