Provided by: grml-debootstrap_0.108_all 
NAME
grml-debootstrap - wrapper around debootstrap for installing plain Debian
SYNOPSIS
grml-debootstrap [ options ]
[IMAGE][1] [Screenshot]
INTRODUCTION
grml-debootstrap is a wrapper suite around debootstrap (and cdebootstrap and mmdebstrap if you want) for
installing a plain Debian system very fast and easy.
All you have to do is adjust a few variables in the configuration file /etc/debootstrap/config or specify
some command line options and invoke grml-debootstrap. If invoked without any configuration modifications
or command line options a dialog based front end will be available to control some basic configuration
options.
A plain and base Debian system will be installed on the given device, directory or virtual image file
then. Customization of this process is possible as well.
Caution
The Grml team does not take responsibility for loss of any data!
OPTIONS AND ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
--arch architecture
Set target architecture you want to install. Defaults to the architecture you are currently running.
If you’re running an amd64 kernel and want to deploy an i386 system use this option. Note: deploying
amd64 from an i386 kernel does not work. Example: "--arch i386"
--backportrepos
Enable Debian’s Backports repository via the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list configuration
file. This provides the option to install Debian packages from Debian’s backports repository.
--bootappend appendline-for-the-kernel
Specify appendline for the kernel. E.g. "pci=nomsi"
-c, --config file
Use specified configuration file, defaults to /etc/debootstrap/config.
--chroot-scripts directory
Execute chroot scripts from specified directory. This allows customisation of the chroot setup, the
executable script(s) present in the given directory are executed at the end of the chroot procedure.
Default directory: /etc/debootstrap/chroot-scripts/
--contrib
Enable the contrib repository in COMPONENTS. By default only the main repository is enabled.
-d, --confdir path
Place of configuration files for debootstrap, defaults to /etc/debootstrap.
--debconf file
Use specified file for preseeding Debian packages instead of using the default
<confdir>/debconf-selections.
--debopt params
Extra parameters passed to the debootstrap command.
--debug
Execute in very verbose way. Useful for debugging possible problems with grml-debootstrap or identify
what’s actually executed.
--defaultinterfaces
Install a default /etc/network/interfaces file (enabling DHCP for all local Ethernet, WLAN and WWAN
interfaces using predictable network interface names and using eth0 as traditional interface name for
backward compatibility) instead of taking over config from host system. This option is automatically
enabled when using --vm or --vmfile.
--efi device
Partition where EFI boot manager should be installed to. If the specified device doesn’t use a FAT
filesystem yet grml-debootstrap automatically creates the filesystem. If a FAT filesystem is already
present the filesystem creation is skipped. Please ensure that it’s a valid FAT32 filesystem and the
partition has the boot and esp flags enabled. This option requires EFI support on the running system
and the option is NOT supported for Virtual Machine deployments.
--filesystem filesystem
Filesystem that should be created when installing to a partition. If unset defaults to ext4. Valid
values are all filesystems that can be created through mkfs.filesystem.
--force
Skip user acknowledgement and do not prompt for user input.
--grmlrepos
Enable Grml.org’s Debian repository (http://deb.grml.org/) via the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/grml.list
configuration file. This provides the option to install Debian packages from Grml’s repository.
--grub device
Device where grub should be installed to. Note that only the MBR (master boot record) can be used
(/dev/sda, /dev/sdb,...). Partitions (like /dev/sda1, /dev/sdb2,...) are NOT supported because grub2
doesn’t support installation into the PBR (partition boot record) anymore. Usage example: --grub
/dev/sda. Note: just do not set this option to avoid installation of grub.
--help, -h
Show summary of options and exit.
--hostname hostname
Use specified hostname instead of the default (being $HOSTNAME or if unset grml).
-i, --iso /mntpoint
Specify mount point where you have a Debian ISO mounted loopback. Using this option instead of the
mirror option gives you the possibility to install the base-system without network access. Make sure
you mounted the according Debian-ISO to the given /mntpoint. See section Usage examples for a
demonstration.
--keep_src_list
Do not overwrite user provided /etc/apt/sources.list.
-m, --mirror URL
Specify mirror which should be used for apt-get/aptitude. Corresponding with configuration variable
MIRROR.
--nodebootstrap
Skip debootstrap, only do configuration to the target.
--nointerfaces
Do not copy /etc/network/interfaces from host system to the target.
--nokernel
Skip installation of default kernel images. This option might be interesting for you if you want a
Debian system which doesn’t need to provide regular boot, e.g. a system which provides ISOs for
booting via GRUB using grml-rescueboot.
--non-free
Enable the non-free repository in COMPONENTS. For bookworm and newer Debian releases also the
non-free-firmware repository gets enabled. By default only the main repository is enabled.
--nopackages
Skip installation of packages defined in /etc/debootstrap/packages.
--nopassword
Do not prompt for the root password. Note: Use the --password option if you want to set the root
password during an automatic installation but don’t want to use the interactive dialog.
