grml-debootstrap(8)
===================

Name
----
grml-debootstrap - wrapper around mmdebstrap for installing plain Debian

Synopsis
--------
grml-debootstrap [ _options_ ]

image:images/screenshot.png[Screenshot]

Introduction
------------

grml-debootstrap is a wrapper suite around mmdebstrap (and debootstrap)
for installing a plain Debian system very fast and easy.

All you have to do is adjust a few variables in the configuration file
/etc/debootstrap/config or specify some command line options and invoke
grml-debootstrap. If invoked without any configuration modifications or command
line options a dialog based front end will be available to control some basic
configuration options.

A plain and base Debian system will be installed on the given device, directory
or virtual image file then. Customization of this process is possible as well.

CAUTION: The Grml team does not take responsibility for loss of any data!

Options and environment variables
---------------------------------

*--arch* _architecture_::

    Set target architecture you want to install. Defaults to the architecture
    you are currently running.
    Example: "_--arch amd64_"

*--backportrepos*::

    Enable Debian's Backports repository via the
    /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list configuration file. This provides the
    option to install Debian packages from Debian's backports repository.

*--bootappend* _appendline-for-the-kernel_::

    Specify appendline for the kernel.
    E.g. "_pci=nomsi_"

*-c*, *--config* _file_::

    Use specified configuration file, defaults to /etc/debootstrap/config.

*--chroot-scripts* _directory_::

    Execute chroot scripts from specified directory. This allows customisation
    of the chroot setup, the executable script(s) present in the given directory
    are executed at the end of the chroot procedure.
    Default directory: /etc/debootstrap/chroot-scripts/

*--contrib*::

    Enable the 'contrib' repository in COMPONENTS. By default only
    the 'main' repository is enabled.

*-d*, *--confdir* _path_::

    Place of configuration files for debootstrap, defaults to /etc/debootstrap.

*--debconf* _file_::

    Use specified file for preseeding Debian packages instead of using
    the default <confdir>/debconf-selections.

*--debopt* _params_::

    Extra parameters passed to the debootstrap command.

*--debug*::

   Execute in very verbose way. Useful for debugging possible problems
   with grml-debootstrap or identify what's actually executed.

*--defaultinterfaces*::

   Install a default /etc/network/interfaces file (enabling DHCP for all local
   Ethernet, WLAN and WWAN interfaces using predictable network interface names
   and using eth0 as traditional interface name for backward compatibility)
   instead of taking over config from host system.
   This option is automatically enabled when using --vm or --vmfile.

*--efi* _device_::

    Partition where EFI boot manager should be installed to. If the
    specified device doesn't use a FAT filesystem yet grml-debootstrap
    automatically creates the filesystem. If a FAT filesystem is already
    present the filesystem creation is skipped. Please ensure that it's
    a valid FAT32 filesystem and the partition has the 'boot' and 'esp'
    flags enabled. This option requires EFI support on the running system
    and the option is NOT supported for Virtual Machine deployments.

*--filesystem* _filesystem_::

    Filesystem that should be created when installing to a partition.
    If unset defaults to ext4. Valid values are all filesystems that
    can be created through mkfs._filesystem_.

*--force*::

    Skip user acknowledgement and do not prompt for user input.

*--grmlrepos*::

    Enable Grml.org's Debian repository (http://deb.grml.org/) via the
    /etc/apt/sources.list.d/grml.list configuration file. This provides the
    option to install Debian packages from Grml's repository.

*--grub* _device_::

    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*::

    Show summary of options and exit.

*--hostname* _hostname_::

    Use specified hostname instead of the default (being $HOSTNAME or if unset 'grml').

*--keep_src_list*::

     Do not overwrite user provided /etc/apt/sources.list.

*-m*, *--mirror* _URL_::

    Specify mirror which should be used for apt-get/aptitude.
    Corresponding with configuration variable MIRROR.

*--nodebootstrap*::

    Skip debootstrap, only do configuration to the target.

*--nointerfaces*::

    Do not copy /etc/network/interfaces from host system to the target.

