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Old 11-12-2014, 08:27 PM   #1
snuffy115
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Registered: Dec 2006
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Preseeding Debian Wheeze. Package installation


I'm trying to preseed debian wheezy with some additional packages from the live cd image. The install goes great and I end up with a functioning system weather using the graphical or the standard install.

The problem I'm having is with installing additional packages and wireless setup.
On the wireless setup, my wireless network is highlighted but I have to press enter/continue. I can't figure out how to make it not stop there.

My other issue is getting other packages to install. It seems that line is completely ignored. None of the packages are installed in spite of apt being setup correctly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My preseed file;

Code:
### Localization
# Preseeding only locale sets language, country and locale.
d-i debian-installer/locale string en_US

# The values can also be preseeded individually for greater flexibility.
#d-i debian-installer/language string en
#d-i debian-installer/country string US
#d-i debian-installer/locale string en_US.UTF-8

# Keyboard selection.
# keymap is an alias for keyboard-configuration/xkb-keymap
d-i keymap select us
# d-i keyboard-configuration/toggle select No toggling

### Network configuration
# Disable network configuration entirely. 
# This is useful for cdrom installations on non-networked devices where the network questions, warning and long timeouts are a nuisance.
#d-i netcfg/enable boolean false

# netcfg will choose an interface that has link if possible. 
# This makes it skip displaying a list if there is more than one interface.
d-i netcfg/choose_interface select auto

# Any hostname and domain names assigned from dhcp take precedence over values set here. 
# Setting the values still prevents the questions from being shown, even if values come from dhcp.
#d-i netcfg/get_hostname string unassigned-hostname
d-i netcfg/get_domain string bell-tek.lan

# If you want to force a hostname, regardless of what either the DHCP
# server returns or what the reverse DNS entry for the IP is, uncomment
# and adjust the following line.
#d-i netcfg/hostname string somehost

### Wireless Network
d-i netcfg/wireless_security_type select wpa
#netcfg netcfg/wireless_show_essids select WIILwap102
d-i netcfg/wireless_show_essids select WIILwap102
d-i netcfg/wireless_wpa string FishSoup
# Disable that annoying WEP key dialog.
#d-i netcfg/wireless_wep string

# Force loading of non-free firmware if needed for the network or other hardware.
d-i hw-detect/load_firmware boolean true

### Mirror settings
# If you select ftp, the mirror/country string does not need to be set.
d-i mirror/protocol string ftp
#d-i mirror/country string US
#d-i mirror/http/hostname string debian.uchicago.edu
#d-i mirror/http/directory string /debian
#d-i mirror/http/proxy string
d-i mirror/ftp/hostname string ftp.us.debian.org
d-i mirror/ftp/directory string /debian
d-i mirror/ftp/proxy string
#choose-mirror-bin mirror/ftp/hostname string ftp.us.debian.org
#choose-mirror-bin mirror/ftp/directory string /debian/
#choose-mirror-bin mirror/ftp/proxy string 

# Suite to install.
d-i mirror/suite string stable
# Suite to use for loading installer components (optional).
d-i mirror/udeb/suite string stable

### Account setup
# Skip creation of a root account (normal user account will be able to use sudo).
#d-i passwd/root-login boolean false
# Skip creation of a normal user account.
#d-i passwd/make-user boolean false

# Root password, either in clear text
d-i passwd/root-password password password1
d-i passwd/root-password-again password password1
# or encrypted using an MD5 hash.
# To create the excrypted password run  printf "password" | mkpasswd -s -m md5 on the command line.
#d-i passwd/root-password-crypted password 

# To create a normal user account.
d-i passwd/user-fullname string Debian My Name
d-i passwd/username string username
# Normal user's password, either in clear text
d-i passwd/user-password password password1
d-i passwd/user-password-again password password1
# or encrypted using an MD5 hash.
# To create the encrypted password run  printf "password" | mkpasswd -s -m md5 on the command line.
#d-i passwd/user-password-crypted password 

