Headless install and SSH new procedure with LIVE CD

flipnode · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Posts: 172 Location: USA

I just have a comment / question. I have a headless Pentium 1 MMX system. Why can't the live cd automatically start SSH for headless installation purposes? Seems a little silly to have to start SSH blind or go find a monitor to get the installation started.

In my opinion this should be a feature added to the Live CD.
If it detects the hardware, and finds internet connection then it starts SSH. I know this isn't secure, but maybe we can have a different LIVE CD for this procedure and then there will be no problems?
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jdgill0 · Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 8:08 pm Post subject:

flipnode,

What do you plan to do about the random password that is created for root when booting from the liveCD. Even with sshd running, you need to change this password in order to login. At one time the liveCD set a "blank" password, but this is not wise I think for the masses -- can not please everyone I suppose.

Of course, you can create your own liveCD or modify one of the official liveCD's to do what you want.

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flipnode · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Posts: 172 Location: USA

what you can do is have passwd root run and set a default password. Then make the installer aware of this password needed to login into the ssh installation system. Also, make the installer aware that for security reasons, the user must!! change the password for root, thus solving the security issue. You could also force a root password change when a ssh connection is detected.
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I think Gentoo is great!

ChojinDSL · l33t Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Posts: 784

Why is it a security risk to have a known password on a installation cd?
I mean, its part of the install process to choose a unique password anyway, so I kind of fail to see what the bother is about having a livecd with a specific password for headless installs.
Feel free to correct me. After all, Im probably unaware of the obvious, but I just dont see it.

flipnode · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Posts: 172 Location: USA

I think this should be done and made into a ISO for download. I would do this myself except I'm not sure of the full process of making a LiveCD; like the Jackass Project.

Anyone have a link for information on this? Also, another problem is network card detection. I know for example that my eepro100 isn't detected during boot, which for some reason is weird.

Usually, I have to connect a monitor for about 5 minutes ..
boot the system from the live cd..
then run these commands

briklegg · n00b Joined: 21 Aug 2011 Posts: 2

I am also interested in this. I tried a few years back but i ran into the problem of knowing the ip addr it recived. Tried some cat ifconfig > current.ip, then i would try to mail it to me, but i didn't quite know how....tried some sendmail stuff....yea.

briklegg · n00b Joined: 21 Aug 2011 Posts: 2

ok.....what if i script it to make the connection to mine as a default.....i always know my ipaddress. ....vpn install?

likewhoa · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2011 4:38 am Post subject:

For a headless install using the minimal installcd you would append the following to your boot options:

freke · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 4:01 pm Post subject:

Woah - this solved my problem installing my new APU2C4 board.

Couldn't get serial to work past keybaord-layout selection (output from the board worked - but couldn't send)

So thx for these kernel-parameters (and sry for the necro

)

gtwrek · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 6:12 pm Post subject:

Actually thanks for this bumping this necro thread.

I think one of the things that told me that Gentoo was for me, as that the plain vanilla install had somewhere around step 3 to optionally start at sshd daemon.
The majority of my systems are headless - so to able to install gentoo through ssh on my various machines was quite a benfit. I could do the install on my home systems while working from the office - occasionally checking the status of the emerge, etc...

I figured there'd probably be a way of avoiding the first few steps involving dragging a monitor / keyboard to the system, and starting the first few steps manually. I'd never bothered to search and figure it out. This thread's the ticket for next time I need to do this.

Thanks,

Mark

P.Kosunen · Guru Joined: 21 Nov 2005 Posts: 309 Location: Finland

SystemRescueCd is good for headless installs.

Bootloader config:

steveL · Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 12:05 pm Post subject: