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Running Debian Installer without rebooting.
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Lee Winter
Oct 21, 2014, 3:50:03 PM10/21/14
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It appears to me that it should be possible to run the Debian Installer just as a program and a set of package files rather than as a bootable image containing both. So, given a bootable image in .ISO or .img format, how can the image be transformed into an executable program and associated package files that reside on a typical (HDD) file system?
As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or is it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media booted? For example, several boot loaders allow a kind of chainload from their own boot sector to the boot sector of an ISO or img file. But the booted image has to be able to find itself in order to continue the process. Can debian install images find themselves?
Andrei POPESCU
Oct 21, 2014, 4:20:03 PM10/21/14
to
On Ma, 21 oct 14, 15:46:44, Lee Winter wrote:
> It appears to me that it should be possible to run the Debian Installer
> just as a program and a set of package files rather than as a bootable
> image containing both. So, given a bootable image in .ISO or .img format,
> how can the image be transformed into an executable program and associated
> package files that reside on a typical (HDD) file system?
It seems like you're looking for debootstrap, but it might be better to
> It appears to me that it should be possible to run the Debian Installer
> just as a program and a set of package files rather than as a bootable
> image containing both. So, given a bootable image in .ISO or .img format,
> how can the image be transformed into an executable program and associated
> package files that reside on a typical (HDD) file system?
explain what you're trying to achieve.
> As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or
> is it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media
> booted? For example, several boot loaders allow a kind of chainload from
> their own boot sector to the boot sector of an ISO or img file. But the
> booted image has to be able to find itself in order to continue the
> process. Can debian install images find themselves?
Kind regards,
Andrei
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Brian
Oct 21, 2014, 6:10:04 PM10/21/14
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On Tue 21 Oct 2014 at 23:14:18 +0300, Andrei POPESCU wrote:
> On Ma, 21 oct 14, 15:46:44, Lee Winter wrote:
>
> > As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or
> > is it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media
> > booted? For example, several boot loaders allow a kind of chainload from
> > their own boot sector to the boot sector of an ISO or img file. But the
> > booted image has to be able to find itself in order to continue the
> > process. Can debian install images find themselves?
>
> I think this should work.
I'm very unsure that what the OP wants is possible, but then I'm not
> On Ma, 21 oct 14, 15:46:44, Lee Winter wrote:
>
> > As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or
> > is it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media
> > booted? For example, several boot loaders allow a kind of chainload from
> > their own boot sector to the boot sector of an ISO or img file. But the
> > booted image has to be able to find itself in order to continue the
> > process. Can debian install images find themselves?
>
> I think this should work.
entirely sure what he does want,
It would clarify things if a boot loader was specified and the method
used to "chainload" with it was described.
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Archive: https://lists.debian.org/2110201422593...@desktop.copernicus.demon.co.uk
Rusi Mody
Oct 21, 2014, 11:50:04 PM10/21/14
to
On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 1:20:03 AM UTC+5:30, Lee Winter wrote:
> As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or is
> it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media booted?
Here is a grub menu entry that can boot ubuntu from an iso image
> As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or is
> it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media booted?
menuentry 'Try ISO BOOT' {
set isofile="/Isos-Installers/ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso"
loopback loop (hd0,11)$isofile
linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz.efi boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
}
============
Notes:
1. The image is ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso
2. Its in /dev/sda11 In directory Isos-Installers
3. Only installers that use casper can do this (not sure it works for debian)
4. This can also be done from a grub-installed USB; You'll probably need to add
insmod uhci
insmod ahci
insmod iso9660
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Brian
Oct 22, 2014, 6:20:05 AM10/22/14
to
On Tue 21 Oct 2014 at 20:31:36 -0700, Rusi Mody wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 1:20:03 AM UTC+5:30, Lee Winter wrote:
> > As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or is
> > it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media booted?
>
> Here is a grub menu entry that can boot ubuntu from an iso image
>
>
> menuentry 'Try ISO BOOT' {
>
> set isofile="/Isos-Installers/ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso"
> loopback loop (hd0,11)$isofile
> linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz.efi boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
> initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
>
> }
>
>
> ============
>
>
>
> Notes:
> 1. The image is ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso
> 2. Its in /dev/sda11 In directory Isos-Installers
> 3. Only installers that use casper can do this (not sure it works for debian)
The Ubuntu image is a live image. The stanza requires alteration to work
> On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 1:20:03 AM UTC+5:30, Lee Winter wrote:
> > As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or is
> > it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media booted?
