Options and environment variables
---------------------------------
+*--arch* <_architecture_>::
+
+ Architecture you want to bootstrap. Currently only i386 is supported.
+ Defaults to the architecture that is currently running on your system. If
+ you're running an amd64 system and want to deploy a i386 system use this option.
+ Note: deploying amd64 from a i386 system won't work.
+
*--bootappend* <_appendline for the kernel_>::
Specify appendline for the kernel.
Extra parameters passed to the debootstrap command.
-*--groot* <_device_>::
+*--filesystem* <_filesystem_>::
+
+ Filesystem that should be created when installing to a partition.
+ If unset defaults to ext3. Valid values are all filesystems that
+ can be created through mkfs.<filesystem>.
- Specify root device for usage in grub (corresponds with $TARGET).
- Again, use grub syntax for specifying.
- Corresponding with configuration variable GROOT.
+*--force*::
+
+ Skip user acknowledgement and do not prompt for user input.
*--grub* <_device_>::
- Where do you want to install grub to? Use grub syntax for specifying.
- Do not forget to set groot as well. Leave empty to avoid installation of grub.
+ Device where grub should be installed to. Note that only the MBR (master
+ boot record) can be used (/dev/sda, /dev/sdb,...). Partitions (like
+ /dev/sda1, /dev/sdb2,...) are NOT supported because grub2 doesn't support
+ installation into the PBR (partition boot record) anymore. Usage example:
+ '--grub /dev/sda'. Note: just do not set this option to avoid installation
+ of grub.
*--help*, *-h*::
Skip debootstrap, only do configuration to the target.
+*--nopackages*::
+
+ Skip installation of packages defined in /etc/debootstrap/packages.
+
+*--insecure*::
+
+ Do not download and check signatures for retrieved Release files.
+
*-p*, *--mntpoint* <_/mntpoint_>::
Specify mountpoint that should be used for mounting the target system.
Corresponding with configuration variable MNTPOINT.
+ Note: this option has no effect if option -t is given and represents a
+ directory.
*--packages* <_file_>::
*-r*, *--release* <_releasename_>::
- Specify release of new Debian system. Supported releases: etch, lenny,
- squeeze (note: requires current version of debootstrap) and sid.
+ Specify release of new Debian system. Supported releases names: lenny,
+ squeeze, wheezy (note: requires current version of debootstrap) and sid.
Corresponding with configuration variable RELEASE.
+*--pre-scripts* <_directory_>::
+
+ Execute scripts from specified directory before executing the chroot
+ script. This allows customisation of the system before the chroot has
+ been set up. The environment variable $MNTPOINT is available inside the
+ scripts for direct access of the chroot.
+ Default directory: /etc/debootstrap/pre-scripts/
+
*--scripts* <_directory_>::
Execute scripts from specified directory. This allows customisation of
*-t*, *--target* <_target_>::
Target partition (/dev/...) or directory (anything else without /dev at the
- beginning). To install grub using *--grub* and *--groot*, make sure to
- use a _device_ instead of a directory as _target_ (installation of
- grub as bootloader when using directories isn't supported yet).
+ beginning). To install grub using *--grub* make sure to use a _device_
+ instead of a directory as _target_ (installation of grub as bootloader when
+ using directories is NOT supported).
*-v*, *--verbose*::
Increase verbosity.
+*--vmfile*::
+ Set up a Virtual Machine instead of installing to a partition or directory.
+ This allows deployment of a Virtual Machine. The options needs to be
+ combined with the --target option.
+ Usage example: --vmfile --target /mnt/sda1/qemu.img
+
+*--vmsize* <_size_>::
+ Use specified size for size of Virtual Machine disk file. If not specified it
+ defaults to 2G (being 2GB). Syntax as supported by qemu-img (see manpage
+ qemu-img(1) for details.
+ Usage example: --vmsize 3G
+
*-V*, *--version*::
Show version of program and exit.
Usage examples
---------------
- grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub hd0 --groot hd0,0
+ grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda
-Install default Debian release (stable/lenny) on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager
+Install default Debian release (stable/squeeze) on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager
Grub in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda and use /dev/sda1 as system partition.
- grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda6 --grub hd0 --groot hd0,5 --release sid
+ grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda6 --grub /dev/sda --release sid
-Install Debian unstable/sid on /dev/sda6, install bootmanager
-Grub in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda and use /dev/sda6 as system partition.
+Install Debian unstable/sid on /dev/sda6, install bootmanager Grub in MBR
+(master boot record) of /dev/sda and use /dev/sda6 as system partition.
+ mount /dev/sda1 /data/chroot
grml-debootstrap --target /data/chroot
-Install default Debian release (stable/lenny) in directory /data/chroot (without
+Install default Debian release (stable/squeeze) in directory /data/chroot (without
any bootloader).
- grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda3 --grub hd0 --groot hd0,2 --mirror ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian
+ grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda3 --grub /dev/sda --mirror ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian
+
+Install default debian release (stable/squeeze) in a Virtual Machine file with
+3GB disk size (including Grub as bootmanager in MBR of the virtual disk file):
-Install default Debian release (stable/lenny) on /dev/sda3 and install bootmanager
+ mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1
+ grml-debootstrap --vmfile --vmsize 3G --target /mnt/sda1/qemu.img
+
+Install default Debian release (stable/squeeze) on /dev/sda3 and install bootmanager
Grub in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda and use /dev/sda3 as system partition.
Use specified mirror instead of the default (ftp://ftp.debian.de/debian) one.
mount -o loop /mnt/sda6/debian-40r0-i386-CD-1.iso /mnt/iso
- grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub hd0 --groot hd0,0 --iso file:/mnt/iso/debian/
+ grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda --iso file:/mnt/iso/debian/
-Install Debian stable/lenny on /dev/sda1 using the loopback mounted Debian-ISO
+Install Debian stable/squeeze on /dev/sda1 using the loopback mounted Debian-ISO
for the base-system and install bootmanager Grub in MBR (master boot record) of
/dev/sda and use /dev/sda1 as system partition. Please notice, that the chroot
system requires network access for all packages which are not part of the
/etc/debootstrap/config
Main configuration file. You have to adjust it according to your needs
-before you are able to run grml-debootstrap.
+if you want to execute grml-debootstrap in the non-interactive mode without
+any special command line arguments.
/etc/debootstrap/chroot-script
grub=...
-Where do you want to install grub to? Use grub syntax for specifying.
-Usage example: grub=hd0
-
- groot=...
-
-Specify root device for usage in grub (corresponds with $TARGET).
-Again, use grub syntax for specifying. Usage example: groot=hd0,0
+Where do you want to install grub to? Usage example: grub=/dev/sda
release=...
-Specify release of new Debian system. Defaults to Debian stable. Supported
-relases: etch, lenny, squeeze and sid. Usage example: release=sid
+Specify release of new Debian system. Defaults to Debian squeeze. Supported
+relases: lenny, squeeze, wheezy and sid. Usage example: release=sid
mirror=...
Usage example for automatic installation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- debian2hd target=/dev/sda1 grub=hd0 groot=hd0,0 mirror=ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian password=foobar
+ debian2hd target=/dev/sda1 grub=/dev/sda mirror=ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian password=foobar
You have to enter this commandline at the bootprompt of grml. Please make sure
that /dev/sda1 is the partition where you really want to install your new Debian
================================================================================
[1] Please notice that Etch is the current old-stable within Debian.
grml-debootstrap can handle the release but you really should not use Etch
-anymore unless you really know what you are doing. Choose Lenny instead.
+anymore unless you really know what you are doing. Choose Lenny or
+Squeeze instead.
+================================================================================
+
+[NOTE]
+.Lenny-Release
+================================================================================
+When installing lenny to a new mdraid, grml-debootstrap will use md metadata
+format version 0.90. This limits the device to a maximum size of 2TB, but has
+the advantage of grub-legacy actually being able to boot from it.
================================================================================
Bugs