*--nokernel*::

    Skip installation of default kernel images. This option might be
    interesting for you if you want a Debian system which doesn't
    need to provide regular boot, e.g. a system which provides
    ISOs for booting via GRUB using grml-rescueboot.

*--non-free*::

    Enable the 'non-free' repository in COMPONENTS.
    For bookworm and newer Debian releases also the 'non-free-firmware' repository gets enabled.
    By default only the 'main' repository is enabled.

*--nopackages*::

    Skip installation of packages defined in /etc/debootstrap/packages.

*--nopassword*::

    Do not prompt for the root password. Note: Use the '--password' option if
    you want to set the root password during an automatic installation but don't
    want to use the interactive dialog.

*-p*, *--mntpoint* _/mntpoint_::

    Specify mount point 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_::

    Use specified file as list for packages that should be installed instead of
    the default package list file <confdir>/packages.

*--password* _password_::

    Use specified password as password for user root. Use with caution, as your
    command line might be visible in the process list and the shell history.
    It's meant for automatic installation only.

*--post-scripts* _directory_::

    Execute scripts from specified directory after executing the chroot script.
    This allows customisation of the system after 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/post-scripts/

*--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/

*-r*, *--release* _releasename_::

    Specify release of new Debian system. Supported releases names:
    buster, bullseye, bookworm, trixie and sid.
    Corresponding with configuration variable RELEASE. Default release: trixie

*--remove-configs*::

    Delete grml-debootstrap configuration files (/etc/debootstrap/*) from installed
    system. Useful for reproducible builds or if you don't want to leak information.

*--sshcopyauth*::

    Use locally available _$HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys_ to authorise root login on the target system.
    This installs _$HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys_ as _/root/.ssh/authorized_keys_ on
    the target system. If a different file than _$HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys_ should
    be used, the environment variable _AUTHORIZED_KEYS_SOURCE_ can be used.

*--sshcopyid*::

    Use locally available public keys to authorise root login on the target system.
    Similar to ssh-copy-id(1) (without the -i option) it checks if `ssh-add -L`
    provides any output, and if so those keys are appended to
    _/root/.ssh/authorized_keys_ (creating the file and directory (with mode 0700)).

*-t*, *--target* _target_::

    Target partition (/dev/...) or directory (anything else without /dev at the
    beginning).

*-v*, *--verbose*::

    Increase verbosity.

*--vm*::

    Set up a Virtual Machine on an existing block device, which will be
    partitioned.
    This allows deployment of a Virtual Machine. The options needs to be
    combined with the --target option.
    This option automatically enables the --defaultinterfaces option.
    Usage example: --vm --target /dev/mapper/your-vm-disk

*--vmfile*::

    Set up a Virtual Machine using a regular file instead of installing to a
    partition/block device or directory. This allows deployment of a Virtual
    Machine. The options needs to be combined with the --target option
    ('qemu-img create -f raw ...' is executed on the specified target).
    This option automatically enables the --defaultinterfaces 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

*--vmefi*::

   Create an EFI boot partition for the VM.

*-V*, *--version*::

    Show version of program and exit.

WARNING: the command line parsing of grml-debootstrap usually does not validate
the provided arguments for the command line options. Please be careful and check
docs and /etc/debootstrap/config for further information.

Networking
----------

By default (that is, if none of the options *--nointerfaces*,
*--defaultinterfaces*, *--vmfile* or *--vm* are given) /etc/network/interfaces
will be copied from the host to the target system.