# The user account will be added to some standard initial groups. 
# To override that, use this.
#d-i passwd/user-default-groups string audio cdrom video

### Clock and time zone setup
# Controls whether or not the hardware clock is set to UTC.
d-i clock-setup/utc boolean true

# You may set this to any valid setting for $TZ; see the contents of /usr/share/zoneinfo/ for valid values.
d-i time/zone string US/Central

### Partitioning
# If the system has free space you can choose to only partition that space.
# This is only honoured if partman-auto/method (below) is not set.
#d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select biggest_free

# Select disk to partition:
# Alternatively, you may specify a disk to partition. 
# If the system has only one disk the installer will default to using that.
# otherwise the device name must be given in traditional, non-devfs format 
#(so e.g. /dev/hda or /dev/sda, and not e.g. /dev/discs/disc0/disc).
# For example, to use the first SCSI/SATA hard disk:
d-i partman-auto/disk string /dev/sda

# In addition, you'll need to specify the method to use.
# The presently available methods are:
# - regular: use the usual partition types for your architecture
# - lvm:     use LVM to partition the disk
# - crypto:  use LVM within an encrypted partition
d-i partman-auto/method string lvm

# If one of the disks that are going to be automatically partitioned  contains an old LVM configuration, 
# the user will normally receive a  warning. This can be preseeded away...
d-i partman-lvm/device_remove_lvm boolean true
# The same applies to pre-existing software RAID array:
d-i partman-md/device_remove_md boolean true
# And the same goes for the confirmation to write the lvm partitions.
d-i partman-lvm/confirm boolean true
d-i partman-lvm/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true

# Partitioning scheme:
# You can choose one of the three predefined partitioning recipes:
# - atomic: all files in one partition
# - home:   separate /home partition
# - multi:  separate /home, /usr, /var, and /tmp partitions
d-i partman-auto/choose_recipe select atomic

# This makes partman automatically partition without confirmation, 
# provided that you told it what to do using one of the methods above.
d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman/choose_partition select finish
d-i partman/confirm boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true

### Apt setup
# You can choose to install non-free and contrib software.
#d-i apt-setup/non-free boolean true
#d-i apt-setup/contrib boolean true
# Uncomment this if you don't want to use a network mirror.
#d-i apt-setup/use_mirror boolean false
d-i apt-setup/use_mirror boolean true
# Select which update services to use; define the mirrors to be used.
# Values shown below are the normal defaults.
#d-i apt-setup/services-select multiselect security, updates
#d-i apt-setup/security_host string security.debian.org

# Additional repositories, local[0-9] available
d-i apt-setup/local0/repository string https://people.debian.org/~rbalint/ppa/xbmc-ffmpeg xbmc-ffmpeg-wheezy-backports/
d-i apt-setup/local0/comment string Kodi (XBMC)
# Enable deb-src lines
d-i apt-setup/local0/source boolean true
# URL to the public key of the local repository; 
# you must provide a key or apt will complain about the unauthenticated repository and so the sources.list line will be left commented out
#d-i apt-setup/local0/key string http://keyserver.ubuntu.com:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=xbmc

d-i apt-setup/local1/repository string http://http.debian.net/debian wheezy-backports main contrib non-free
d-i apt-setup/local1/comment string Kodi (XBMC)
# Enable deb-src lines
d-i apt-setup/local1/source boolean true
# URL to the public key of the local repository; 
# you must provide a key or apt will complain about the unauthenticated repository and so the sources.list line will be left commented out
#d-i apt-setup/local1/key string http://local.server/key

d-i apt-setup/local2/repository string http://mirror.jmu.edu/pub/mariadb/repo/10.0/debian wheezy main
d-i apt-setup/local2/comment string Maria DB
# Enable deb-src lines
d-i apt-setup/local2/source boolean true
# URL to the public key of the local repository; 
# you must provide a key or apt will complain about the unauthenticated repository and so the sources.list line will be left commented out
d-i apt-setup/local2/key string http://keyserver.ubuntu.com:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xcbcb082a1bb943db

