Friday, September 3, 2010

Ubuntu 10.04 preseed: Ubiquity Install button not enabled

  • Automated Debian installs are handled via the d-i  (Debian Installer) package. Ubuntu OS automation is based on the Debian installer.
  • Canonical has a frontend for it in python called Ubiquity. 
  • Using a preseed file from the  Ubuntu Preseed site works (tried a few options) but Ubiquity stops at a window where it gives an Install summary and  does not enable the Install or Back button.
  • Ubiquity can be run with debug enabled and it is run thus for automatic installation: ubiquity --debug --automatic
  • On verifying the logs, it was found that ubiquity too needs an option for the installation to be automatic in the preseed file. Addition of this line solves the problem ubiquity ubiquity/summary note
  • There is a bug still about the percentage of the debconf file that is read, it varies and goes up to 400%
  • debconf-(s/g)et-selections are helpful in verifying the debconf database. Though it would be good to have something like a debconf-set-only-selection and the rest not configured.