Arch Linux

dif

Member

From: Stalowa Wola, Poland

Registered: 2009-12-22

Posts: 137

Headless server installation

This link "Rescue CD/distribution that enables ssh/telnet on boot?" and my 15-year-old headless server have inspired me to make an Arch Linux install image that allows headless installation (no monitor, no keyboard) and some rescue action.

Assumptions:
- No monitor, no keyboard
- Network card, and wired connection to local network
- No other solution, but Arch install media acceptable

Recipe:
- Download official install image and unpack it to a directory
- Modify syslinux to enable automatic installation process start
  (I modified 'arch/boot/syslinux/archiso.cfg')
  You have to choose i686 or x86_64 at this stage.
- Unsquash 'arch/${ARCH}/root-image.fs.sfs' to a directory
  Mount the resulting rootfs and modify it to your liking
  You can even chroot into it.
  In order to enable sshd.service at boot, I just added a symbolic link
  in /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/
- Unmount rootfs, shquash it, and put it back where you have taken it from.
- Generate iso image
- Burn it.
Done.

There is an excellent wiki article that helped me generate my install image: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Re … nstall_ISO.

I have made a bash script that automates all the steps above. I tested it installing i686 on my old computer. You can find it here.

Hope it helps.
If you have a better solution, please share.

jasonwryan

Anarchist

From: .nz

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 30,424

Website

Re: Headless server installation

This sort of thing should be added to the wiki, where it can be added to and updated as required.

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Arch + dwm   •   Mercurial repos  •   Surfraw

Registered Linux User #482438

dif

Member

From: Stalowa Wola, Poland

Registered: 2009-12-22

Posts: 137

Re: Headless server installation

I thought about the wiki, but decided not to put it there. It is definitely not a complete solution. For instance, unnecessary system files should be removed. I did nothing about EFI. The purpose is just to give a working solution. Admittedly uncompleted, but working. Automated by the script, too.
I also hoped to encourage others to show their solutions. There must be some, although I've been looking for any for quite a while and found nothing.