6 grml-debootstrap - wrapper around debootstrap for installing plain Debian
10 grml-debootstrap [ _options_ ]
12 image:images/screenshot.png[Screenshot]
17 grml-debootstrap is a wrapper suite around debootstrap (and cdebootstrap if you
18 want) for installing a plain Debian system very fast and easy.
20 All you have to do is adjust a few variables in the configuration file
21 /etc/debootstrap/config or specify some command line options and invoke
22 grml-debootstrap. If invoked without any configuration modifications or command
23 line options a dialog based frontend will be available to control some basic
24 configuration options.
26 A plain and base Debian system will be installed on the given device, directory
27 or virtual image file then. Customization of this process is possible as well.
29 CAUTION: The Grml team does not take responsibility for loss of any data!
31 Options and environment variables
32 ---------------------------------
34 *--arch* _architecture_::
36 Set target architecture you want to install. Defaults to the architecture
37 you are currently running. If you're running an amd64 kernel and want to
38 deploy an i386 system use this option. Note: deploying amd64 from an i386
39 kernel does *not* work. Example: "_--arch i386_"
43 Enable Debian's Backports repository (http://backports.debian.org/) via the
44 /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list configuration file. This provides the
45 option to install Debian packages from Debian's backports repository.
47 *--bootappend* _appendline-for-the-kernel_::
49 Specify appendline for the kernel.
52 *-c*, *--config* _file_::
54 Use specified configuration file, defaults to /etc/debootstrap/config.
56 *--chroot-scripts* _directory_::
58 Execute chroot scripts from specified directory. This allows customisation
59 of the chroot setup, the executable script(s) present in the given directory
60 are executed at the end of the chroot procedure.
61 Default directory: /etc/debootstrap/chroot-scripts/
63 *-d*, *--confdir* _path_::
65 Place of configuration files for debootstrap, defaults to /etc/debootstrap.
69 Use specified file for preseeding Debian packages instead of using
70 the default <confdir>/debconf-selections.
74 Extra parameters passed to the debootstrap command.
78 Execute in very verbose way. Useful for debugging possible problems
79 with grml-debootstrap or identify what's actually executed.
81 *--filesystem* _filesystem_::
83 Filesystem that should be created when installing to a partition.
84 If unset defaults to ext4. Valid values are all filesystems that
85 can be created through mkfs._filesystem_.
89 Skip user acknowledgement and do not prompt for user input.
93 Enable Grml.org's Debian repository (http://deb.grml.org/) via the
94 /etc/apt/sources.list.d/grml.list configuration file. This provides the
95 option to install Debian packages from Grml's repository.
99 Device where grub should be installed to. Note that only the MBR (master
100 boot record) can be used (/dev/sda, /dev/sdb,...). Partitions (like
101 /dev/sda1, /dev/sdb2,...) are NOT supported because grub2 doesn't support
102 installation into the PBR (partition boot record) anymore. Usage example:
103 '--grub /dev/sda'. Note: just do not set this option to avoid installation
108 Show summary of options and exit.
110 *--hostname* _hostname_::
112 Use specified hostname instead of the default (being $HOSTNAME or if unset 'grml').
114 *-i*, *--iso* _/mntpoint_::
116 Specify mount point where you have a Debian ISO mounted loopback.
117 Using this option instead of the mirror option gives you the possibility
118 to install the base-system without network access. Make sure you
119 mounted the according Debian-ISO to the given _/mntpoint_. See section
120 'Usage examples' for a demonstration.
124 Do not overwrite user provided /etc/apt/sources.list.
126 *-m*, *--mirror* _URL_::
128 Specify mirror which should be used for apt-get/aptitude.
129 Corresponding with configuration variable MIRROR.
133 Skip debootstrap, only do configuration to the target.
137 Do not copy /etc/network/interfaces from host system to the target.
138 This option is automatically enabled when using --vmfile.
142 Skip installation of packages defined in /etc/debootstrap/packages.
146 Do not prompt for the root password. Note: Use the '--password' option if
147 you want to set the root password during an automatic installation but don't
148 want to use the interactive dialog.
