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We use the preseed method to automate the installation process since Ubuntu 10.04. In particular, we use the pkgsel/include parameter to preinstall a set of packages. Up to Ubuntu 12.04 everything worked fine. For the old versions, we used the alternate installer.

Now we try to migrate to Ubuntu 14.04. Since there is no alternate installer anymore, we use the standard installer. In principle the installer recognizes the preseed file. For example, it correctly extracts the partition layout, sets the correct root password and mirror.

However, it ignores the pkgsel/include option. It just installs the standard set of packages. Moreover, it ignores the hostname obtained from dhcp.

Any ideas?

Mitch
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Garwin
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2 Answers2

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My suggestion would be to use the server ISO with a preseed file. It seems to behave better with preseeding, but it also allows you to set up a mirror and install any packages you need from the servers. I'm using a similar setup with Packer along a very similar manner to this post. http://kappataumu.com/articles/creating-an-Ubuntu-VM-with-packer.html

As you mentioned the desktop installer for 14.04 changed and now most d-i options need to be converted to ubiquity syntax (the server ISO still uses debian installer aka d-i).

The downside is that there is NOT a ubiquity/pkgsel command, but what you can do is use preseed/late_command somescript.sh and then run some in-target apt-get install openssh-server commands within that script.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbiquityAutomation

There are also some files for Ubuntu Desktop provided by a gentleman on the official Packer Google group.

http://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/packer-tool/SWhoARVwVnM

I would also suggest checking out the Ubuntu repository on Github under boxcutter, they have some excellent working preseed files for each version of Ubuntu. https://github.com/boxcutter/ubuntu

dragon788
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  • I'll update this with a more complete preseed example, we are typically installing the extra packages via a separate script called from the preseed. We also discovered that you do want to set the hostname on the system's command line (or in the boot stanza of the ISO you are building) as some of the information simply cannot be obtained from the preseed and needs entered earlier. – dragon788 Mar 27 '16 at 18:05
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Lubuntu still has alternate install images,

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/releases/14.04/release/

Depending on what you need, you might be able avoid your problem with ubiquity, the standard graphical installer by using this alternate install image and customizing the install to your needs, as you have been doing for older releases.

slavmaf
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  • Thank you for the suggestion. Unfortunately this does not really help. Although the alternate installer does respect the complete preseed file, the resulting installation does not boot. This is probably because our additional choice of packets is with xubuntu background in mind. – Garwin May 19 '14 at 15:06