Generate Debian 11 ISO images with preseed.cfg

Based on https://github.com/JaeGerW2016/debian_11-bullseye-preseed. Modified to accept configurations, embed multiple files, minor bug fixes and colored progress.

Requirements

Tools cpio, gzip and xorriso are required by make-preseed-iso.sh script.

sudo apt install gzip cpio xorriso

Command line usage

Usage: make-preseed-iso.sh [-p preseed.cfg|preseed/] [-o preseed-debian-image.iso] [-f] path/to/debian-image.iso

  -p preseed.cfg|preseed_dir
      Use this file as preseed.cfg, or a directory with preseed.cfg inside
  -o preseed-debian-image.iso
      Save ISO to this name, default is to prefix ISO source name with "preseed-"
  -f
      Force overwriting output file. Default is to fail if output file exists.

Hasty usage

Quick instructions to create network installer ISO images with preseed files.

# Network intaller for Debian 11.4.0
wget https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/images-including-firmware/11.4.0+nonfree/amd64/iso-cd/SHA256SUMS
wget https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/images-including-firmware/11.4.0+nonfree/amd64/iso-cd/SHA256SUMS.sign
wget https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/images-including-firmware/11.4.0+nonfree/amd64/iso-cd/firmware-11.4.0-amd64-netinst.iso
sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS

# Update installer ISO images with preseed files
./make-preseed-iso.sh -p vmware -o vm-netinst-11.4.0-amd64-netinst.iso firmware-11.4.0-amd64-netinst.iso
./make-preseed-iso.sh -p headless -o headless-netinst-11.4.0-amd64-netinst.iso firmware-11.4.0-amd64-netinst.iso

Pre-seed examples

All preseed.cfg options: https://preseed.debian.net/debian-preseed/.

Examples for VMware, headless and desktop machines are included. VMware example should work in any other virtualisation environment like libvirt, Vagrant or Hyper-V.

Those examples install minimal packages and default SSH access as root for further configuration. Authorized SSH keys are volatile and only used until persistent SSH public keys are installed.

• VMware machine

  • GPT partition table and no LVM
  • BIOS or EFI
  • XFS root / partition
  • Swap size is twice RAM size (limited to 16GB)
  • Display IP address on console
  • Keyboard with Right Alt as Compose key
  • Keyboard with Caps Lock as Control Key
  • Linux Kernel image from bullseyes backports (Linux 5.18)
  • Frame buffer console in 1024x768 resolution and Terminus font 8x14
  • lm-sensors for system information
  • ifupdown for network configuration

• Headless machine

  • GTP partition table with LVM
  • Expect EFI but shall work on BIOS boot
  • EXT2 /boot partition
  • XFS root / partition
  • Swap partition size as 125% of RAM size, capped to 16GB
  • Display IP address on console
  • Keyboard with Right Alt as Compose key
  • Keyboard with Caps Lock as Control Key
  • Linux Kernel image from bullseyes backports (Linux 5.18)
  • Frame buffer console in 1024x768 resolution and Terminus font 8x14
  • lm-sensors for system information
  • Network Manager for network configuration
  • No sleep when lid close.

• Desktop machine

  • GPT partition table and no LVM
  • Expect EFI but shall work on BIOS boot
  • EXT2 /boot partition
  • XFS root / partition
  • Swap partition size as 125% of RAM size, capped to 16GB
  • Display IP address on console
  • Keyboard with Right Alt as Compose key
  • Keyboard with Caps Lock as Control Key
  • Linux Kernel image from bullseyes backports (Linux 5.18)
  • Frame buffer console in 1024x768 resolution and Terminus font 8x14
  • lm-sensors for system information
  • Network Manager for network configuration
  • No sleep when lid close.
  • Install default desktop of Debian 11 (Gnome 3.38)

OpenSSH server running and root login accessible by SSH authorized key.

A default user account lboulard is created with hard-coded password. Change passwd/make-user to false in preseed.cfg to remove user creation. Use mkpassword from whois package to change encrypted password in preseed.cfg.

  mkpassword -m sha-256 [password]