Knowledge Base (Posts about preseed)

Devuan preseed, Jan 2026 edition

bgstack15 — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:27:00 GMT

It's been almost 2 years since the last time I talked about a Devuan preseed virtual machine installation. I think it's been mostly my environmental changes this time, and thankfully not the underlying tech.

I pulled sha256:67b94eca462979374c668edd3339ec5f460867f18385b4bfc35126a727dbf5f4 devuan_excalibur_6.1.0_amd64_netinstall.iso

vm=d2-05a ; time sudo virt-install -n "${vm}" --memory 2048 --vcpus=1 --os-variant=debiantesting -v --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/"${vm}".qcow2,size=20 -l /mnt/public/Support/SetupsBig/Linux/devuan_excalibur_6.1.0_amd64_netinstall.iso --initrd-inject=/mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg --extra-args "NOTIFYEMAIL=bgstack15@gmail.com interface=auto netcfg/get_hostname=${vm}" --debug --network type=bridge,source=br0 --noautoconsole

I still haven't increased the disk size. I nowadays just add a 100GB disk separately, and tend to mount to /usr/src.

Devuan preseed, May 2024 edition

bgstack15 — Sun, 05 May 2024 13:22:00 GMT

Overview

I wrote this post before the latest netinstall iso (which I usually get from https://mirror.leaseweb.com/devuan/devuan_daedalus/installer-iso/), so maybe the process is a little improved. But here is my current preseed file which allows the oneliner command:

vm=d2-05a ; time sudo virt-install -n "${vm}" --memory 2048 --vcpus=1 --os-variant=debiantesting -v --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/"${vm}".qcow2,size=20 -l /mnt/public/Support/SetupsBig/Linux/devuan_daedalus_5.0.preview-20230116_amd64_netinstall.iso --initrd-inject=/mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg --extra-args "NOTIFYEMAIL=bgstack15@gmail.com interface=auto netcfg/get_hostname=${vm}" --debug --network type=bridge,source=br0

I really should increase that disk space because the large number of medium projects that I tinker with really interfers with my limited disk space.

Devuan preseed, July 2023 edition

bgstack15 — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 13:16:07 GMT

And here's the latest version of my [un?]popular series on Devuan GNU+Linux preseed virtual machine installations. I don't think a whole lot has changed really, except of course the Devuan release number.

# File: /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg
# Locations:
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg
# Author: bgstack15
# Startdate: 2019-06-25
# Title: Preseed for devuan vms for ipa.internal.com
# Purpose: To provide an easy installation for VMs and other systems in the Internal network
# History:
#    2017-06 I learned how to use kickstart files for the RHCSA EX-200 exam
#    2017-08-08 Added notifyemail to --extra-args
#    2017-10-29 major revision to use local repository
#    2019-06-25 fork from centos7-ks.cfg
#    2018-12-29 fix up repos and in-target conclusion stuff
#    2020-02-27 heavy rewrite to use ascii 2.1
#    2021-05-16 bump to chimaera which upgrades self to ceres
#    2023-01-20 kernel cmdline, remove newmoon
#    2023-02-28 add ssh_config EnableEscapeCommandline yes, disable apparmor for sssd
#    2023-06-26 add configure-postfix.sh
# Usage with virt-install:
#    vm=d2-04a ; time sudo virt-install -n "${vm}" --memory 2048 --vcpus=1 --os-variant=debiantesting -v --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/"${vm}".qcow2,size=20 -l /mnt/public/Support/SetupsBig/Linux/devuan_daedalus_5.0.preview-20230116_amd64_netinstall.iso --initrd-inject=/mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg --extra-args "NOTIFYEMAIL=bgstack15@gmail.com interface=auto netcfg/get_hostname=${vm}" --debug --network type=bridge,source=br0 --noautoconsole
#    vm=d2-04a; sudo virsh destroy "${vm}"; sudo virsh undefine --remove-all-storage "${vm}";
# Reference:
#    https://sysadmin.compxtreme.ro/automatically-set-the-hostname-during-kickstart-installation/
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/CentOS7/install-vm.txt
#    https://serverfault.com/questions/481244/preseed-command-string-fail-with-newline-character-using-virt-install-initrd-inj
#    https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/apbs01.html.en
#    https://github.com/jameswthorne/preseeds/blob/master/debian-7-wheezy-unattended.seed
#    syntax for --location https://www.queryxchange.com/q/1_908324/virt-install-preseed-not-working/
#    example preseed https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/example-preseed.txt
#    skip next dvd question https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/409212/preseed-directive-to-skip-another-cd-dvd-scanning
#    grub problem caused by consolekit:amd64 https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=915947#10
#    https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39861614/how-to-fully-automate-unattended-virt-install
#    https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/apbs03.html.en
#    https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=1853
#    https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/howto-setup-serial-console-on-debian-linux/
#    https://github.com/virt-manager/virt-manager/blob/master/virtinst/install/urldetect.py
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/fix-virt-manager.txt
#    https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=3332
#    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2387570
#    sudo debconf-get-selections -c /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg
#    on d2-03a: sudo debconf-get-selections --installer
#    https://serverfault.com/questions/593388/unable-to-nfs-mount-in-debian-preseed-target/593389
#    https://preseed.debian.net/debian-preseed/sid/amd64-main-full.txt
#    https://bgstack15.ddns.net/blog/posts/2020/12/03/disable-apparmor-for-sssd/
# Improve:
#    discover how to send email, using postfix or sendmail. Don't care which, but exclude exim4.
#    echo "$( hostname ) has IP $( ip -4 -o a s eth0 | awk '{print $4}' | sed -r -e 's/\/.*$//' )" | 
# Dependencies:
#    configure-postfix uses my gmail+smtp+oauth2 postfix relay

