Install fedora via ssh

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1

Hi,

I have recently discovered the project nixos-anywhere.

Basically allows to install nixos to a remote machine via ssh only:

  1. it loads itself in RAM
  2. use kexec to change to it is own kernel
  3. wipe the disk
  4. install itself on the disk.

I was wondering if fedora has a similar capability maybe using kickstart.

Thanks

2

You basically answered yourself:
https://pykickstart.readthedocs.io/

Another option:
https://anaconda-installer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/boot-options.html#inst-vnc

3

Thanks for your answer.

Correct me if I am wrong:

  • pykickstart: is for creating the kickstart file
  • anaconda via VNC implies that the system is already booted using the installed, I just press next via the VNC?

My question is more about I have a running system with only ssh access, just run a script from my laptop, reboot and a new installation is there.

4

Create a boot entry using a Fedora installation media and a kickstart file, or specify the VNC parameters, then make this boot entry to load by default and reboot the system.

5

Are you referring to something like this: How to Boot ISO Files From GRUB2 Boot Loader - LinuxBabe?

6

I have tried the following:

ISO_URL=https://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/38/Server/x86_64/iso/Fedora-Server-netinst-x86_64-38-1.6.iso

curl --location --remote-name "$ISO_URL"

sudo mv "${ISO_URL##*/}" /boot/

sudo tee -a /etc/grub.d/40_custom <<EOF
insmod loopback
insmod iso9660
insmod udf

menuentry "Fedora ISO 1" --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    set iso_path="${ISO_URL##*/}"
    export iso_path
    search --set=root --file \$iso_path
    loopback loop (hd0,1)/\$iso_path
    probe --set isolabel --label (loop)
    linux (loop)/isolinux/vmlinuz root=live:CDLABEL=\${isolabel} rd.live.image verbose iso-scan/filename=\${iso_path}
    initrd (loop)/isolinux/initrd.img
}

menuentry "Fedora ISO 2" --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    set iso_path="${ISO_URL##*/}"
    export iso_path
    search --set=root --file \$iso_path
    loopback loop (hd0,2)/\$iso_path
    probe --set isolabel --label (loop)
    linux (loop)/isolinux/vmlinuz root=live:CDLABEL=\${isolabel} rd.live.image verbose iso-scan/filename=\${iso_path}
    initrd (loop)/isolinux/initrd.img
}

menuentry "Fedora ISO 3" --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    set iso_path="${ISO_URL##*/}"
    export iso_path
    search --set=root --file \$iso_path
    loopback loop (hd0,3)/\$iso_path
    probe --set isolabel --label (loop)
    linux (loop)/isolinux/vmlinuz root=live:CDLABEL=\${isolabel} rd.live.image verbose iso-scan/filename=\${iso_path}
    initrd (loop)/isolinux/initrd.img
}
EOF

sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

sudo sed "s|GRUB_TIMEOUT=.*|GRUB_TIMEOUT=10|g" -i /etc/default/grub

But I get no such device: root and unknown filesystem.

Any ideas?

Thanks

7

A small update:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# https://github.com/Mexit/MultiOS-USB/blob/master/config/fedora/Fedora-live.cfg
set -euo pipefail

ISO_URL=https://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/38/Server/x86_64/iso/Fedora-Server-netinst-x86_64-38-1.6.iso

curl --location --remote-name "$ISO_URL"

sudo mv "${ISO_URL##*/}" /boot/

sudo tee -a /etc/grub.d/40_custom <<EOF
insmod loopback
insmod iso9660
insmod udf

menuentry "Fedora ISO" --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    set iso_path="${ISO_URL##*/}"
    export iso_path
    echo "[INFO] iso path: \$iso_path"
    search --set=root --file \$iso_path
    loopback loop (hd0,2)/\$iso_path
    probe --set isolabel --label (loop)
    # `images/pxeboot/..` by `sudo mount *.iso /mnt`
    linux (loop)/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz root=live:CDLABEL=\${isolabel} rd.live.image verbose iso-scan/filename=\${iso_path}
    initrd (loop)/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
}

menuentry "Fedora ISO " --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    iso_path="${ISO_URL##*/}"
    echo "[INFO] iso path: \$iso_path"

    loopback loop (hd0,2)\$iso_path
    probe --label --set=cd_label (loop)
    isocfg="iso-scan/filename=\$iso_path"
    bootoptions="root=live:CDLABEL=\$cd_label rd.live.image verbose"
    linux_path="(loop)/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz"
    initrd_path="(loop)/images/pxeboot/initrd.img"

    echo Loading kernel...
    linux \$linux_path \$bootoptions \$isocfg
    echo Loading initrd...
    initrd \$initrd_path
}
EOF

sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

sudo sed "s|GRUB_TIMEOUT=.*|GRUB_TIMEOUT=10|g" -i /etc/default/grub

Now the iso boots but it hangs on Job dev-mapper-live\x2drw.device/start ...

8

I found this magic blog post: Install Fedora on headless remote servers - Blog 0leil

I managed to boot the install headless using:

FEDORA_VER=38
BASE_URL="https://ftp.fau.de/fedora/linux/releases/$FEDORA_VER/Server/x86_64/os/images/pxeboot"
curl --location --remote-name "${BASE_URL}/initrd.img"
curl --location --remote-name "${BASE_URL}/vmlinuz"

sudo mv initrd.img vmlinuz /boot

sudo tee -a /etc/grub.d/40_custom <<EOF
menuentry 'FedoraNetInstall' {
   load_video
   set gfxpayload=keep
   insmod gzi
   insmod part_msdos
   insmod ext2

   set root='hd0,2'
   linux /vmlinuz ip=dhcp inst.repo=https://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/$FEDORA_VER/Server/x86_64/os inst.vnc inst.vncconnect=0.0.0.0:5901
   initrd /initrd.img
}
EOF

sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

sudo sed "s|GRUB_TIMEOUT=.*|GRUB_TIMEOUT=5|g" -i /etc/default/grub

sudo grub2-reboot FedoraNetInstall
sudo reboot
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