FinalisingDebian - AlexisWiki

Introduction

This page describes how AlexisHuxley completes a Debian installation. It is intended to be completed as part of a template installation.

Procedure

Complete the section of InstallingIcinga regarding installing client software (see also MDI#046).

Optionally grant users access to local hardware, according to the following table:

capability	procedure
access USB devices	run `adduser <login> plugdev`
access iTouch/iPhone	run `adduser <login> fuse` see http://wiki.debian.org/iPhone regarding SysInfoExtended
use serial ports (e.g. to run `kermit`)	run `adduser <login> dialout`
create VMs	run `adduser <login> libvirt`
generate audio	run `adduser <login> audio`
use webcam	run `adduser <login> video`
burn and read raw CDs/DVDs	run `adduser <login> cdrom`
use scanner	run `adduser <login> scanner`

I generally run something like this:

for H in fiori torchio nb016161; do for U in alexis suzie; do for G in cdrom audio video plugdev; do ssh -n $H adduser $U $G; done; done; done
for H in fiori torchio nb016161; do for U in alexis; do for G in dialout libvirt; do ssh -n $H adduser $U $G; done; done; done

On a headless lenny physical system (e.g. storage server macaroni) add a serial console according to the following sub-procedure:
1. Ensure onboard serial port is enabled in the BIOS
2. Run kermit back to back on two systems connected by a serial line to verify communications
3. Unfortunately, it is not clear whether grub has been built for Debian with prefix-menu support and, if it has, what that prefix-menu is. Therefore the first reliable interaction with grub is already after it has loaded the menu.lst file. That being the case, the instruction to grub to use a serial console might as well go in the menu.cfg. Edit /boot/grub/menu.lst and add the following right at the top:
```
serial --unit=0 --speed=115200
terminal --timeout=0 serial console 
```
4. Append the following the '# kopt=' line in the same file:
```
# kopt=... console=ttyS0,115200 console=tty0 
```
5. Run:
```
update-grub 
```
6. Uncomment the following line in /etc/inittab:
```
#T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100 
```
  and change the 9600 to 115200.
7. Run:
```
telinit q 
```
8. Note the connection parameters. E.g.
```
I need a network cable, 2 x RJ45-to-9pin-female-Canon-D connectors and a null-modem (I thought network cables had a "twist" but nevertheless I did need this)

The commands to be run on the console terminal are: 
$ kermit 
> set line /dev/ttyS0
> set carrier-watch off
> set flow none
> set speed 115200
> connect
 
After powering on macaroni at time T, there's a beep at T+7s, the grub menu appears at T+28s, the boot menu times out at T+33s, the last kernel message appears at T+77s and the login prompt appears at T+83s 
```
To remove some Gnome-related stuff, complete the following sub-procedure:
1. remove consolekit
2. install gdm (only needed on Ubuntu, where removing consolekit will try and fail to remove gdm)
3. install netcat
4. run debfoster, purge Gnome-related stuff, keep metacity and file-roller
5. on login servers only, install synaptic
Note that:
1. a similar procedure is documented at ItSupportPages/InstallingUbuntu
2. this step should be moved into PDI
Finalise and record package selection according to the following sub-procedure:
1. All updates should already have been applied. Verify this by running:
```
apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade 
```
2. Run:
```
dpigs 
```
  and consider removing some of the packages listed.
3. Clean the system by running:
```
apt-get --purge autoremove
apt-get clean 
```
4. Record the current set of packages by running:
```
debfoster -q 
```
Adjust the thresholds for disk capacity by running:
```
mondsk -e
vi /etc/mondsk.conf 
```
AlexisHuxley needs ensure the system is a candidate for updates to locally written software by running:
```
rocon -e 
```
and adding a suitable entry for the system.

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