# By default the installer requires that repositories be authenticated using a known gpg key. 
# This setting can be used to disable that authentication. Warning: Insecure, not recommended.
#d-i debian-installer/allow_unauthenticated string true

### Package selection
tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard
#tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, gnome-desktop
#tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, web-server
#tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, kde-desktop

#tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, web-server
# If the desktop task is selected, install the kde and xfce desktops instead of the default gnome desktop.
#tasksel tasksel/desktop multiselect kde, xfce

# Individual additional packages to install
d-i pkgsel/include string build-essential chromium python-software-properties mariadb-server apt-transport-https 

# Whether to upgrade packages after debootstrap.
# Allowed values: none, safe-upgrade, full-upgrade
d-i pkgsel/upgrade select full-upgrade

# Some versions of the installer can report back on what software you have installed, and what software you use. 
# The default is not to report back, but sending reports helps the project determine what software is most popular and include it on CDs.
#popularity-contest popularity-contest/participate boolean false

### Boot loader installation
# Grub is the default boot loader (for x86). If you want lilo installed instead, uncomment this:
#d-i grub-installer/skip boolean true
# To also skip installing lilo, and install no bootloader, uncomment this too:
#d-i lilo-installer/skip boolean true

# This is fairly safe to set, it makes grub install automatically to the MBR if no other operating system is detected on the machine.
d-i grub-installer/only_debian boolean true

# This one makes grub-installer install to the MBR if it also finds some other OS, which is less safe as it might not be able to boot that other OS.
d-i grub-installer/with_other_os boolean true

# Alternatively, if you want to install to a location other than the mbr, uncomment and edit these lines:
#d-i grub-installer/only_debian boolean false
#d-i grub-installer/with_other_os boolean false
#d-i grub-installer/bootdev  string (hd0,0)
# To install grub to multiple disks:
#d-i grub-installer/bootdev  string (hd0,0) (hd1,0) (hd2,0)

# Use the following option to add additional boot parameters for the installed system (if supported by the bootloader installer).
# Note: options passed to the installer will be added automatically.
#d-i debian-installer/add-kernel-opts string nousb

### Finishing up the first stage install
# During installations from serial console, the regular virtual consoles (VT1-VT6) are normally disabled in /etc/inittab. 
# Uncomment the next line to prevent this.
d-i finish-install/keep-consoles boolean true

# Avoid that last message about the install being complete.
d-i finish-install/reboot_in_progress note

# This will prevent the installer from ejecting the CD during the reboot,
# which is useful in some situations.
#d-i cdrom-detect/eject boolean false

# This is how to make the installer shutdown when finished, but not
# reboot into the installed system.
#d-i debian-installer/exit/halt boolean true
# This will power off the machine instead of just halting it.
d-i debian-installer/exit/poweroff boolean true

### Preseeding other packages
# Depending on what software you choose to install, or if things go wrong during the installation process, 
# it's possible that other questions may be asked. 
# You can preseed those too, of course. 
# To get a list of every possible question that could be asked during an install, do an installation, and then run these commands:
#   debconf-get-selections --installer > /selections.txt
#   debconf-get-selections >> /selections.txt

#### Advanced options
### Running custom commands during the installation
# d-i preseeding is inherently not secure. 
# Nothing in the installer checks for attempts at buffer overflows or other exploits of the values of a
# preconfiguration file like this one. 
# Only use preconfiguration files from trusted locations! To drive that home, and because it's generally useful,
# here's a way to run any shell command you'd like inside the installer, automatically.

