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Bug#621769: debian-installer: fails to load preseed file from local media



reopen 621769
severity 621769 wishlist
retitle 621769 please include file-reseed udeb on netboot images
thanks
On ven., 2011-04-08 at 13:27 -0400, Joey Hess wrote:
> Yves-Alexis Perez wrote:
> > I'm using the netboot files (so linux kernel and initrd.gz). I've tried
> > various setups:
> > 
> > preseed/file=/hd-media/foo.cfg
> > preseed/file=file:///hd-media/foo.cfg
> > 
> > Looking at the content of the initrd it seems that there is nothing
> > mounting the media nor anything done to handle preseed/file. I've found
> > stuff for handling preseed/url but nothing for the file scheme.
> 
> /hd-media is mounted by iso-scan. That will work fine if you're
> installing from a hd<F11>-media image. Otherwise it won't, and you'll
> have to put the file somewhere else.
> 
> d-i does not have one initrd, it has initrds customized for different
> media types. The file-preseed udeb that handles preseed/file is only
> present on the hd-media, cdrom, and monolithic initrds.

Ok, the more I think about it, the more I'd find it useful to be able to
just drop a preseed file in a usb key along with kernel/initrd and be
able to use it. 

hd-media doesn't fit because that means having a complete mirror of what
you want on the key (since it won't be able to install from a http
mirror) and you need to have the usb key plugged in for the whole
install (it's alway more practical to be able to just remove the key
once it has booted, and in cases like you have a lot of install running
in parallel it means you can just have once key for all of them). 

Adding the preseed files to the initramfs means you have to rebuild it
each time the installed is updated or you change the preseed file, which
is a bit painful.

file-preseed udeb is just 24kb installed (3.8kb for the package, meaning
it compresses just fine in the initramfs) so I guess it's not too much
of a space problem.

All in all it's not a huge problem, there are workarounds, but it'd be
really convenient, imho.

Thanks for your work and consideration.

Regards,
-- 
Yves-Alexis

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