Preseed and Bypass Try/Install screen in ubuntu 14.04, 16.04

[skonto]

Hello im packer newbie.

Preseeding seems not working in desktop versions and 16.04 server version, i cannot get the try it/install screen bypassed. Is there something im missing? I have seen there was an issue with the boot command in 16.04.
Still hard to find a properly working example with packer.

• Packer Version 0.10.0
• Host platform Xenial 16.04
  Virtualbox 5.0.18

Packer json template:
https://gist.github.com/skonto/14430bf86ce4ab10851f159c7c0fe1e3

[rickard-von-essen]

See chef/bento#482

You have to use a boot_command something like:

    "boot_command": [
        "<enter><wait><f6><esc><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
        "/install/vmlinuz<wait>",
        " auto<wait>",
        " console-setup/ask_detect=false<wait>",
        " console-setup/layoutcode=us<wait>",
        " console-setup/modelcode=pc105<wait>",
        " debconf/frontend=noninteractive<wait>",
        " debian-installer=en_US<wait>",
        " fb=false<wait>",
        " initrd=/install/initrd.gz<wait>",
        " kbd-chooser/method=us<wait>",
        " keyboard-configuration/layout=USA<wait>",
        " keyboard-configuration/variant=USA<wait>",
        " locale=en_US<wait>",
        " netcfg/get_domain=vm<wait>",
        " netcfg/get_hostname=vagrant<wait>",
        " grub-installer/bootdev=/dev/sda<wait>",
        " noapic<wait>",
        " preseed/url=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/{{user `preseed_path`}}<wait>",
        " -- <wait>",
        "<enter><wait>"
      ],

[skonto]

cool thnx! Is there an option that bypasses the initial screen in desktop iso?

[rickard-von-essen]

I think this should work across all flavours of Ubuntu, but I haven't tried it.

[skonto]

Unfortunately it does not work with the desktop iso, i just tried it, while with the server one everything runs smoothly.

[rickard-von-essen]

I think you can just use the server iso and then run sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop in one of your provisioners.

[skonto]

I managed to get to the advanced page (as in the server case) with a modified version of what you posted:

"<enter><wait><f6><esc><f6><enter><esc><wait><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
 "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
 "<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
"<bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs><bs>",
 "boot=casper noapic ",
 "debian-installer=en_US auto locale=en_US kbd-chooser/method=us <wait> ",
 "hostname={{ .Name }} <wait> ",
 "fb=false debconf/frontend=noninteractive <wait> ",
 "keyboard-configuration/modelcode=SKIP keyboard-configuration/layout=USA keyboard-configuration/variant=USA console-setup/ask_detect=false <wait> ",
 "initrd=/casper/initrd.lz<wait> ",
 "preseed/url=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/preseed.cfg<wait> ",
 " -- <wait>",
 "<down><enter><wait>"

But the problem i think is the installer itself which is graphical anyway. Even if i pass the boot options then after <down><enter><wait> it will start the normal welcome screen (although now try it/install is missing).
Note also you need initrd=/casper/initrd.lz boot=casper /install/vmlinuz and initrd=/install/initrd.gz will not work.

I thought of manually installing the desktop but it would be best if there was a workaround.
Thnx btw.

[skonto]

I guess its common practice:
https://github.com/boxcutter/ubuntu/blob/master/script/desktop.sh

[cbednarski]

@skonto Yeah unfortunately there are quite a few bugs in the 16.04 installer, so some things that should work, don't. The long list of backspaces is one of them, because the normal text-input boot command doesn't work.

Sounds like you've got things figured out, and there are lots of good examples to look at online if you need more reference material. Please feel free to re-open if you're still having trouble.