>
> Here is a grub menu entry that can boot ubuntu from an iso image
>
>
> menuentry 'Try ISO BOOT' {
>
> set isofile="/Isos-Installers/ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso"
> loopback loop (hd0,11)$isofile
> linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz.efi boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
> initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
>
> }
>
>
> ============
>
>
>
> Notes:
> 1. The image is ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso
> 2. Its in /dev/sda11 In directory Isos-Installers
> 3. Only installers that use casper can do this (not sure it works for debian)
with a Debian live image.
No amount of modification will allow an installation from a netinst
image or CD-1 to complete successfully.
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Rusi Mody
Oct 22, 2014, 7:30:06 AM10/22/14
to
On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 3:50:05 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
> On Tue 21 Oct 2014 at 20:31:36 -0700, Rusi Mody wrote:
> > On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 1:20:03 AM UTC+5:30, Lee Winter wrote:
> > > As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or is
> > > it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media booted?
> > Here is a grub menu entry that can boot ubuntu from an iso image
> > menuentry 'Try ISO BOOT' {
> > set isofile="/Isos-Installers/ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso"
> > loopback loop (hd0,11)$isofile
> > linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz.efi boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
> > initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
> > }
> > ============
> > Notes:
> > 1. The image is ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso
> > 2. Its in /dev/sda11 In directory Isos-Installers
> > 3. Only installers that use casper can do this (not sure it works for debian)
> The Ubuntu image is a live image. The stanza requires alteration to work
> with a Debian live image.
> No amount of modification will allow an installation from a netinst
> image or CD-1 to complete successfully.
If you say so :-)
> On Tue 21 Oct 2014 at 20:31:36 -0700, Rusi Mody wrote:
> > On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 1:20:03 AM UTC+5:30, Lee Winter wrote:
> > > As a corollary question, are the debian installer isos bootable as is, or is
> > > it mandatory that they be burned to media (CD/DVD/USB) and the media booted?
> > Here is a grub menu entry that can boot ubuntu from an iso image
> > menuentry 'Try ISO BOOT' {
> > set isofile="/Isos-Installers/ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso"
> > loopback loop (hd0,11)$isofile
> > linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz.efi boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile noprompt noeject
> > initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
> > }
> > ============
> > Notes:
> > 1. The image is ubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso
> > 2. Its in /dev/sda11 In directory Isos-Installers
> > 3. Only installers that use casper can do this (not sure it works for debian)
> The Ubuntu image is a live image. The stanza requires alteration to work
> with a Debian live image.
> No amount of modification will allow an installation from a netinst
> image or CD-1 to complete successfully.
I find it hard to believe though...
[BTW: With ubuntu booted as above I did notice one problem:
It crashes/hangs on the partitioning stage even if there's
no new partitioning to do.
]
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Brian
Oct 22, 2014, 9:20:06 AM10/22/14
to
On Wed 22 Oct 2014 at 04:19:35 -0700, Rusi Mody wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 3:50:05 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
>
> > No amount of modification will allow an installation from a netinst
> > image or CD-1 to complete successfully.
>
> If you say so :-)
I do say so.
> On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 3:50:05 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
>
> > No amount of modification will allow an installation from a netinst
> > image or CD-1 to complete successfully.
>
> If you say so :-)
> I find it hard to believe though...
give you a grub stanza to adjust for your needs.
menuentry "jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst" {
loopback loop (hd1,msdos1)/boot/isos/debian-jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst.iso
linux (loop)/install.386/vmlinuz
initrd (loop)/install.386/initrd.gz
}
It would be nice (and might help the OP) if you reported what happens
and declared yourself a believer. :)
> [BTW: With ubuntu booted as above I did notice one problem:
> It crashes/hangs on the partitioning stage even if there's
> no new partitioning to do.
> ]
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Rusi Mody
Oct 22, 2014, 10:20:04 AM10/22/14
to
On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 6:50:06 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
> On Wed 22 Oct 2014 at 04:19:35 -0700, Rusi Mody wrote:
> > On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 3:50:05 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
> > > No amount of modification will allow an installation from a netinst
> > > image or CD-1 to complete successfully.
> > If you say so :-)
> I do say so.
> > I find it hard to believe though...
> In such situations it is best to try it, wouldn't you agree? I'll even
> give you a grub stanza to adjust for your needs.