d-i debian-installer/country string US
d-i debian-installer/keymap select us
d-i debian-installer/language string en
d-i debian-installer/locale string en_US
d-i localechooser/supported-locales string en_US.UTF-8

d-i keyboard-configuration/layoutcode string us
d-i keyboard-configuration/variantcode string
d-i keyboard-configuration/xkb-keymap select us

d-i netcfg/disable_autoconfig boolean false
# The hostname is supposed to come from the kernel cmdline in the virt-install invocation
#d-i netcfg/get_hostname string NONE
d-i netcfg/get_domain string ipa.internal.com
d-i netcfg/wireless_wep string
# disable asking for non-free firmware, because this is a vm and has none
d-i hw-detect/load_firmware boolean false

#d-i apt-setup/enable-source-repositories boolean false
# ORIGINAL d-i apt-setup/services-select multiselect security updates, release updates, backported software
d-i apt-setup/services-select multiselect release updates
d-i apt-setup/contrib boolean true
d-i apt-setup/disable-cdrom-entries boolean true
d-i apt-setup/non-free boolean true
d-i apt-setup/use_mirror boolean true
d-i mirror/country string manual
d-i mirror/http/directory string /merged
d-i mirror/http/hostname string deb.devuan.org
d-i mirror/http/proxy string
d-i mirror/protocol string http
d-i mirror/suite string testing

d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-failed boolean false
d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-first boolean false
d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-next boolean false

## my repos and ceres
d-i apt-setup/local0/comment    string internaldeb
d-i apt-setup/local0/key        string http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local0/repository string http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/ /
d-i apt-setup/local1/comment    string devuan-deb
d-i apt-setup/local1/key        string http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local1/repository string http://www.example.com/internal/repo/devuan-deb/ /
d-i apt-setup/local2/comment    string ceres
d-i apt-setup/local2/key        string http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan/dists/ceres/Release.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local2/repository string http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan ceres main contrib non-free
#d-i apt-setup/local2/key        string http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged/dists/ceres/Release.gpg
#d-i apt-setup/local2/repository string http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged ceres main contrib non-free
d-i apt-setup/local3/comment    string obsmirror
d-i apt-setup/local3/key        string http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/Release.key
d-i apt-setup/local3/repository string http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/ /
d-i apt-setup/local4/comment    string obsmirror-gtk3-classic
d-i apt-setup/local4/key        string http://www.example.com/mirror/obs-gtk3-classic/Release.key
d-i apt-setup/local4/repository string http://www.example.com/mirror/obs-gtk3-classic/ /
# if for some reason I really need to turn off the gpg key check:
#d-i debian-installer/allow_unauthenticated boolean false

#tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, ssh-server
tasksel tasksel/first multiselect none

# adapted from /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan.txt, main fluxbox desktop, but for a vm
# no xscreensaver, for a vm.
#d-i pkgsel/include string \
#   alsamixergui alttab apt-transport-https bgconf bgscripts bgscripts-core \
#   cifs-utils curl fluxbox freeipa-client git grub lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter \
#   mlocate net-tools nfs-common ntpdate openssh-server \
#   p7zip palemoon palemoon-ublock-origin parted qemu-guest-agent rsync scite \
#   screen spice-vdagent strace sudo tcpdump vim vlc volumeicon-alsa waterfox \
#   xfce4-terminal xfe xserver-xorg-video-qxl fluxbox-themes-stackrpms
#d-i pkgsel/include string cifs-utils curl grub lightdm vim sudo vlc screen p7zip nfs-common
d-i pkgsel/include string openssh-server wget curl

d-i pkgsel/upgrade select none

popularity-contest popularity-contest/participate boolean true

d-i clock-setup/ntp boolean true
d-i clock-setup/ntp-server string dns1.ipa.internal.com
d-i time/zone string America/New_York