150 *-p*, *--mntpoint* _/mntpoint_::
152 Specify mount point that should be used for mounting the target system.
153 Corresponding with configuration variable MNTPOINT.
154 Note: this option has no effect if option -t is given and represents a
157 *--packages* _file_::
159 Use specified file as list for packages that should be installed instead of
160 the default package list file <confdir>/packages.
162 *--password* _password_::
164 Use specified password as password for user root. Use with caution, as your
165 command line might be visible in the process list and the shell history.
166 It's meant for automatic installation only.
168 *-r*, *--release* _releasename_::
170 Specify release of new Debian system. Supported releases names: lenny,
171 squeeze, wheezy (note: requires current version of debootstrap) and sid.
172 Corresponding with configuration variable RELEASE.
174 *--pre-scripts* _directory_::
176 Execute scripts from specified directory before executing the chroot
177 script. This allows customisation of the system before the chroot has
178 been set up. The environment variable $MNTPOINT is available inside the
179 scripts for direct access of the chroot.
180 Default directory: /etc/debootstrap/pre-scripts/
182 *--scripts* _directory_::
184 Execute scripts from specified directory. This allows customisation of
185 the system after the chroot has been set up. The environment variable
186 $MNTPOINT is available inside the scripts for direct access of the chroot.
187 Default directory: /etc/debootstrap/scripts/
189 *-t*, *--target* _target_::
191 Target partition (/dev/...) or directory (anything else without /dev at the
200 Set up a Virtual Machine instead of installing to a partition or directory.
201 This allows deployment of a Virtual Machine. The options needs to be
202 combined with the --target option.
203 Usage example: --vmfile --target /mnt/sda1/qemu.img
207 Use specified size for size of Virtual Machine disk file. If not specified it
208 defaults to 2G (being 2GB). Syntax as supported by qemu-img (see manpage
209 qemu-img(1) for details.
210 Usage example: --vmsize 3G
214 Show version of program and exit.
216 WARNING: the command line parsing of grml-debootstrap usually does not validate
217 the provided arguments for the command line options. Please be careful and check
218 docs and /etc/debootstrap/config for further information.
223 grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda
225 Install default Debian release (wheezy) on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager
226 Grub in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda and use /dev/sda1 as system partition.
228 grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda6 --grub /dev/sda --release sid
230 Install Debian unstable/sid on /dev/sda6, install bootmanager Grub in MBR
231 (master boot record) of /dev/sda and use /dev/sda6 as system partition.
233 mount /dev/sda1 /data/chroot
234 grml-debootstrap --target /data/chroot
236 Install default Debian release (wheezy) in directory /data/chroot (without
239 grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda3 --grub /dev/sda --mirror ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian
241 Install default debian release (wheezy) in a Virtual Machine file with
242 3GB disk size (including Grub as bootmanager in MBR of the virtual disk file):
244 mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1
245 grml-debootstrap --vmfile --vmsize 3G --target /mnt/sda1/qemu.img
247 Install default Debian release (wheezy) on /dev/sda3 and install bootmanager
248 Grub in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda and use /dev/sda3 as system partition.
249 Use specified mirror instead of the default (ftp://ftp.debian.de/debian) one.
251 mount -o loop /mnt/sda6/debian-CD-1.iso /mnt/iso
252 grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda --iso file:/mnt/iso/debian/
254 Install Debian on /dev/sda1 using the loopback mounted Debian-ISO
255 for the base-system and install bootmanager Grub in MBR (master boot record) of
256 /dev/sda and use /dev/sda1 as system partition. Please notice, that the chroot
257 system requires network access for all packages which are not part of the
263 /etc/debootstrap/config
265 Main configuration file. Adjust it according to your needs if you want to
266 execute grml-debootstrap in the non-interactive mode without any special command
269 /etc/debootstrap/chroot-script
271 The script executed within the new Debian system as soon as the main system
272 has been installed via [c]debootstrap.
