I've created a local repository by copying the .deb files and running dkpg-scanpackages. That works for the OS, but when I use xen-create-image, it seems to want a "real" repo accessed via HTTP. And when I try to Google that, I find a dizzying array of discussions of different tools, people who want to offer up their own packages, all sorts of customized things, etc. All I want is the contents of the install discs available to xen. When that's done, I'll want to figure out how to provide updates, too (one of my challenges is this is in an environment with no Internet access, anything I do has to be done via sneakernet), but that's a question for tomorrow :-)

ETA: After much fiddling, I have my repo working over HTTP. But xen-create-image is complaining:

Failed to fetch http://127.0.0.1/dists/jessie/main/b...amd64/Packages

http://127.0.0.1/ has a bunch of .deb files and the Packages.gz I created. I tried adding a symlink but no dice.

All sweet-n-well...but you do realise several "itches" I hope:
- your "private" repo will run stale in no time flat
- you replicate stuff, making a separate copy that eventually will lead a separate life
- on point in time, an update will impose itself, unless you have a situatopn as in "Lost" where stuff freezes in somehow...

Where have I heared that before? Lemme guess, hyper paranoid emplyer. You can try this, but somehow some stuff needs to be updated...and then you're on that net again.
Why (suggestion) not fcus on front line security instead of creating an island?
Just me...dont shoot me
Thor

Believe me, I'm well aware of those challenges, and that'll be my next puzzle, to figure out a way to stand up a repo on a host that can reach out to the Internet to grab updates and capture deltas in a way to periodically update mine.

Some employers have to be "hyper paranoid". There are systems in the world that simply cannot connect to a public network, ever, period.

In any case, I did get my repo working correctly with apt over HTTP, but xen still complains. I'm hoping someone who's used xen ina similar environment might remember a trick.