# skip grub during main part, because we will do it in late_command
#d-i grub-installer/skip boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/skip-again boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/skip-confirm boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/confirm_skip boolean true
#d-i nobootloader/confirmation_common boolean true
d-i     choose-init/select_init select  sysvinit
d-i     choose-init/selected_sysvinit bool   true
grub-installer  grub-installer/choose_bootdev   select  /dev/vda

d-i lilo-installer/skip boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/with_other_os boolean true
d-i grub-installer/only_debian boolean true
d-i grub-installer/grub2_instead_of_grub_legacy boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/bootdev string /dev/vda
#d-i grub-installer/choose_bootdev select /dev/vda
#grub-installer grub-installer/force-efi-extra-removable boolean false

d-i passwd/root-password password plaintextexamplepw
d-i passwd/root-password-again password plaintextexamplepw

d-i partman-auto/choose_recipe select home
d-i partman-auto-crypto/erase_disks boolean false
d-i partman-auto/disk string /dev/vda
d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select biggest_free
d-i partman-auto/method string lvm
d-i partman/choose_label string gpt
d-i partman/choose_partition select finish
d-i partman/confirm boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman/default_label string gpt
#d-i partman-lvm/confirm boolean true
d-i partman-lvm/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman-md/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
#d-i partman/mount_style select uuid
d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman-auto-lvm/guided_size string 100%

# Uncomment this to add multiarch configuration for i386
#d-i apt-setup/multiarch string i386

d-i passwd/make-user boolean true
d-i passwd/user-fullname string bgstack15-local
d-i passwd/username string bgstack15-local
d-i passwd/user-password-crypted password $6$BxyYQfM7A1TEeS6X$SEXAMPLE6.n6SU21s.ojeQ9F06AMcnEXAMPLEHTufeWXLpNu6EmpsDN7eEXAMPLEU4moiXVgzIiTJYXatdGBz0/
d-i passwd/user-default-groups string audio cdrom video

d-i finish-install/reboot_in_progress note
d-i cdrom-detect/eject boolean true

# additional application stuff just in case it works and is useful
# LDAP server URI:
d-i shared/ldapns/ldap-server   string  ldapi:///ipa.internal.com

d-i openssh-server/password-authentication  boolean true
d-i openssh-server/permit-root-login    boolean false

# Sometimes the update-devuan has to happen before the laundry list of packages, because upgrading from some stable release to Ceres causes package numbering-name mismatches.
d-i preseed/late_command string mkdir -p /target/etc/apt/sources.list.d /target/mnt/bgstack15 /target/mnt/public /target/etc/apt/sources.list.d /target/root/input ; touch /target/etc/apt/sources.list.d/empty ; cd /target/etc/apt ; \
   in-target apt-get install -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" gpg grub-pc sudo ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/set-local-devuan-repo.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/set-local-devuan-repo.sh ; in-target sh /root/set-local-devuan-repo.sh ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/input/52apt-file-stackrpms.conf http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/input/52apt-file-stackrpms.conf ; in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/set-my-repos.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/set-my-repos.sh ; in-target sh /root/set-my-repos.sh || : ; \
   in-target rm /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/ceres.gpg || : ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter http://www.example.com/internal/certs/ca-ipa.internal.com.crt --output /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/ca-ipa.internal.com.crt && in-target update-ca-certificates || : ; \
   in-target wget -O /root/update-devuan.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/update-devuan.sh ; in-target sh /root/update-devuan.sh preseed ; \
   in-target apt-get install -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" alsamixergui alttab bgconf bgscripts bgscripts-core ca-certificates cifs-utils curl desktop-base fluxbox fluxbox-themes-stackrpms freeipa-client freeipa-helper git grub-pc gtk3-automnemonics gtk3-nocsd gtk3-nooverlayscrollbar krb5-auth-dialog librewolf logout-manager man mlocate net-tools nfs-common ntpdate p7zip parted postfix qemu-guest-agent rsync scite screen spice-vdagent strace sudo tcpdump ublock-origin-combined vim vlc volumeicon-alsa xdgmenumaker xfce4-terminal xfe xserver-xorg-input-libinput xserver-xorg-video-qxl ; \
   rm -f /target/etc/apt/sources.list.d/empty || : ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '/^\s*linux/s/(\s*console=.{1,7}[0-9])*\s*$/ console=tty0 console=ttyS0/;' /boot/grub/grub.cfg || : ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '/^\s*kernel/s/(\s*console=.{1,7}[0-9])*\s*$/ console=tty0 console=ttyS0/;' /boot/grub/menu.lst || : ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '$aT0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100' /etc/inittab ; \
   in-target apt-get update ; \
   in-target apt-get purge -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" consolekit exim4\* lxqt\* udev ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/lightdm-elogind.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/lightdm-elogind.sh ; in-target sh /root/lightdm-elogind.sh -y ; \
   in-target su bgstack15-local -c "sudo /usr/bin/bgconf.py -d 10 1>/home/bgstack15-local/clone.log 2>&1" ; \
   in-target updateval -a -v /etc/ssh/ssh_config '^\s*EnableEscapeCommandline.*' 'EnableEscapeCommandline yes' ; \
   in-target ln -sf /etc/apparmor.d/usr.sbin.sssd /etc/apparmor.d/disable/ ; \
   in-target apparmor_parser -R /etc/apparmor.d/usr.sbin.sssd ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/configure-postfix.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/configure-postfix.sh ; in-target sh /root/configure-postfix.sh ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/send-mail-ip-address.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/send-mail-ip-address.sh ; in-target sh /root/send-mail-ip-address.sh bgstack15@gmail.com ;