274 /etc/debootstrap/locale.gen
276 Defines the default locales used for generating locales via locale-gen.
278 /etc/debootstrap/packages
280 Defines the software packages which should be installed in the new
281 Debian system by default.
283 /etc/debootstrap/extrapackages/
285 Debian Packages dropped in this directory will be installed into the new Debian
286 system by default (Control variable: EXTRAPACKAGES)
291 You can control execution of grml-debootstrap via adjusting
292 /etc/debootstrap/config for some main stuff or via setting some selected
293 variables via command line. The packages which should be installed in the new
294 Debian system can be defined via the file /etc/debootstrap/packages. If you
295 want to put existing files to the new Debian system you can place them into the
296 (by default non-existing) directories boot, etc, share, usr and var in
297 /etc/debootstrap/. Every existing directory will be copied to the new Debian
298 system then. If you want to install additional packages that are not available
299 via the Grml or Debian mirror drop them into /etc/debootstrap/extrapackages and
300 make sure that EXTRAPACKAGES is set to "yes".
302 Automatic installation
303 ----------------------
305 If environment variable AUTOINSTALL is set grml-debootstrap can be executed in a
306 full automatic mode. While this mode isn't really useful for interactive
307 execution (just configure /etc/debootstrap/configure or specify the relevant
308 variables on the command line instead) it is meant for use via boot option
309 debian2hd on the Grml live system. The boot option debian2hd (more precise: the
310 kernelname at the bootprompt) supports the following boot options (they
311 correspond with the command line options mentioned above):
315 The target partition/directory of the new Debian system. Usage example:
320 Where do you want to install grub to? Usage example: grub=/dev/sda
324 Specify release of new Debian system. Defaults to Debian wheezy. Supported
325 relases: lenny, squeeze, wheezy and sid. Usage example: release=sid
329 Specify mirror which should be used for apt-get/aptitude instead
330 of the default one (http://http.debian.net/debian).
331 Usage example: mirror=ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian
335 Set password of user root without prompting for it but set it to the given
336 argument. Usage example: password=AiTh5ahn
338 Usage example for automatic installation
339 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
341 debian2hd target=/dev/sda1 grub=/dev/sda mirror=ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian password=foobar
343 You have to enter this command line at the bootprompt of the Grml live system.
344 Please make sure that /dev/sda1 is the partition where you really want to
345 install your new Debian system.
348 Automatic installation within booting process is done in grml-autoconfig via
349 setting environment variable AUTOINSTALL and creation of
350 /usr/bin/grml-debootstrap_noninteractive with the available and relevant
351 boot options for grml-debootstrap.
356 include::releasetable.txt[]
360 ================================================================================
361 [1] Please notice that lenny is an unsupported release within Debian nowadays.
362 grml-debootstrap can handle the release but you really should not use lenny
363 anymore unless you really know what you are doing. Choose Debian 6.0 (squeeze)
364 or Debian 7.0 (wheezy) instead.
366 Notice that you need to specify a mirror providing the lenny release, the
367 default (http://http.debian.net/debian) doesn't provide it any longer nowadays.
368 Set the mirror to e.g. http://archive.debian.org/debian/ if you don't have
369 your own lenny mirror.
371 When installing lenny to a new mdraid, grml-debootstrap will use md metadata
372 format version 0.90. This limits the device to a maximum size of 2TB, but has
373 the advantage of grub-legacy actually being able to boot from it.
374 ================================================================================
377 .unstable and testing releases
378 ================================================================================
379 [2] Please notice that jessie (Debian/testing) and sid (Debian/unstable) might
380 not be always installable due to their nature. What _might_ work instead is
381 deploying a stable release and upgrade it after installation finished.
382 ================================================================================
387 Probably. Please send bugreports to Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org>.
392 debootstrap (8), cdebootstrap (1).
396 Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org>