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automated install using preseeding

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  automated install using preseeding Sivaram Neelakantan <nsivaram.net@gmail.com> - 2016-09-26 19:10 +0200
    Re: automated install using preseeding "Andrew M.A. Cater" <amacater@galactic.demon.co.uk> - 2016-09-26 19:30 +0200

#172817 — automated install using preseeding

Is there any documentation on how to do an automated install of debian
testing?  I've done a manual install of debian in a VM and would like
to automate the process.  I've read the debian admin manual
(appendices) and I'm afraid it's a bit over my head.  Is there any
site/link that explains something like(not sure of all the steps)

-- start VM with a netinstall iso and do a manual install of debian test
-- generate a preseed file of currently installed debs on the debian
   test install
-- edit preseed file to add additional software say, Emacs, vim, R
-- create an iso with preseed file and currently installed packages
-- shutdown VM
-- rerun VM pointing to the newly created ISO which should do an
   automated install
-- if it stops or asks for input, cancel install, edit preseed file,
   fix the issue and recreate iso and do install again

>From reading the docs, some which are quite outdated, I think those
are the steps?  This is the simplest I can get to.  If I dig deeper,
things like ansible, puppet, vagrant start cropping up which seems
like months of learning before I can even start a custom auto
installable iso.


sivaram
-- 

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#172820

On Mon, Sep 26, 2016 at 10:34:18PM +0530, Sivaram Neelakantan wrote:
> Is there any documentation on how to do an automated install of debian
> testing?  I've done a manual install of debian in a VM and would like
> to automate the process.  I've read the debian admin manual
> (appendices) and I'm afraid it's a bit over my head.  Is there any
> site/link that explains something like(not sure of all the steps)
> 
> -- start VM with a netinstall iso and do a manual install of debian test
> -- generate a preseed file of currently installed debs on the debian
>    test install
> -- edit preseed file to add additional software say, Emacs, vim, R
> -- create an iso with preseed file and currently installed packages
> -- shutdown VM
> -- rerun VM pointing to the newly created ISO which should do an
>    automated install
> -- if it stops or asks for input, cancel install, edit preseed file,
>    fix the issue and recreate iso and do install again
> 

Write the netinst to a CD / USB.

Perform an install using the "expert" mode - perhaps as text only.

Add the extra software files you need - so emacs and R

Check the install works as wanted.

Read up on preseed in the installation manual - you do probably need auto
as a mode to auto install the software you want without prompts.

If you need to install a full desktop, you might want to start with the
full DVD 1 so that you have less to download.

If you want to do much of this completely automatically from one .iso
you might want to ad the preseed.cfg into the initrd.

Alternatively, it is fairly straightforward to set up a PXE server.

Preseed isn't perfect for very detailed installation - hence the recommendations
for ansible/puppet/vagrant for very specific configuration in fine detail.

> >From reading the docs, some which are quite outdated, I think those
> are the steps?  This is the simplest I can get to.  If I dig deeper,
> things like ansible, puppet, vagrant start cropping up which seems
> like months of learning before I can even start a custom auto
> installable iso.
> 
> 
> sivaram
> -- 

Hope this helps,

Andy C

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