How do I create a completely unattended install of Ubuntu?
So I did this. however with the new kickstart iso when I restart my ubunutu server I get the following error ubuntu failed to load file amd-ucode/microcode_amd.bin I tried to search for the file on my «regularly» installed ubunutu-server but I couldn’t find it.. and I don’t get the error message when I reboot it
For Ubuntu Desktop look here: askubuntu.com/questions/806820/…. The answer below wont work (and its unattributed source is here: askubuntu.com/a/932249/795299)
4 Answers 4
Remaster a CD, ie, download a non graphical ubuntu installation ISO (server or alternate installation CD), mount it
$ sudo su - # mkdir -p /mnt/iso # mount -o loop ubuntu.iso /mnt/iso Copy the relevant files to a different directory
# mkdir -p /opt/ubuntuiso # cp -rT /mnt/iso /opt/ubuntuiso Prevent the language selection menu from appearing
# cd /opt/ubuntuiso # echo en >isolinux/lang Use GUI program to add a kickstart file named ks.cfg
# apt-get install system-config-kickstart # system-config-kickstart # save file to ks.cfg To add packages for the installation, add a %package section to the ks.cfg kickstart file, append to the end of ks.cfg file something like this.
%packages @ ubuntu-server openssh-server ftp build-essential This will install the ubuntu-server «bundle», and will add the openssh-server , ftp and build-essential packages.
Add a preseed file, to suppress other questions
# echo 'd-i partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true d-i partman/choose_partition \ select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk d-i partman/confirm boolean true' > ks.preseed Set the boot command line to use the kickstart and preseed files
label install menu label ^Install Ubuntu Server kernel /install/vmlinuz append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet -- add ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg and preseed/file=/cdrom/ks.preseed to the append line. You can remove the quiet and vga=788 words. It should look like
append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed \ initrd=/install/initrd.gz \ ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg preseed/file=/cdrom/ks.preseed -- # mkisofs -D -r -V "ATTENDLESS_UBUNTU" \ -cache-inodes -J -l -b isolinux/isolinux.bin \ -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 \ -boot-info-table -o /opt/autoinstall.iso /opt/ubuntuiso That’s it. You’ll have a CD that would install an Ubuntu system once you boot from it, without requiring a single keystroke.
Thank you for the great explanation, very useful! I found however that one doesn’t need to specify the preseed file, just the filled in ks.cfg file was enough (also specified the partitions etc in there through kickstart). [ubuntu 10.04 64bit]
To bypass the need to press enter on boot change the timeout value from 0 to 10 in /isolinux/isolinux.cfg : timeout 10 Note that a value of 10 represents 1 second.
To install from a USB stick, you just need one more step to convert the ISO to a USB drive bootable format: # isohybrid path/to/image.iso
The instructions at this question cover the process for creating an EFI bootable ISO (like the official Ubuntu x86_64 ISO).:
The key differences are setting this as the preseed file:
d-i partman-auto/method string lvm d-i partman-auto-lvm/guided_size string max d-i partman-auto/choose_recipe select atomic d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true d-i partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true d-i partman/choose_partition select finish d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true d-i partman/confirm boolean true d-i partman-auto/purge_lvm_from_device boolean true d-i partman-lvm/device_remove_lvm boolean true d-i partman-lvm/confirm boolean true d-i partman-lvm/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select Guided - use entire disk and set up LVM d-i partman/choose_partition select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk d-i partman-auto-lvm/no_boot boolean true d-i partman-md/device_remove_md boolean true d-i partman-md/confirm boolean true d-i partman-md/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true Use this as the kickstart file:
lang en_US langsupport en_US keyboard us mouse timezone America/Los_Angeles rootpw --disabled user USERNAME --fullname "USERNAME" --password "PASSWORD" reboot text install cdrom auth --useshadow --enablemd5 network --bootproto=dhcp --device=eth0 firewall --disabled skipx %packages @ ubuntu-server openssh-server Edit the grub EFI boot configuration for the ISO:
sudo nano ~/ubuntu/boot/grub/grub.cfg if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then set gfxmode=auto insmod efi_gop insmod efi_uga insmod gfxterm terminal_output gfxterm fi set menu_color_normal=white/light-blue set menu_color_highlight=light-blue/light-gray set timeout=10 set default=0 menuentry "Automatically Install Ubuntu Server with Custom Config" < set gfxpayload=keep linux /install/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed quiet ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg preseed/file=/cdrom/ks.preseed -- initrd /install/initrd.gz >menuentry "OEM install (for manufacturers)" < set gfxpayload=keep linux /install/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed quiet oem-config/enable=true -- initrd /install/initrd.gz >menuentry "Multiple server install with MAAS" < set gfxpayload=keep linux /install/vmlinuz modules=maas-enlist-udeb vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet -- initrd /install/initrd.gz >menuentry "Check disc for defects" < set gfxpayload=keep linux /install/vmlinuz MENU=/bin/cdrom-checker-menu quiet -- initrd /install/initrd.gz >menuentry "Rescue a broken system" < set gfxpayload=keep linux /install/vmlinuz rescue/enable=true -- initrd /install/initrd.gz >Set isolinux/txt.cfg like this:
default install label install menu label ^Install Ubuntu Server with Custom Config kernel /install/vmlinuz append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed initrd=/install/initrd.gz ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg preseed/file=/cdrom/ks.preseed -- label cloud menu label ^Multiple server install with MAAS kernel /install/vmlinuz append modules=maas-enlist-udeb vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet -- label check menu label ^Check disc for defects kernel /install/vmlinuz append MENU=/bin/cdrom-checker-menu vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet -- label memtest menu label Test ^memory kernel /install/mt86plus label hd menu label ^Boot from first hard disk localboot 0x80 Create a dual boot catalog ISO:
sudo mkisofs -U -A "Custom1404" -V "Custom1404" -volset "Custom1404" -J -joliet-long -r -v -T -o ../Custom1404.iso -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -eltorito-alt-boot -e boot/grub/efi.img -no-emul-boot . Verify an EFI-bootable ISO has been created:
Validation Entry: Header Indicator: 0x01 (Validation Entry) PlatformId: 0x00 (80x86) ID: "" Checksum: 0x55aa Key bytes: 0x55aa Boot Catalog Default Entry: Entry is bootable Boot Media emulation type: no emulation Media load segment: 0x0 (0000:7c00) System type: 0 (0x00) Load Sectors: 4 (0x0004) Load LBA: 3100 (0x00000c1c) Section Header Entry: Header Indicator: 0x91 (Final Section Header Entry) PlatformId: 0xef (EFI) Section Entries: 1 ID: "" Boot Catalog Section Entry: Entry is bootable Boot Media emulation type: no emulation Media load address: 0 (0x0000) System type: 0 (0x00) Load Sectors: 4672 (0x1240) Load LBA: 1932 (0x0000078c)