• DebianInstaller
• NetworkConsole

DebianInstallerNetworkConsole

IMHO using network console (d-i over ssh) is most useful when used in conjuction with preseeding the network configuration and the network console password - if you can configure this using local input+output, then why use network console at all ? (Answer: for cold and noisy server rooms for example...)

Using network-console and preseeding

• Because of #288053 currently it is not possible to load a preseed file via http (preseed/url), which enables network-console.

#288053 was fixed 20070410, this page needs a revision.

• There are no reported problems using preseed files from cdrom (note: you have to create your own iso images) or from usbsticks - both with preseed/file.
• AFAIK nobody has ever done preseeding with preseed/floppy. If you did/do, please submit a bugreport. (I have a floppy with all my preseed files on it. One file for each computer. - Stephen Frazier)

• in rc2 it's not possible to use initrd preseeding because the code was written after rc2 was released. (see http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-changes/2004/12/msg00963.html )

So, what are the options ?

• invoke network console manually (via expert mode)
• try network console and preseeding from floppy (please submit a bug report)
• build a custom-cd or a usbstick image which contains a preseeding file which enables network console (TODO: extend below explaination how to do this)
• build a sid-d-i netboot image which contains a preseeding file: see below

Howto build an netboot-initrd

As explained above, you need d-i from sid (rc2 won't work), so you need a sid build environment... so chroot (see Build A Chroot) into it and:

• checkout debian-installer
  • with "svn co svn://svn.d-i.alioth.debian.org/svn/d-i/trunk debian-installer"
• add '#include "network-console"' in installer/build/pkg-lists/netboot/$arch.cfg

• add EXTRAFILES=/tmp/preseed.cfg in installer/build/config/local and put preseed.cfg to tmp (yes, this is outside of the debian-installer source directory)

• run dpkg-checkbuilddeps in debian-installer/installer, install needed packages
• cd to debian-installer/installer/build ; less README

• "fakeroot make build_powerpc_netboot" was the command I issued to build netboot images for powerpc - use "make || grep build || grep -v rebuild" to get a list of available targets

• if the build has been successfull you'll find the results in debian-installer/installer/build/dest/

Be sure to enable network autoconfiguration in your preseed.cfg! Also include the following line to set a passwd for the network console (login with installer@host):

d-i   debian-installer/network-console/password       password        r00tme

If you want to use sid-udebs (you should as you build a sid-d-i) and install sarge use the following:

d-i     mirror/suite            string sarge

d-i     mirror/udeb/suite       string sid