> menuentry "jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst" {
> loopback loop (hd1,msdos1)/boot/isos/debian-jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst.iso
> linux (loop)/install.386/vmlinuz
> initrd (loop)/install.386/initrd.gz
> }
> It would be nice (and might help the OP) if you reported what happens
> and declared yourself a believer. :)
Assuming
> On Wed 22 Oct 2014 at 04:19:35 -0700, Rusi Mody wrote:
> > On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 3:50:05 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
> > > No amount of modification will allow an installation from a netinst
> > > image or CD-1 to complete successfully.
> > If you say so :-)
> I do say so.
> > I find it hard to believe though...
> In such situations it is best to try it, wouldn't you agree? I'll even
> give you a grub stanza to adjust for your needs.
> menuentry "jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst" {
> loopback loop (hd1,msdos1)/boot/isos/debian-jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst.iso
> linux (loop)/install.386/vmlinuz
> initrd (loop)/install.386/initrd.gz
> }
> It would be nice (and might help the OP) if you reported what happens
> and declared yourself a believer. :)
1. you have grub-imageboot and syslinux-common packages installed --
[that will put memdisk into /boot]
2. The netinst iso is in images directory
3. sda7 is root
After that this stanza starts the debian installer alright
menuentry "Bootable Netinst ISO Image: Debian" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos7'
linux16 /boot/memdisk iso
initrd16 /boot/images/debian-7.5.0-amd64-netinst.iso
}
Does it complete??
No idea.
I dont have a free machine (or time) to try out
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Brian
Oct 22, 2014, 11:00:05 AM10/22/14
to
On Wed 22 Oct 2014 at 07:00:29 -0700, Rusi Mody wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 6:50:06 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
>
> > menuentry "jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst" {
> > loopback loop (hd1,msdos1)/boot/isos/debian-jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst.iso
> > linux (loop)/install.386/vmlinuz
> > initrd (loop)/install.386/initrd.gz
> > }
>
> > It would be nice (and might help the OP) if you reported what happens
> > and declared yourself a believer. :)
>
> Assuming
>
> 1. you have grub-imageboot and syslinux-common packages installed --
> [that will put memdisk into /boot]
> 2. The netinst iso is in images directory
> 3. sda7 is root
Thank you for the detail.
> On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 6:50:06 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
>
> > menuentry "jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst" {
> > loopback loop (hd1,msdos1)/boot/isos/debian-jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst.iso
> > linux (loop)/install.386/vmlinuz
> > initrd (loop)/install.386/initrd.gz
> > }
>
> > It would be nice (and might help the OP) if you reported what happens
> > and declared yourself a believer. :)
>
> Assuming
>
> 1. you have grub-imageboot and syslinux-common packages installed --
> [that will put memdisk into /boot]
> 2. The netinst iso is in images directory
> 3. sda7 is root
> After that this stanza starts the debian installer alright
>
> menuentry "Bootable Netinst ISO Image: Debian" {
> insmod part_msdos
> insmod ext2
> set root='hd0,msdos7'
> linux16 /boot/memdisk iso
> initrd16 /boot/images/debian-7.5.0-amd64-netinst.iso
> }
>
> Does it complete??
> No idea.
> I dont have a free machine (or time) to try out
still fail at the 'Detect and mount CD-ROM' stage and for the same
reason: the netinst image does not contain loop.ko.
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Curt
Oct 22, 2014, 11:50:05 AM10/22/14
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On 2014-10-22, Rusi Mody <rusto...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Here is a grub menu entry that can boot ubuntu from an iso image
>
>
Booting the debian installer from the hard disk:
>
> Here is a grub menu entry that can boot ubuntu from an iso image
>
>
https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/ch04s04.html.en
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Brian
Oct 22, 2014, 1:10:05 PM10/22/14
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On Wed 22 Oct 2014 at 15:47:57 +0000, Curt wrote:
> On 2014-10-22, Rusi Mody <rusto...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Here is a grub menu entry that can boot ubuntu from an iso image
>
> Booting the debian installer from the hard disk:
>
> https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/ch04s04.html.en
That is quite a nifty method. It allows not only any Debian image to be
> On 2014-10-22, Rusi Mody <rusto...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Here is a grub menu entry that can boot ubuntu from an iso image
>
> Booting the debian installer from the hard disk:
>
> https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/ch04s04.html.en
booted and operate correctly but also (with a suitable grub stanza)
images from many other distributions too. The 'hard disk' can usefully
be a USB stick.