-p, --mntpoint /mntpoint
Specify mount point that should be used for mounting the target system. Corresponding with
configuration variable MNTPOINT. Note: this option has no effect if option -t is given and represents
a directory.
--packages file
Use specified file as list for packages that should be installed instead of the default package list
file <confdir>/packages.
--password password
Use specified password as password for user root. Use with caution, as your command line might be
visible in the process list and the shell history. It’s meant for automatic installation only.
--post-scripts directory
Execute scripts from specified directory after executing the chroot script. This allows customisation
of the system after the chroot has been set up. The environment variable $MNTPOINT is available
inside the scripts for direct access of the chroot. Default directory: /etc/debootstrap/post-scripts/
--pre-scripts directory
Execute scripts from specified directory before executing the chroot script. This allows
customisation of the system before the chroot has been set up. The environment variable $MNTPOINT is
available inside the scripts for direct access of the chroot. Default directory:
/etc/debootstrap/pre-scripts/
-r, --release releasename
Specify release of new Debian system. Supported releases names: jessie, stretch, buster, bullseye,
bookworm and sid. Corresponding with configuration variable RELEASE. Default release: bookworm
--remove-configs
Delete grml-debootstrap configuration files (/etc/debootstrap/*) from installed system. Useful for
reproducible builds or if you don’t want to leak information.
--sshcopyauth
Use locally available $HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys to authorise root login on the target system. This
installs $HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys as /root/.ssh/authorized_keys on the target system. If a
different file than $HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys should be used, the environment variable
AUTHORIZED_KEYS_SOURCE can be used.
--sshcopyid
Use locally available public keys to authorise root login on the target system. Similar to
ssh-copy-id(1) (without the -i option) it checks if ssh-add -L provides any output, and if so those
keys are appended to /root/.ssh/authorized_keys (creating the file and directory (with mode 0700)).
-t, --target target
Target partition (/dev/...) or directory (anything else without /dev at the beginning).
-v, --verbose
Increase verbosity.
--vm
Set up a Virtual Machine on an existing block device, which will be partitioned. This allows
deployment of a Virtual Machine. The options needs to be combined with the --target option. This
option automatically enables the --defaultinterfaces option. Usage example: --vm --target
/dev/mapper/your-vm-disk
--vmfile
Set up a Virtual Machine using a regular file instead of installing to a partition/block device or
directory. This allows deployment of a Virtual Machine. The options needs to be combined with the
--target option (qemu-img create -f raw ... is executed on the specified target). This option
automatically enables the --defaultinterfaces option. Usage example: --vmfile --target
/mnt/sda1/qemu.img
--vmsize size
Use specified size for size of Virtual Machine disk file. If not specified it defaults to 2G (being
2GB). Syntax as supported by qemu-img (see manpage qemu-img(1) for details. Usage example: --vmsize
3G
--vmefi
Create an EFI boot partition for the VM.
-V, --version
Show version of program and exit.
Warning
the command line parsing of grml-debootstrap usually does not validate the provided arguments for the
command line options. Please be careful and check docs and /etc/debootstrap/config for further
information.
NETWORKING
By default (that is, if none of the options --nointerfaces, --defaultinterfaces, --vmfile or --vm are
given) /etc/network/interfaces will be copied from the host to the target system.
USAGE EXAMPLES
grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda
Install default Debian release (bookworm) on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot
record) of /dev/sda.
grml-debootstrap --release stretch --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda --hostname debian01 --password changeme
Install Debian release stretch on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of
/dev/sda. Set hostname to debian01 and password for user root to changeme.
grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda6 --grub /dev/sda --release sid
Install Debian unstable/sid on /dev/sda6 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of
/dev/sda.
DEBOOTSTRAP=mmdebstrap grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda
Install default Debian release (bookworm) on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot
record) of /dev/sda. Use mmdebstrap instead of default debootstrap tool for bootstrapping.
grml-debootstrap --target /dev/mapper/vg0-rootfs --grub /dev/sda
Install default Debian release (bookworm) on LVM device /dev/mapper/vg0-rootfs and install bootmanager
GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda.
grml-debootstrap --efi /dev/sda1 --target /dev/sda2 --grub /dev/sda
Install default Debian release (bookworm) on /dev/sda2 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot
record) of /dev/sda. Use /dev/sda1 as EFI partition (requires EFI support in booted system).
mount /dev/sda1 /data/chroot
grml-debootstrap --target /data/chroot
Install default Debian release (bookworm) in directory /data/chroot (without any bootloader).
grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda3 --grub /dev/sda --mirror ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian
Install default Debian release (bookworm) on /dev/sda3 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot
record) of /dev/sda. Use specified mirror instead of the default (http://deb.debian.org/debian) one.
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1
grml-debootstrap --vmfile --vmsize 3G --target /mnt/sda1/qemu.img
Install default debian release (bookworm) in a Virtual Machine file with 3GB disk size (including GRUB as
bootmanager in MBR of the virtual disk file):
mount -o loop ./debian-CD-1.iso /media/cdrom
grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda --iso /media/cdrom
Install Debian on /dev/sda1 using the loopback mounted Debian-ISO for the base-system and install
bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda. Please notice, that the chroot system requires
network access for all packages which are not part of the ISO.
