Arch Linux

golubovsky

Member

Registered: 2007-05-28

Posts: 5

How to properly configure FTP proxy for FTP install?

Hi,

I'm trying to install Arch Duke (x86_64) using PXE with the FTP ISO image.

The system boots, and I am able to reach the shell prompt.

The computer where I am installing Arch is behind a FTP proxy (Apache).

Before running /arch/setup or /arch/quickinst, I specify:

export FTP_PROXY=192.168.0.1:80 (this is a local network address where Apache runs) I also tried the same in  lowercase letters, no difference.

The installation script is able to get the list of packages. When it comes to installation, the "setup" script displays a message that "one of packages failed to download" (may be not exact wording, but the same idea). This message appears next after the question whether I want to save packages.

The quickinst script displays a different message, but the idea is the same: it is able to get the list of packages, but not a single package.

Apache logs show no errors. For the list of packages, proxy log indicates successful download of file "packages.txt"

Other programs, like wget or links worked through this FTP proxy OK.

What may be the problem with snarf?

Thanks.

golubovsky

Member

Registered: 2007-05-28

Posts: 5

Re: How to properly configure FTP proxy for FTP install?

OK, it looks like I also have to set PROXY_FTP...

golubovsky

Member

Registered: 2007-05-28

Posts: 5

Re: How to properly configure FTP proxy for FTP install?

Replying for the second time... to myself

It looks like pacman.static uses wget to transfer files by default. Wget is not included on the ftp-install iso image. Snarf is the only available option. The /arch/quickinst script creates a temporary config file for pacman in /tmp. This config contains the server specified on the script's command line. What is really needed, is to specify the XferCommand so pacman would use snarf.

So, it is necessary to add two lines to the temporary pacman's config:

[options]
XferCommand = snarf %u %o

using the echo command where the [current] and ftp server URL are added.

If the /arch/quickinst script is modified such way, it works behind the proxy (with PROXY_FTP environment variable properly set).

Tested on the LinuxTag ISO image (i686) currently being installed under KVM.