# This first command is run as early as possible, just after # preseeding is read.
#d-i preseed/early_command string anna-install some-udeb

# This command is run just before the install finishes, but when there is still a usable /target directory. 
# You can chroot to /target and use it directly, or use the apt-install and in-target commands to easily install
# packages and run commands in the target system.
#d-i preseed/late_command string apt-install zsh; in-target chsh -s /bin/zsh

# More than one file can be listed, separated by spaces; all will be
# loaded. The included files can have preseed/include directives of their
# own as well. Note that if the filenames are relative, they are taken from
# the same directory as the preconfiguration file that includes them.
#d-i preseed/include string x.cfg

# The installer can optionally verify checksums of preconfiguration files
# before using them. Currently only md5sums are supported, list the md5sums
# in the same order as the list of files to include.
#d-i preseed/include/checksum string 5da499872becccfeda2c4872f9171c3d

# More flexibly, this runs a shell command and if it outputs the names of
# preconfiguration files, includes those files. 
#d-i preseed/include_command \
#      string if [ "`hostname`" = bob ]; then echo bob.cfg; fi

# Most flexibly of all, this downloads a program and runs it. The program
# can use commands such as debconf-set to manipulate the debconf database.
# More than one script can be listed, separated by spaces.
# Note that if the filenames are relative, they are taken from the same
# directory as the preconfiguration file that runs them.
#d-i preseed/run string foo.sh

### X configuration
# X can detect the right driver for some cards, but if you're preseeding,  you override whatever it chooses. 
# Still, vesa will work most places.
#xserver-xorg xserver-xorg/config/device/driver select vesa

# A caveat with mouse autodetection is that if it fails, X will retry it over and over. 
# So if it's preseeded to be done, there is a possibility of an infinite loop if the mouse is not autodetected.
#xserver-xorg xserver-xorg/autodetect_mouse boolean true

# Monitor autodetection is recommended.
xserver-xorg xserver-xorg/autodetect_monitor boolean true
# Uncomment if you have an LCD display.
xserver-xorg xserver-xorg/config/monitor/lcd boolean true
# X has three configuration paths for the monitor. 
# Here's how to preseed the "medium" path, which is always available. 
# The "simple" path may not be available, and the "advanced" path asks too many questions.
xserver-xorg xserver-xorg/config/monitor/selection-method select medium
xserver-xorg xserver-xorg/config/monitor/mode-list select 1024x768 @ 60 Hz
 
Old 11-12-2014, 09:03 PM   #2
k3lt01
Senior Member
 
Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Australia
Distribution: Debian Wheezy, Jessie, Sid/Experimental, playing with LFS.
Posts: 2,900

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Are you using the LiveCD to do the install?
If yes, where do you have your preseed file located and how are you activating it?
Is the LiveCD one you have made yourself or is it premade by the Debian Live team and you are just downloading it and using it?
 
Old 11-12-2014, 09:54 PM   #3
snuffy115
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Registered: Dec 2006
Posts: 25

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Yes I am using the live cd that I downloaded.
I used Universal USB Installer to create a bootable USB stick of the ISO.
The preseed file is in the root directory of the stick.
From there I modified the isolinux\install.cfg file to pass the location of the preseed file and the first three questions as boot parameters.

Here's the modified isolinux\install.cfg file

Code:
label install
	menu label ^Install
	linux /install/vmlinuz
	initrd /install/initrd.gz
	append cdrom-detect/try-usb=true preseed/file=/cdrom/preseed.cfg locale=en_US keyboard-configuration/xkb-keymap=us languagechooser/language-name=English countrychooser/shortlist=US DEBCONF_DEBUG=5 vga=788  -- quiet 

label installgui
	menu label ^Graphical install
	linux /install/gtk/vmlinuz
	initrd /install/gtk/initrd.gz
	append cdrom-detect/try-usb=true preseed/file=/cdrom/preseed.cfg locale=en_US keyboard-configuration/xkb-keymap=us languagechooser/language-name=English countrychooser/shortlist=US DEBCONF_DEBUG=5 video=vesa:ywrap,mtrr vga=788  -- quiet
 
Old 11-12-2014, 11:48 PM   #4
k3lt01
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If you must use a preseed file in this way you are much better off using a netinst rather than a live image.

