Is there any way to install a bootloader on a blank ATMega328 using an arduino without connecting to a computer. I want to make standalone device to program a bunch of blank chips with bootloader and possible a sketch.
Optiloader does that. Nick Gammon and adafruit both have improved versions that do it better.
Yes it is.
Yes - see Nick's take on doing that here:
DJChugz:
Is there any way to install a bootloader on a blank ATMega328 using an arduino without connecting to a computer. I want to make standalone device to program a bunch of blank chips with bootloader and possible a sketch.
So, if you ever want to just duplicate boot loader, fuses, eeprom, flash.... All at once, you can do it this way using a PC and Windows batch:
AVR duplicator script
Ray