Unattended-ubuntu16.04-install

This repository will guide you on how to do a completely unattended install of ubuntu 16.04

Mount the ISO File

You will need to mount the ISO files so that you can edit the pertinent files.

mkdir -p /mnt/iso
mount -o loop ~/Downloads/ubuntu-16.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso /mnt/iso

Copy the Files

Now you need to copy the mounted files so that you can edit it. Do it by:

mkdir -p ~/preseed_ubuntu
cp -rT /mnt/iso ~/preseed_ubuntu

Make the files editable

We can do that by using chmod:

sudo chmod -R ~/preseed_ubuntu

Edit the txt.cfg file

We have to add an option of Automated Install that will install everything automatically. You'll find the txt.cfg file in isolinux or syslinux folder whichever is present. After that open the file with your favourite editor.

default autoinstall
label autoinstall
  menu label ^Autoinstall Ubuntu Server
  kernel /install/vmlinuz
  append debian-installer/locale=en_US debconf/priority=critical kbd-chooser/method=us locale=en_US console-setup/layoutcode=us file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed initrd=/install/initrd.gz auto=true priority=high preseed/file=/cdrom/preseed/file.seed --
label install
  menu label ^Install Ubuntu Server
  kernel /install/vmlinuz
  append  file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-server.seed vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet ---
label hwe-install
  menu label ^Install Ubuntu Server with the HWE kernel
  kernel /install/hwe-vmlinuz
  append  file=/cdrom/preseed/hwe-ubuntu-server.seed vga=788 initrd=/install/hwe-initrd.gz quiet ---
label maas
  menu label ^Install MAAS Region Controller
  kernel /install/vmlinuz
  append   modules=maas-region-udeb vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet ---

label maasrack
  menu label ^Install MAAS Rack Controller
  kernel /install/vmlinuz
  append   modules=maas-rack-udeb vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet ---
label check
  menu label ^Check disc for defects
  kernel /install/vmlinuz
  append   MENU=/bin/cdrom-checker-menu vga=788 initrd=/install/initrd.gz quiet ---
label memtest
  menu label Test ^memory
  kernel /install/mt86plus
label hd
  menu label ^Boot from first hard disk
  localboot 0x80

Doing so will add one more menu entry but you will still have to hit Enter key for it to start.

Automating the BOOT menu

If you want to prevent that step too, add a TOTALTIMEOUT of 10 in isolinux.cfg or syslinux.cfg and prompt.cfg in the same folder. isolinux.cfg:

# D-I config version 2.0
# search path for the c32 support libraries (libcom32, libutil etc.)
path 
include menu.cfg
default vesamenu.c32
prompt 0
timeout 10
ui gfxboot bootlogo
TOTALTIMEOUT 10

prompt.cfg:

prompt 0
display f1.txt
timeout 10
include menu.cfg
include exithelp.cfg

f1 f1.txt
f2 f2.txt
f3 f3.txt
f4 f4.txt
f5 f5.txt
f6 f6.txt
f7 f7.txt
f8 f8.txt
f9 f9.txt
f0 f10.txt
TOTALTIMEOUT 10

Editing and Adding the preseed file

Add file named file.seed in the preseed folder:

# regional setting
d-i debian-installer/language                               string      en_US:en
d-i debian-installer/country                                string      US
d-i debian-installer/locale                                 string      en_US
d-i debian-installer/splash                                 boolean     false
d-i localechooser/supported-locales                         multiselect en_US.UTF-8
d-i pkgsel/install-language-support                         boolean     true

# keyboard selection
d-i console-setup/ask_detect                                boolean     false
d-i keyboard-configuration/modelcode                        string      pc105
d-i keyboard-configuration/layoutcode                       string      us
d-i keyboard-configuration/variantcode                      string      intl
d-i keyboard-configuration/xkb-keymap                       select      us(intl)
d-i debconf/language                                        string      en_US:en

# network settings
d-i netcfg/choose_interface                                 select      auto
d-i netcfg/dhcp_timeout                                     string      5
d-i netcfg/get_hostname                                     string      ubuntu
d-i netcfg/get_domain                                       string      ubuntu

# mirror settings
d-i mirror/country                                          string      manual
d-i mirror/http/hostname                                    string      archive.ubuntu.com
d-i mirror/http/directory                                   string      /ubuntu
d-i mirror/http/proxy                                       string

# clock and timezone settings
d-i time/zone                                               string      Asia/Kolkata
d-i clock-setup/utc                                         boolean     false
d-i clock-setup/ntp                                         boolean     true

# user account setup
d-i passwd/root-login                                       boolean     false
d-i passwd/make-user                                        boolean     true
d-i passwd/user-fullname                                    string      USER
d-i passwd/username                                         string      ubuntu
d-i passwd/user-password                                    password    asdf
d-i passwd/user-password-again                              password    asdf
d-i user-setup/allow-password-weak                          boolean     true
d-i passwd/user-default-groups                              string      adm cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
d-i user-setup/encrypt-home                                 boolean     false

# configure apt
d-i apt-setup/restricted                                    boolean     true
d-i apt-setup/universe                                      boolean     true
d-i apt-setup/backports                                     boolean     true
d-i apt-setup/services-select                               multiselect security
d-i apt-setup/security_host                                 string      security.ubuntu.com
d-i apt-setup/security_path                                 string      /ubuntu
tasksel tasksel/first                                       multiselect standard system utilities, Basic Ubuntu server, OpenSSH server
d-i pkgsel/upgrade                                          select      safe-upgrade
d-i pkgsel/update-policy                                    select      none
d-i pkgsel/updatedb                                         boolean     true

# disk partitioning
d-i partman/confirm_write_new_label                         boolean     true
d-i partman/choose_partition                                select      finish
d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite                             boolean     true
d-i partman/confirm                                         boolean     true
d-i partman-auto/purge_lvm_from_device                      boolean     true
d-i partman-lvm/device_remove_lvm                           boolean     true
d-i partman-lvm/confirm                                     boolean     true
d-i partman-lvm/confirm_nooverwrite                         boolean     true
d-i partman-auto-lvm/no_boot                                boolean     true
d-i partman-md/device_remove_md                             boolean     true
d-i partman-md/confirm                                      boolean     true
d-i partman-md/confirm_nooverwrite                          boolean     true
d-i partman-auto/method                                     string      lvm
d-i partman-auto-lvm/guided_size                            string      max
d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label            boolean     true

# grub boot loader
d-i grub-installer/only_debian                              boolean     true
d-i grub-installer/with_other_os                            boolean     true

# Software selection
d-i pkgsel/include                                          string      openssh-server

# finish installation
d-i finish-install/reboot_in_progress                       note
d-i finish-install/keep-consoles                            boolean     false
d-i cdrom-detect/eject                                      boolean     true
# to power-off the machine after install, turn halt option to true otherwise reboot the machine after install
d-i debian-installer/exit/halt                              boolean     false
d-i debian-installer/exit/poweroff                          boolean     true

# setup firstrun script. (these scripts will run just after installation, uncomment if you want to use)
#d-i preseed/late_command                                    string 		 

To view the official ubuntu example refer here. As the file is self explanatory, you can easily understand and change the parameters.

Create new iso file

run the following code as sudo while being in the directory:

mkisofs -D -r -V "UNATTENDED_UBUNTU" -cache-inodes -J -l -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -o ~/ubuntu16-unattended-install.iso ~/preseed_ubuntu

Burning the iso file

Congratulations, You're done. Now, test the iso file on a virtual machine.

Bug or suggestion?

Feel free to report any problem :)