FILES
/etc/debootstrap/config
Main configuration file. Adjust it according to your needs if you want to execute grml-debootstrap in the
non-interactive mode without any special command line arguments.
/etc/debootstrap/chroot-script
The script executed within the new Debian system as soon as the main system has been installed via
[c]debootstrap.
/etc/debootstrap/locale.gen
Defines the default locales used for generating locales via locale-gen.
/etc/debootstrap/packages
Defines the software packages which should be installed in the new Debian system by default.
/etc/debootstrap/extrapackages/
Debian Packages dropped in this directory will be installed into the new Debian system by default
(Control variable: EXTRAPACKAGES)
CUSTOMIZATION
You can control execution of grml-debootstrap via adjusting /etc/debootstrap/config for some main stuff
or via setting some selected variables via command line. The packages which should be installed in the
new Debian system can be defined via the file /etc/debootstrap/packages. If you want to put existing
files to the new Debian system you can place them into the (by default non-existing) directories boot,
etc, share, usr and var in /etc/debootstrap/. Every existing directory will be copied to the new Debian
system then. If you want to install additional packages that are not available via the Grml or Debian
mirror drop them into /etc/debootstrap/extrapackages and make sure that EXTRAPACKAGES is set to "yes".
AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION
If environment variable AUTOINSTALL is set grml-debootstrap can be executed in a full automatic mode.
While this mode isn’t really useful for interactive execution (just configure /etc/debootstrap/configure
or specify the relevant variables on the command line instead) it is meant for use via boot option
debian2hd on the Grml live system. The boot option debian2hd (more precise: the kernelname at the
bootprompt) supports the following boot options (they correspond with the command line options mentioned
above):
target=...
The target partition/directory of the new Debian system. Usage example: target=/dev/sda1
grub=...
Where do you want to install grub to? Usage example: grub=/dev/sda
release=...
Specify release of new Debian system. Defaults to Debian bookworm. Supported releases: jessie, stretch,
buster, bullseye, bookworm and sid. Usage example: release=bullseye
mirror=...
Specify mirror which should be used for apt-get/aptitude instead of the default one
(http://deb.debian.org/debian). Usage example: mirror=ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian
password=...
Set password of user root without prompting for it but set it to the given argument. Usage example:
password=AiTh5ahn
Usage example for automatic installation
debian2hd target=/dev/sda1 grub=/dev/sda mirror=ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian password=foobar
You have to enter this command line at the bootprompt of the Grml live system. Please make sure that
/dev/sda1 is the partition where you really want to install your new Debian system.
Note
Automatic installation within booting process is done in grml-autoconfig via setting environment
variable AUTOINSTALL and creation of /usr/bin/grml-debootstrap_noninteractive with the available and
relevant boot options for grml-debootstrap.
SUPPORTED RELEASES
Table 1. Current status
┌──────────┬──────────┐
│ Release │ Status │
├──────────┼──────────┤
│ │ │
│ jessie │ works[1] │
├──────────┼──────────┤
│ │ │
│ stretch │ works[1] │
├──────────┼──────────┤
│ │ │
│ buster │ works[1] │
├──────────┼──────────┤
│ │ │
│ bullseye │ works │
├──────────┼──────────┤
│ │ │
│ bookworm │ works │
├──────────┼──────────┤
│ │ │
│ sid │ works[2] │
└──────────┴──────────┘
jessie/stretch/buster release
[1] Please notice that releases like jessie, stretch and buster are unsupported releases within
Debian nowadays. grml-debootstrap can handle the releases but you really should not use them anymore
unless you really know what you are doing. Even older versions are also entirely unsupported by
grml-debootstrap.
Choose the current Debian stable version instead. See https://wiki.debian.org/DebianReleases for the
list of supported releases.
Notice that you need to specify a specific mirror providing old releases, the default
(http://deb.debian.org/debian) doesn’t provide them any longer. Set the mirror to e.g.
http://archive.debian.org/debian/ if you don’t have your own Debian mirror.
Older releases might also fail to install when running on top of recent kernel versions, throwing
segfaults during debootstrap. This can be identified by the following messages inside kernel log
(check with dmesg):
dpkg[...] vsyscall attempted with vsyscall=none ip:[...]
dpkg[...]: segfault at [...]
To work around this issue boot your system with the kernel boot option vsyscall=emulate.
unstable and testing releases
[2] Please notice that Debian/testing and Debian/unstable (sid) might not be always installable due
to their nature. What might work instead is deploying a stable release and upgrade it after
installation finished.
BUGS
Please report bugs towards https://github.com/grml/grml-debootstrap/issues
SEE ALSO
debootstrap (8), cdebootstrap (1), mmdebstrap(1).
AUTHOR
Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org[2]>
NOTES
1. https://grml.org/grml-debootstrap/images/screenshot.png
2. mika@grml.org
mailto:mika@grml.org
02/24/2024 GRML-DEBOOTSTRAP(8)