Re: preseeding choice of init system?

[Miles Fidelman <mfidelman@meetinghouse.net>]

Cyril Brulebois wrote:
> Miles Fidelman <mfidelman@meetinghouse.net> (2014-10-16):
> > 1. Where in the installer code does the init system get installed
> > into the target build?
> >
> > As far as I can tell, from somewhat out-of-date documentation
> > (http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/doc/internals/ - last updated 2010):
> >
> >   - the installer runs the base-installer package, which uses
> > debootstrap, to install the base system - including the init system
> > - before the tasksel phase, or installation of additional packages.
> >
> > - In turn, this process uses the hard-coded package priorities, in
> > the repository, to determine which init system to install (which,
> > for jessie, are set to favor systemd)
> >
> > Is this correct?  If not, where does the init system get selected
> > and installed?
> Yes.
>
> > 2.  Assuming the above is correct, is there any way to preseed an
> > alternate choice?
> >
> > - so far, I haven't been able to find any such command that could be
> > put into a preseed file
> Not sure pkgsel/include will help since some packages will need a
> removal.
>
> preseed/late_command is a generic thing that should work.

Do you mean preseed/early_command?  And if so, how early do those get 
run (i.e., can you run that before base-install).

If yes - that does raise a couple of additional questions:
- it sure looks like one would have to install an alternate init 
somewhere in the middle of base-install -- aren't there a few things 
that need to be installed first, like the kernel -- so how to run the 
command in the middle of base-install becomes an issue
- since the default in it system has a higher priority than the 
alternate, it would seem like there's a risk that the installer hits 
that point, and replaces the alternate with the default

Or am I missing something?

Thanks,

Miles

--
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice, there is.   .... Yogi Berra