Explanations

And of course, most of the logic is in all the included scripts.

File set-local-devuan-repo.sh

	`#!/bin/sh`
	`# Startdate: 2020-03-12`
	`# Purpose: Replace original devuan repos with my local devuan mirror`
	`# History:`
	`# 2021-01-27 remove prebuilt file. Just use heredoc`
	`# 2023-02-28 add new repo section non-free-firmware`
	`# Documentation:`
	`# Use the network file if available, otherwise, use this hardcoded heredoc.`
	`tf=/etc/apt/sources.list`
	`touch "${tf}"`
	`{`
	`cat <<'EOF'`
	`# file: /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/sources.list`
	`# date: 2023-02-28`

	`# the 3 main ones: ascii main/security/updates`
	`# uncomment all of them when needing winehq-staging for AoC.`
	`# If using ascii, there are multiple lines: ascii ascii-security ascii-updates`
	`#deb http://deb.devuan.org/merged ceres main contrib non-free non-free-firmware`
	`deb http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan ceres main contrib non-free non-free-firmware`
	`deb-src http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged ceres main`
	`EOF`
	`} > "${tf}"`

File set-my-repos.sh

	`#!/bin/sh`
	`# File: /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/set-my-repos.sh`
	`# Location:`
	`# Author: bgstack15`
	`# Startdate: 2019-08-10 16:02`
	`# Title: Script that Establishes the repos needed for Devuan`
	`# Purpose: Set up the 3 repos I always need on devuan clients`
	`# History:`
	`# 2020-02-01 customize clients for devuan-archive`
	`# 2020-10-23 add apt-file compatibility`
	`# 2021-01-27 disable devuan-archive`
	`# Usage:`
	`# sudo set-my-repos.sh`
	`# Reference:`
	`# /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan.txt`
	`# Improve:`
	`# need to control the sources.list file itself to have the main, contrib, etc., for ceres.`
	`# Documentation:`

	`test -z "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" && ALLREPOSGLOB="/etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*"`
	`test -z "${REPOSBASE}" && REPOSBASE="/etc/apt/sources.list.d"`
	`test -z "${PREFSBASE}" && PREFSBASE="/etc/apt/preferences.d"`
	`test -z "${ADDLCONFBASE}" && ADDLCONFBASE="/etc/apt/apt.conf.d"`

	`# confirm key`
	`confirm_key() {`
	`# call: confirm_key "${PRETTYNAME}" "${SEARCHPHRASE}" "${URL_OF_KEY}"`
	`___ck_repo="${1}"`
	`___ck_sp="${2}"`
	`___ck_url="${3}"`
	`if apt-key list 2>/dev/null \| grep -qe "${___ck_sp}" ;`
	`then`
	`:`
	`else`
	`# not found so please add it`
	`echo "Adding key for ${___ck_repo}" 1>&2`
	`#wget -O- "${___ck_url}" \| sudo apt-key add -`
	`___ck_keyfile="/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/$( echo "${___ck_repo}" \| tr '[: ]' '_' ).gpg"`
	`wget -O- --quiet "${___ck_url}" \| gpg --dearmor \| sudo tee "${___ck_keyfile}" 1>/dev/null`
	`fi`
	`}`

