0

I'm reading a lot of questions about how to install Ubuntu without a screen or similar scenario. But I wonder if there is a network-based installer that uses another Ubuntu machine on the same LAN.

For example this is my ideal scenario:

  • embedded pc (x64/x86) without screen
  • it's connected to my LAN with an Ethernet cable
  • on my dev machine (Ubuntu as well) I run a software for the installation
  • I boot the to-be-installed machine with a USB pen with a very early stage of Ubuntu installer
  • the software on my dev machine looks for the network installer on the to-be-installed machine and connects to it
  • in this way I can even use the graphical installer locally on my dev machine that, in turn, allow the installation on the other machine.

This approach would have several advantages:

  • very easy to use on completely blind machines (no screen, no keyboard, etc...)
  • no need to use preseed or other tricks
  • it can manage several machines at the same time
  • it could save the settings (like network configuration, default applications, etc...) in files so they can be loaded again when you have to make another machine of the same type.

Is there anything like this out there?

Mark
  • 507
  • This depends on your embedded PC's Network Interface Card (NIC). Does it support PXE (Pre-boot eXecution Environment)? Read man dnsmasq. @user535733 is incorrect. – waltinator Sep 28 '21 at 20:23
  • @waltinator, it mounts an Intel i210 Ethernet controller and it seems it supports PXE. – Mark Sep 29 '21 at 07:29

1 Answers1

1

If I understand the question, you would like to install on ComputerA while the installation UI is displayed on ComputerB.

One possible solution that might fit your requirements in the Ubuntu live-server (subiquity) installer. When this installer is run it creates an installer user that can be used to ssh into the installation.

In your scenario

  1. Boot the installer on ComputerA.
  2. From ComputerB, ssh into ComputerA as the installer user and be presented with the installation TUI.

The catch is that the installer user's password is randomly generated by default. You would need to use a custom autoinstall user-data file to set the password to something known or add an ssh key.

If you are looking for a solution that provides settings to a number of installations then you will likely want to learn about autoinstall anyway.

I can't vouch for how well the installation TUI works over ssh as I've never used this approach myself.

Andrew Lowther
  • 6,451
  • "If I understand the question, you would like to install on ComputerA while the installation UI is displayed on ComputerB." it's a very good summary of my question, thanks. I'm going to study subiquity! – Mark Oct 03 '21 at 09:50
  • Furthermore, I'm not interested in an unattended installation. It's ok I have to answer questions or selecting options, but without the need to have a keyboard or a monitor connected to Machine A. – Mark Oct 03 '21 at 10:18