diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'en/install-methods/automatic-install.xml')
| -rw-r--r-- | en/install-methods/automatic-install.xml | 111 |
1 files changed, 111 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/en/install-methods/automatic-install.xml b/en/install-methods/automatic-install.xml new file mode 100644 index 000000000..4000f2aea --- /dev/null +++ b/en/install-methods/automatic-install.xml @@ -0,0 +1,111 @@ +<!-- retain these comments for translator revision tracking --> +<!-- $Id$ --> + + <sect1 id="automatic-install"> + <title>Automatic Installation</title> +<para> + +For installing on multiple computers it's possible to do fully +automatic installations. Debian packages intended for this include +<classname>fai</classname> (which uses an install server), +<classname>replicator</classname>, +<classname>systemimager</classname>, +<classname>autoinstall</classname>, and +the Debian Installer itself. + +</para> + + <sect2 id="preseed"> + <title>Automatic Installation Using the Debian Installer</title> +<para> + +The Debian Installer supports automating installs via preconfiguration +files. A preconfiguration file can be loaded from the network or from +removable media, and used to fill in answers to question asked during the +installation process. + +</para><para> + +Although most dialogs used by &d-i; can be preseeded using this method, +there are some notable exceptions. You can (re)partition an entire disk +or use available free space on a disk; it is not possible to use existing +partitions. You currently cannot use preseeding to set up RAID and LVM. +<phrase condition="sarge">Also, with the exception of network driver modules, +it is not possible to preconfigure kernel module parameters.</phrase> + +</para><para> + +The preconfiguration file is in the format used by the +debconf-set-selections command. A well documented and working example that +you can edit is in <xref linkend="example-preseed"/>. + +</para><para> + +Alternatively, one way to get a complete file listing +all the values that can be preseeded is to do a manual install, +and then use <filename>debconf-get-selections</filename>, +from the <classname>debconf-utils</classname> package, +to dump both the debconf database and the cdebconf +database in /var/log/debian-installer/cdebconf to a single file: + +<informalexample><screen> +$ debconf-get-selections --installer > <replaceable>file</replaceable> +$ debconf-get-selections >> <replaceable>file</replaceable> +</screen></informalexample> + +However, a file generated in this manner will have some items that should +not be preseeded, and the file in <xref linkend="example-preseed"/> is a +better starting place for most users. + +</para><para> + +Once you have a preconfiguration file, you can edit it if necessary, and +place it on a web server, or copy it onto the installer's boot media. Wherever +you place the file, you need to pass a parameter to the installer at boot +time to tell it to use the file. + +</para><para> + +To make the installer use a preconfiguration file downloaded from the +network, add preseed/url=http://url/to/preseed.cfg to the kernel boot +parameters. Of course the preconfiguration will not take effect until the +installer manages to set up the network to download the file, so this is +most useful if the installer can set up the network via DHCP without asking +any questions. You may want to set the installation priority to critical to +avoid any questions while the network is being configured. See +<xref linkend="installer-args"/>. + +</para><para> + +To place a preconfiguration file on a CD, you would need to remaster the +ISO image to include your preconfiguration file. See the manual page for +mkisofs for details. Alternatively, put the preseed file on a floppy, and +use preseed/file=/floppy/preseed.cfg + +</para><para arch="i386"> + +If you'll be booting from a USB memory stick, then you can simply copy your +preconfiguration file onto the memory stick's filesystem, and edit the +syslinux.cfg file to add preseed/file=/hd-media/preseed.cfg to the kernel boot +parameters. + +</para> + + <sect3 condition="etch"> + <title>Using Preseeding to Change Default Values</title> +<para> + +It is also possible to use preseeding to change the default answer for a +question, but still have the question asked. To do this the +<firstterm>seen</firstterm> flag must be reset to <quote>false</quote> after +setting the value for a template. + +<informalexample><screen> +d-i foo/bar string value +d-i foo/bar seen false +</screen></informalexample> + +</para> + </sect3> + </sect2> + </sect1> |