How do I create a completely unattended install of Ubuntu?
The complete solution is:
Remaster a CD, ie, download a non graphical ubuntu installation ISO (server or alternate installation CD), mount it
$ sudo su -
# mkdir -p /mnt/iso
# mount -o loop ubuntu.iso /mnt/iso
Copy the relevant files to a different directory
# mkdir -p /opt/ubuntuiso
# cp -rT /mnt/iso /opt/ubuntuiso
Prevent the language selection menu from appearing
# cd /opt/ubuntuiso
# echo en >isolinux/lang
Use GUI program to add a kickstart file named ks.cfg
# apt-get install system-config-kickstart
# system-config-kickstart # save file to ks.cfg
To add packages for the installation, add a %package section to the ks.cfg kickstart file, append to the end of ks.cfg file something like this.
%packages
@ ubuntu-server
openssh-server
ftp
build-essential
This will install the ubuntu-server "bundle", and will add the openssh-server, ftp and build-essential packages.
Add a preseed file, to suppress other questions
# echo 'd-i partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman/choose_partition \
select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk
d-i partman/confirm boolean true' > ks.preseed
Set the boot command line to use the kickstart and preseed files
# vi isolinux/txt.cfg
Search for
label install
menu label ^Install Ubuntu Server
kernel /install/vmlinuz
append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet --
add ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg and preseed/file=/cdrom/ks.preseed to the append line. You can remove the quiet and vga=788 words. It should look like
append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed \
initrd=/install/initrd.gz \
ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg preseed/file=/cdrom/ks.preseed --
Now create a new iso
# mkisofs -D -r -V "ATTENDLESS_UBUNTU" \
-cache-inodes -J -l -b isolinux/isolinux.bin \
-c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 \
-boot-info-table -o /opt/autoinstall.iso /opt/ubuntuiso
That's it. You'll have a CD that would install an Ubuntu system once you boot from it, without requiring a single keystroke.
The instructions at this question cover the process for creating an EFI bootable ISO (like the official Ubuntu x86_64 ISO).:
How do I create an EFI-bootable ISO of a customized version of Ubuntu?
The key differences are setting this as the preseed file:
d-i partman-auto/method string lvm
d-i partman-auto-lvm/guided_size string max
d-i partman-auto/choose_recipe select atomic
d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman/choose_partition select finish
d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman/confirm boolean true
d-i partman-auto/purge_lvm_from_device boolean true
d-i partman-lvm/device_remove_lvm boolean true
d-i partman-lvm/confirm boolean true
d-i partman-lvm/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select Guided - use entire disk and set up LVM
d-i partman/choose_partition select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk
d-i partman-auto-lvm/no_boot boolean true
d-i partman-md/device_remove_md boolean true
d-i partman-md/confirm boolean true
d-i partman-md/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
Use this as the kickstart file:
lang en_US
langsupport en_US
keyboard us
mouse
timezone America/Los_Angeles
rootpw --disabled
user USERNAME --fullname "USERNAME" --password "PASSWORD"
reboot
text
install
cdrom
auth --useshadow --enablemd5
network --bootproto=dhcp --device=eth0
firewall --disabled
skipx
%packages
@ ubuntu-server
openssh-server
Edit the grub EFI boot configuration for the ISO:
sudo nano ~/ubuntu/boot/grub/grub.cfg
Set to:
if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod gfxterm
terminal_output gfxterm
fi
set menu_color_normal=white/light-blue
set menu_color_highlight=light-blue/light-gray
set timeout=10
set default=0
menuentry "Automatically Install Ubuntu Server with Custom Config" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /install/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed quiet ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg preseed/file=/cdrom/ks.preseed --
initrd /install/initrd.gz
}
menuentry "OEM install (for manufacturers)" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /install/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed quiet oem-config/enable=true --
initrd /install/initrd.gz
}
menuentry "Multiple server install with MAAS" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /install/vmlinuz modules=maas-enlist-udeb vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet --
initrd /install/initrd.gz
}
menuentry "Check disc for defects" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /install/vmlinuz MENU=/bin/cdrom-checker-menu quiet --
initrd /install/initrd.gz
}
menuentry "Rescue a broken system" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /install/vmlinuz rescue/enable=true --
initrd /install/initrd.gz
}
Set isolinux/txt.cfg like this:
default install
label install
menu label ^Install Ubuntu Server with Custom Config
kernel /install/vmlinuz
append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed initrd=/install/initrd.gz ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg preseed/file=/cdrom/ks.preseed --
label cloud
menu label ^Multiple server install with MAAS
kernel /install/vmlinuz
append modules=maas-enlist-udeb vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet --
label check
menu label ^Check disc for defects
kernel /install/vmlinuz
append MENU=/bin/cdrom-checker-menu vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet --
label memtest
menu label Test ^memory
kernel /install/mt86plus
label hd
menu label ^Boot from first hard disk
localboot 0x80
Create a dual boot catalog ISO:
sudo mkisofs -U -A "Custom1404" -V "Custom1404" -volset "Custom1404" -J -joliet-long -r -v -T -o ../Custom1404.iso -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -eltorito-alt-boot -e boot/grub/efi.img -no-emul-boot .
Verify an EFI-bootable ISO has been created:
dumpet -i Custom1404.iso
Outputs:
Validation Entry:
Header Indicator: 0x01 (Validation Entry)
PlatformId: 0x00 (80x86)
ID: ""
Checksum: 0x55aa
Key bytes: 0x55aa
Boot Catalog Default Entry:
Entry is bootable
Boot Media emulation type: no emulation
Media load segment: 0x0 (0000:7c00)
System type: 0 (0x00)
Load Sectors: 4 (0x0004)
Load LBA: 3100 (0x00000c1c)
Section Header Entry:
Header Indicator: 0x91 (Final Section Header Entry)
PlatformId: 0xef (EFI)
Section Entries: 1
ID: ""
Boot Catalog Section Entry:
Entry is bootable
Boot Media emulation type: no emulation
Media load address: 0 (0x0000)
System type: 0 (0x00)
Load Sectors: 4672 (0x1240)
Load LBA: 1932 (0x0000078c)
Here is a shell script which performs this procedure, thanks for the introduction: http://www.utech.de/2013/05/shell-script-creating-a-cd-for-unattended-ubuntu-server-installations/
The script you find following the link basically implements the procedure that @Elazar described, so the essential parts are just a screen above. I added the link to save somebody some time, and to make it a bit easier to repeat this for other versions of Ubuntu.