The Live image doesn't work like that. It is an actual image, that is like a ghost image, that is written to disk after you sort out the partitions etc. If you must use a live image the best thing to do is build your own live image using the options available in Live Build and preseeding the image while it is being built not preseeding something that is already a functional system (which a live image is).
 
Old 11-13-2014, 07:49 PM   #5
snuffy115
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Thank you k3lt01.
Using the netlist iso solved the package install issue.

The wireless network selection still exists though.
Can you see anything in my preseed file that would fix that?

Another question that came to mind after examining the netlist iso;
there are sub directories in the isolinux folder named kde, lxde, and xfce.
In those directories are .cfg files with the same names that are in the isolinux folder.
The only difference I see in the contents is an entry in the append line Desktop=(folder name)
I imagine that entry will tell the installer to use the respective package for the desktop environment instead of Gnome.
Is that something that can be preseeded or does it have to be passed as a boot parameter?

The main reason I was using the live cd is because I like the lxde desktop enviornment.

Lastly, I've been searchig for a way to preseed the root password for Mariadb, and haven't found anything that I understand yet.
 
Old 11-13-2014, 08:52 PM   #6
k3lt01
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Distribution: Debian Wheezy, Jessie, Sid/Experimental, playing with LFS.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snuffy115 View Post
The wireless network selection still exists though.
Can you see anything in my preseed file that would fix that?
Nothing is staring out at me. You have uncommented the instructions to for wireless I would assume, but I could be wrong, that it should work.

Quote:
Originally Posted by snuffy115 View Post
Another question that came to mind after examining the netlist iso;
there are sub directories in the isolinux folder named kde, lxde, and xfce.
In those directories are .cfg files with the same names that are in the isolinux folder.
The only difference I see in the contents is an entry in the append line Desktop=(folder name)
I imagine that entry will tell the installer to use the respective package for the desktop environment instead of Gnome.
Is that something that can be preseeded or does it have to be passed as a boot parameter?
On the netinst iso you have many options and one of them is to install DEs that are not the default.

Quote:
Originally Posted by snuffy115 View Post
Lastly, I've been searchig for a way to preseed the root password for Mariadb, and haven't found anything that I understand yet.
In a terminal run the command
Code:
debconf-get-selections > preseed.txt
this will put a file with the choices made when installing Debian (or any debian based distro) in your home folder. Open that file look for Mariadb and note what is there for it. You may have more than 1 instance of it in that file so search the entire file. Now not having used Mariadb I'm not sure if it will put the information in the file but I assume it will. Once you have this information you can put it in your next version of your preseed file and test it.
 
Old 11-13-2014, 09:29 PM   #7
snuffy115
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Registered: Dec 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by k3lt01 View Post
Nothing is staring out at me. You have uncommented the instructions to for wireless I would assume, but I could be wrong, that it should work.
I tried each line individually. Do I need them both?

Quote:
Originally Posted by k3lt01 View Post
On the netinst iso you have many options and one of them is to install DEs that are not the default.
I figured that, but can that be defined in the preseed file instead of a boot parameter?
 
Old 11-13-2014, 09:55 PM   #8
k3lt01
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Location: Australia
Distribution: Debian Wheezy, Jessie, Sid/Experimental, playing with LFS.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snuffy115 View Post
I tried each line individually. Do I need them both?
Possibly, I'm not sure though.

Quote:
Originally Posted by snuffy115 View Post
I figured that, but can that be defined in the preseed file instead of a boot parameter?
The preseed file allows for tasksel usage so you could have a line like
Code:
tasksel tasksel/desktop multiselect standard lxde
you can add other tasksel tasks here as well such as print server etc. The standard selection is just the standard non graphical Debian packages. If you don't have the stadard selection you will in effect end up with an absolute minimal (non graphical) install with LXDE on top of it.

Last edited by k3lt01; 11-13-2014 at 09:56 PM.
 
  


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