The reason it works is that loop.ko and iso-scan are available in the
kernel/initrd.
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Rusi Mody
Oct 22, 2014, 1:10:05 PM10/22/14
to
https://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2013/09/msg00094.html
and your
https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2013/12/msg01124.html
that debian installer cant loopmount whereas ubuntu can.
O well...
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Brian
Oct 22, 2014, 1:20:05 PM10/22/14
to
On Wed 22 Oct 2014 at 09:56:35 -0700, Rusi Mody wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 8:30:05 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
>
> > This is a different method from using grub's loopback. However, it will
> > still fail at the 'Detect and mount CD-ROM' stage and for the same
> > reason: the netinst image does not contain loop.ko.
>
> Right. So it seems from
> https://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2013/09/msg00094.html
>
> and your
>
> https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2013/12/msg01124.html
>
> that debian installer cant loopmount whereas ubuntu can.
>
> O well...
The Ubuntu and Debian live images are built in a different way from
> On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 8:30:05 PM UTC+5:30, Brian wrote:
>
> > This is a different method from using grub's loopback. However, it will
> > still fail at the 'Detect and mount CD-ROM' stage and for the same
> > reason: the netinst image does not contain loop.ko.
>
> Right. So it seems from
> https://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2013/09/msg00094.html
>
> and your
>
> https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2013/12/msg01124.html
>
> that debian installer cant loopmount whereas ubuntu can.
>
> O well...
a netinst or CD-1 image. Basically, they have loop.ko and the ability
to scan an ISO image. The netinst/CD-1 images don't need to have this
facility. There is a patch available to do it but d-i doesn't have it
yet.
Personally, I'm content with the HD method and find it reliable and
versatile.
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Andrei POPESCU
Oct 22, 2014, 3:20:05 PM10/22/14
to
On Mi, 22 oct 14, 15:55:03, Brian wrote:
>
> This is a different method from using grub's loopback. However, it will
> still fail at the 'Detect and mount CD-ROM' stage and for the same
> reason: the netinst image does not contain loop.ko.
It should work with the mini.iso (the netboot image), because it
>
> This is a different method from using grub's loopback. However, it will
> still fail at the 'Detect and mount CD-ROM' stage and for the same
> reason: the netinst image does not contain loop.ko.
contains only the installer and will download everything else over the
network (assuming it is available, of course).
Would also make a nice boot "recovery" option ;)
Brian
Oct 22, 2014, 3:50:04 PM10/22/14
to
On Wed 22 Oct 2014 at 22:16:16 +0300, Andrei POPESCU wrote:
> On Mi, 22 oct 14, 15:55:03, Brian wrote:
> >
> > This is a different method from using grub's loopback. However, it will
> > still fail at the 'Detect and mount CD-ROM' stage and for the same
> > reason: the netinst image does not contain loop.ko.
>
> It should work with the mini.iso (the netboot image), because it
> contains only the installer and will download everything else over the
> network (assuming it is available, of course).
>
> Would also make a nice boot "recovery" option ;)
Thanks for reminding me of the mini.iso. I'm rather fond of it but
> On Mi, 22 oct 14, 15:55:03, Brian wrote:
> >
> > This is a different method from using grub's loopback. However, it will
> > still fail at the 'Detect and mount CD-ROM' stage and for the same
> > reason: the netinst image does not contain loop.ko.
>
> It should work with the mini.iso (the netboot image), because it
> contains only the installer and will download everything else over the
> network (assuming it is available, of course).
>
> Would also make a nice boot "recovery" option ;)
haven't tried it for quite some time, I'll it give a go later, but I
can see what you mean.
Would you please explain the boot "recovery" option.
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Brian
Oct 22, 2014, 5:50:05 PM10/22/14
to
On Wed 22 Oct 2014 at 22:51:39 +0300, Andrei POPESCU wrote:
> On Mi, 22 oct 14, 20:47:47, Brian wrote:
> >
> > Would you please explain the boot "recovery" option.
>
> Boot the Debian installer in recovery mode, e.g. to rescue a broken
> system.
Amazing what one forgets. The mini.iso downloads *everything* so doesn't
> On Mi, 22 oct 14, 20:47:47, Brian wrote:
> >
> > Would you please explain the boot "recovery" option.
>
> Boot the Debian installer in recovery mode, e.g. to rescue a broken
> system.
need to loopmount the ISO. As pointed out, its disadvantge is that it
does require a network, but you might require that at some stage of a
netinst install anyway.
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