Usage examples
---------------

  grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda

Install default Debian release (trixie) on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda.

  grml-debootstrap --release buster --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda --hostname debian01 --password changeme

Install Debian release buster on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda.
Set hostname to 'debian01' and password for user root to 'changeme'.

  grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda6 --grub /dev/sda --release sid

Install Debian unstable/sid on /dev/sda6 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda.

  grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda

Install default Debian release (trixie) on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda.
Use mmdebstrap instead of default debootstrap tool for bootstrapping.

  grml-debootstrap --target /dev/mapper/vg0-rootfs --grub /dev/sda

Install default Debian release (trixie) on LVM device /dev/mapper/vg0-rootfs and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda.

  grml-debootstrap --efi /dev/sda1 --target /dev/sda2 --grub /dev/sda

Install default Debian release (trixie) on /dev/sda2 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda.
Use /dev/sda1 as EFI partition (requires EFI support in booted system).

  mount /dev/sda1 /data/chroot
  grml-debootstrap --target /data/chroot

Install default Debian release (trixie) in directory /data/chroot (without any bootloader).

  grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda3 --grub /dev/sda  --mirror ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian

Install default Debian release (trixie) on /dev/sda3 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda.
Use specified mirror instead of the default (http://deb.debian.org/debian) one.

  mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1
  grml-debootstrap --vmfile --vmsize 3G --target /mnt/sda1/qemu.img

Install default debian release (trixie) in a Virtual Machine file with 3GB disk size (including GRUB as bootmanager in MBR of the virtual disk file).


Files
-----

  /etc/debootstrap/config

Main configuration file. Adjust it according to your needs if you want to
execute grml-debootstrap in the non-interactive mode without any special command
line arguments.

  /etc/debootstrap/chroot-script

The script executed within the new Debian system as soon as the main system
has been installed via [c]debootstrap.

  /etc/debootstrap/locale.gen

Defines the default locales used for generating locales via locale-gen.

  /etc/debootstrap/packages

Defines the software packages which should be installed in the new
Debian system by default.

  /etc/debootstrap/extrapackages/

Debian Packages dropped in this directory will be installed into the new Debian
system by default (Control variable: EXTRAPACKAGES)

Customization
-------------

You can control execution of grml-debootstrap via adjusting
/etc/debootstrap/config for some main stuff or via setting some selected
variables via command line.  The packages which should be installed in the new
Debian system can be defined via the file /etc/debootstrap/packages.  If you
want to put existing files to the new Debian system you can place them into the
(by default non-existing) directories boot, etc, share, usr and var in
/etc/debootstrap/. Every existing directory will be copied to the new Debian
system then. If you want to install additional packages that are not available
via the Grml or Debian mirror drop them into /etc/debootstrap/extrapackages and
make sure that EXTRAPACKAGES is set to "yes".

Supported Releases
------------------

.Current status
[width="40%",frame="topbot",options="header"]
|======================
|Release  |Status
|buster   |works[1]
|bullseye |works
|bookworm |works
|trixie   |works
|sid      |works[2]
|======================

[NOTE]
.buster release
================================================================================
[1] Please notice that releases like buster are unsupported releases within Debian nowadays.
grml-debootstrap can handle the releases but you really should not use them anymore unless you really know what you are doing.
Even older versions are also entirely unsupported by grml-debootstrap.

Choose the current Debian stable version instead.
See https://wiki.debian.org/DebianReleases for the list of supported releases.

Notice that you need to specify a specific mirror providing old releases, the default (http://deb.debian.org/debian) doesn't provide them any longer.
Set the mirror to e.g. http://archive.debian.org/debian/ if you don't have your own Debian mirror.

Older releases might also fail to install when running on top of recent kernel versions,
throwing segfaults during debootstrap. This can be identified by the following messages inside kernel log (check with 'dmesg'):

   dpkg[...] vsyscall attempted with vsyscall=none ip:[...]
   dpkg[...]: segfault at [...]

To work around this issue boot your system with the kernel boot option 'vsyscall=emulate'.
================================================================================

[NOTE]
.unstable and testing releases
================================================================================
[2] Please notice that Debian/testing and Debian/unstable (sid) might
not be always installable due to their nature. What _might_ work instead is
deploying a stable release and upgrade it after installation finished.
================================================================================

Bugs
----

Please report bugs towards https://github.com/grml/grml-debootstrap/issues

See also
--------

debootstrap(8), mmdebstrap(1).

Author
------
Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org>
