---
title: Unattended Install for Ubuntu Image Processing Server
description: Unattended Install for Ubuntu Image Processing Server
---

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# Exxa Articles

# Unattended Install for Ubuntu Image Processing Server

# UNATTENDED INSTALL FOR UBUNTU IMAGE PROCESSING SERVER

 

## Prepare the Ubuntu ISO for Unattended Installation

 

Australian mirror site with all recent Ubuntu releases:

[http://mirror.waia.asn.au/ubuntu-releases/](http://mirror.waia.asn.au/ubuntu-releases/)

Download a non graphical ubuntu installation ISO - server will do it.

Mount it

**sudo su -**

**mkdir -p /mnt/iso**  
**mount -o loop ubuntu\_install.iso /mnt/iso**

Copy the relevant files to a different directory

**mkdir -p /opt/ubuntuiso**  
**cp -rT /mnt/iso /opt/ubuntuiso**

Prevent the language selection menu from appearing

**cd /opt/ubuntuiso**  
**echo en >isolinux/lang**

Use GUI program to add a kickstart file named ks.cfg

**apt-get install system-config-kickstart**  
**system-config-kickstart**

## Sample ks.cfg:

Change the IP address details and user details and packages to match your needs. password is encrypted by system-config-kickstart program.

**#Generated by Kickstart Configurator**  
**#platform=AMD64 or Intel EM64T**

**#System language**  
**lang en\_AU**  
**#Language modules to install**  
**langsupport en\_AU**  
**#System keyboard**  
**keyboard us**  
**#System mouse**  
**mouse**  
**#System timezone**  
**timezone --utc Australia/Sydney**  
**#Root password**  
**rootpw --disabled**  
**#Initial user**  
**user sample --fullname "Sample User" --iscrypted --password $1$xm6rggTW$VCwW3fbHA9hiube3eA1ZP1**  
**#Reboot after installation**  
**reboot**  
**#Use text mode install**  
**text**  
**#Install OS instead of upgrade**  
**install**  
**#Use CDROM installation media**  
**cdrom**  
**#System bootloader configuration**  
**bootloader --location=mbr**  
**#Clear the Master Boot Record**  
**zerombr yes**  
**#Partition clearing information**  
**clearpart --all --initlabel**  
**#System authorization infomation**  
**auth --useshadow --enablemd5**  
**#Network information**  
**network --bootproto=static --ip=192.168.0.XXX --netmask=255.255.255.0 --gateway=192.168.0.254 --nameserver=8.8.8.8 --device=eth0**  
**#Firewall configuration**  
**firewall --disabled**  
**#Install Extra Packages**  
**%package**  
**@ ubuntu-server**  
**openssh-server**  
**build-essential**  
**net-tools**  
**screen**

 

## Create a Preseed file

Next create a preseed file, to suppress other questions - I tried a few things and couldn't prevent it asking me to press yes or not to partition the disk but that is the only part of the install which requires a response in the install.

Mine is ks.preseed in **/opt/cd-image/preseed**:

**d-i partman/confirm\_write\_new\_label boolean true**  
**d-i partman/choose\_partition select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk**  
**d-i partman/confirm boolean true**  
**d-i partman/confirm\_write\_new\_label boolean true**  
**d-i partman-lvm/confirm\_nooverwrite boolean true**

 

## Edit isolinux/txt.cfg

Search for

**label install**  
 **menu label ^Install Ubuntu Server**  
 **kernel /install/vmlinuz**  
 **append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet --**

add **ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg** and preseed file=**/cdrom/preseed/ks.preseed** to the append line. You can remove the quiet and vga=788 words. It should look like:

 

**default install**  
**label install**  
 **menu label ^Install Ubuntu Server**  
 **kernel /install/vmlinuz**  
 **append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed initrd=/install/initrd.gz ks=cdrom:/ks.cfg preseed/file=/cdrom/preseed/ks.preseed ---**

 

/opt/cd-image/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed:

  
**# Suggest LVM by default.  
d-i partman-auto/init\_automatically\_partition string some\_device\_lvm  
d-i partman-auto/init\_automatically\_partition seen false  
# Install the Ubuntu Server seed.  
tasksel tasksel/force-tasks string server  
# Only install basic language packs. Let tasksel ask about tasks.  
d-i pkgsel/language-pack-patterns string  
# No language support packages.  
d-i pkgsel/install-language-support boolean false  
# Only ask the UTC question if there are other operating systems installed.  
d-i clock-setup/utc-auto boolean true  
# Verbose output and no boot splash screen.  
d-i debian-installer/quiet boolean false  
d-i debian-installer/splash boolean false  
# Install the debconf oem-config frontend (if in OEM mode).  
d-i oem-config-udeb/frontend string debconf  
# Wait for two seconds in grub  
d-i grub-installer/timeout string 2  
# Add the network and tasks oem-config steps by default.  
oem-config oem-config/steps multiselect language, timezone, keyboard, user, network, tasks**

 

## Make the iso:

**mkisofs -D -r -V "ATTENDLESS\_UBUNTU" -cache-inodes -J -l -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -o /opt/autoinstall.iso /opt/cd-image/**

 

Now you have an (almost) unattended install iso to create a bootable USB or CD if you're feeling old school.

 

With thanks to:

[https://askubuntu.com/questions/122505/how-do-i-create-a-completely-unattended-install-of-ubuntu](https://askubuntu.com/questions/122505/how-do-i-create-a-completely-unattended-install-of-ubuntu)

 

Further reading:

[http://web.archive.org/web/20131102024835/https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallCDCustomization](http://web.archive.org/web/20131102024835/https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallCDCustomization)

 

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