how to install Ubuntu over http in virt-manager

tkmsr · 03-07-2011, 10:39 PM

Hi, I am having a situation where I can not use a CD or PxE boot or wubi to install.I need to necessarily do an http install of Ubuntu.I am basically trying to create a guest OS in a virtualization setup on Xen on a non VT hardware.On a non VT hardware the virt-manager does not allow to install from local ISO or PXE even the only option is via a URL on http://

Here is what I did
1) Download ubuntu 10.04 32 bit ISO
2) Kept it in /var/www (apache2 is running)
3) renamed it to ubuntu.iso

and when I reached a stage where installation begins I gave path http://localhost/ubuntu.iso but I got an error

Code:

any installable distribution not found.

4) After this I did

Code:

    mkdir /var/www/sk
    
    mount -t iso9660 /var/www/ubuntu.iso /var/www/sk -o loop

and this time during the installation I gave path http://localhost/sk I was able to see the contents in browser http://localhost/sk which you will see in a normal CD. But beginning installation I got same error

Code:

    ValueError: Could not find an installable distribution at 'http://localhost/sk

So I want to just confirm if http install is done only this way or some other way because the installation is not proceeding.

manyrootsofallevil · 03-16-2011, 03:24 AM

I would have expected that to work.

This blog suggests copying the media to a directory in /var/www/ rather than mounting it, thus you might want to try that.

It's also suggested it that you do it that way(copying the media rather than mounting it) by Michael Jang's RHCE Red Hat Certified Engineer Linux Study Guide (Exam RH302) book.

tkmsr · 03-16-2011, 04:24 AM

virt-manager does not work that way.

Quote:

27.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/ HTTP/1.1" 200 169 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/.treeinfo HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/Fedora HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/Server HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/Client HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/RedHat HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/CentOS HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/SL HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/directory.yast HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/current/images/MANIFEST HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/images/daily/MANIFEST HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/boot/platform/i86xpv/kernel/unix HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/platform/i86xpv/kernel/unix HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/STARTUP/XNLOADER.SYS HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/images/xen/vmlinuz HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/images/boot.iso HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/boot/boot.iso HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/current/images/netboot/mini.iso HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:27 +0530] "HEAD /sk/install/images/boot.iso HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/ HTTP/1.1" 200 169 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/.treeinfo HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/Fedora HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/Server HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/Client HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/RedHat HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/CentOS HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/SL HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/directory.yast HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"
127.0.0.1 - - [08/Mar/2011:00:26:35 +0530] "HEAD /sk/current/images/MANIFEST HTTP/1.1" 404 182 "-" "Python-urllib/2.6"

It expects a Ubuntu mirror and not a loop back mounted ISO.I say this based on Apache logs.