mk_usb_installer.sh

Make a usb installer: debian that loads a preseed and runs ansible

note: not self contained. It expects networking to get preseed, deb repos, late_command, ansible

./mk_usb_installer.sh usb-device [config-filename]

usb-device: dev of usb stick to clobber (like sdc, no /dev/ prefex)

config-filename: settings to build the machine and run ansible

• distro/suite, where to get it, proxy
• where to get preseed file
• drive to install to (sda, nvme0n1...)
• nonfree firmware setting that I am affraid to hardcode
• ansible playbook and inventory repos

How to use:

1. sudo apt install git pmount dcfldd
2. fork and clone the inventory repo
3. adjust ansible inventory file, commit and push back to your public repo
4. cp mk_usb_installer.cfg mybox.cfg
5. vim mybox.cfg
   • set inventory_repo to your public repo
   • and consider the other 10 settings
6. ./mk_usb_installer.sh sdb mybox.cfg

mk_usb_installer.sh script will:

• setup bootable usb stick
• run a web server to serve up the preseed, early, late_command.sh

Boot target machine from the usb stick. It will do this:

• install the OS using values from mybox.cfg and preseed.cfg
• wget/run late_command.sh
• late_command.sh will clone the repos
• and run something like: ansible --local --limit=$(hostname)

cfg file settings:

preseed - how the installer gets the file (defaults to http from this box)

Easy: leave this as is. it will use the server run at the end of this script. preseed="url=$(hostname):8007"

no local dns: preseed="url=$(hostname).local:8007" preseed="url=10.100.7.247:8007"

Host the file on some other server hostname dc10b. your problem to setup the server, hostname whatever you want. preseed="url=dc10b"

Use the file on the usb stick early and late_command use $url, so do something about it. preseed="file=preseed.cfg"

Per box changes can be done by passing parameter to the kernel from the syslinux on the usb stick: example: to install to an SSD that doesn't come up as /dev/sda:

Where to get what:

suite=stretch
bootimg_loc=http://ftp.debian.org/debian/dists/${suite}/main/installer-amd64/current/images
iso=debian-9.0.0-amd64-netinst.iso
iso_loc=https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/

 Ubuntu:
 suite=xenial  tested, put the iso on a 2nd usb stick.
 suite=zesty  not tested
 suite=artful  enough testing to make a machine boot
 bootimg_loc=http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/${suite}/main/installer-amd64/current/images/
 bootimg_loc=http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/${suite}-updates/main/installer-amd64/current/images/
 iso=ubuntu-16.04.2-server-amd64.iso
 iso_loc=http://releases.ubuntu.com/${suite}
 http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-server/daily/current/artful-server-amd64.iso
 iso=artful-server-amd64.iso
 iso_loc=http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-server/daily/current