Idea #3215: Headless Install (Serial Console and/or SSH)

Written by darkpixel the 5 Mar 08 at 00:11. Category: Installation.
Related to: Nothing/Others. Status: New

Description

Not sure if there's a way to do this in GRUB, but it would be nice to be able to do a headless install of Ubuntu via Serial Console.

The only way I know to do this currently is to plug a keyboard into the machine, wait until I think the GRUB menu is loaded, press F6, hit backspace 3 times then type "console=ttyS0 --" and hit enter.

In about a minute I'll be in the installer.

Is there a way to prompt over the serial console before displaying the GRUB menu--maybe something like "press any key to start in via serial console"? And if there's no reply in 2 seconds, show the normal menu via VGA.

The other suggested way would be to have the CD start automatically, do a DHCP request, and do the text-mode installer / SSH thing.

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Comments

phms wrote on the 3 Jul 08 at 09:15

I agree. Operating systems that pretends to be servers capable shoud be able to perform headless install the way you described (serial or ssh), and maybe other ways:

- CLI cross-installer: A command-line-interface Ubuntu installer for an headless-install capable OS. (performing minimal install of the headless-install-capable-OS just to run the CLI Ubuntu installer)

- CLI cross-updater: a "do-release-upgrade" (package update-manager-core) port to common Linux/Unix (at least Debian) to upgrade an installed OS running on an headless server to Ubuntu.

Auzy wrote on the 3 Jul 08 at 09:22

OSX supports this extremely well..

Holding down a key to activate it I think would be a good idea.

unpede wrote on the 22 Jul 08 at 10:42

Tested with Ubuntu Server 8.04 and it can be installed via serial console.

Booting from CD when "boot:" shows, use "linux console=ttyS0,115200" (adjust values as needed)
It would be nice to have a simple option for the serial installation in a future release.

ereitsma wrote on the 3 Sep 08 at 07:03

I have been trying to install Ubuntu Server 8.04 on an UltraSparc with only a serial console, without luck. It starts booting, but I see nothing on the console. Has anyone tried this successfully?

Auzy wrote on the 3 Sep 08 at 07:15

Yeah, but unpede, how you going to know when you have typed it properly..

Apple does this properly, because you hold down T, and its in firewire target mode, so you install over firewire cable

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