	`# confirm repo`
	`confirm_repo() {`
	`# call: confirm_repo "${PRETTYNAME}" "${SEARCHPHRASE}" "${SEARCHGLOB}" "${FULLSTRING}" "${PREFERRED_FILENAME}" "${OVERWRITE}"`
	`___cr_repo="${1}"`
	`___cr_sp="${2}"`
	`___cr_sf="${3}"`
	`___cr_full="${4}"`
	`___cr_pref="${5}"`
	`___cr_overwrite="${6}"`
	`if ! grep -E -qe "${___cr_sp}" ${___cr_sf} ;`
	`then`
	`# not found so please add it to preferred file`
	`echo "Adding repo ${___cr_repo}" 1>&2`
	`if test "${___cr_overwrite}" = "true" ;`
	`then`
	`# overwrite, instead of append`
	`echo "${___cr_full}" > "${REPOSBASE}/${___cr_pref:-99_misc.list}"`
	`else`
	`echo "${___cr_full}" >> "${REPOSBASE}/${___cr_pref:-99_misc.list}"`
	`fi`
	`fi`
	`}`

	`confirm_preferences() {`
	`# call: confirm_preferences "${PRETTYNAME}" "${FILENAME}" "{PACKAGE}" "${PIN_EXPRESSION}" "{PRIORITY}"`
	`___cp_prettyname="${1}"`
	`___cp_pref="${2}"`
	`___cp_package="${3}"`
	`___cp_pin_expression="${4}"`
	`___cp_priority="${5}"`

	`___cp_tempfile="$( mktemp )"`
	`{`
	`echo "Package: ${___cp_package}"`
	`echo "Pin: ${___cp_pin_expression}"`
	`echo "Pin-Priority: ${___cp_priority}"`
	`} > "${___cp_tempfile}"`

	`diff "${PREFSBASE}/${___cp_pref}" "${___cp_tempfile}" 1>/dev/null 2>&1 \|\| {`
	`echo "Setting preferences for ${___cp_prettyname}"`
	`touch "${PREFSBASE}/${___cp_pref}" ; chmod 0644 "${PREFSBASE}/${___cp_pref}"`
	`cat "${___cp_tempfile}" > "${PREFSBASE}/${___cp_pref}"`
	`}`

	`rm -f "${___cp_tempfile:-NOTHINGTODEL}" 1>/dev/null 2>&1`
	`}`

	`# REPO 1: local internaldeb`
	`confirm_key "internaldeb" "bgstack15.*www\.no-ip\.biz" "http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg"`
	`confirm_repo "internaldeb" "target.*internal\/repo\/deb" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb [target-=Contents-deb target+=Contents-stackrpms] http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/ /" "internaldeb.list" "true"`

	`# REPO 2: local devuan-deb`
	`confirm_key "devuan-deb" "bgstack15.*www\.no-ip\.biz" "http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg"`
	`confirm_repo "devuan-deb" "target.*internal\/repo\/devuan-deb" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb [target-=Contents-deb target+=Contents-stackrpms] http://www.example.com/internal/repo/devuan-deb/ /" "devuan-deb.list" "true"`

	`# REPO 3: local obs`
	`# Thankfully I re-sign this with my own key.`
	`#confirm_key "OBS bgstack15" "bgstack15@build\.opensuse\.org" "https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:bgstack15/Debian_Unstable/Release.key"`
	`#confirm_repo "OBS bgstack15" "repositories\/home:\/bgstack15\/Debian_Unstable" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/bgstack15/Debian_Unstable/ /" "home:bgstack15.list"`
	`confirm_key "OBS bgstack15" "bgstack15@build\.opensuse\.org" "http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/Release.key"`
	`confirm_repo "OBS bgstack15" "mirror\/obs" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/ /" "home:bgstack15.list"`

	`# REPO 4: local devuan-archive`
	`# deprecated circa 2021-05`
	`#confirm_key "devuan-archive" "bgstack15.*www\.no-ip\.biz" "http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg"`
	`#confirm_repo "devuan-archive" "target.server1((\.ipa)?\.internal\.com)?(:180)?.internal\/repo\/devuan-archive" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb [target-=Contents-deb target+=Contents-stackrpms] http://server1.ipa.internal.com:180/internal/repo/devuan-archive/ /" "devuan-archive.list" "true"`
	`#confirm_preferences "devuan-archive" "puddletag" "*" "origin server1.ipa.internal.com" "700"`

	`# REPO 5: local obs-aftermozilla key for non-local aftermozilla repo`
	`# just the key`
	`#confirm_key "OBS bgstack15 aftermozilla" "bgstack15@build\.opensuse\.org" "https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:bgstack15:aftermozilla/Debian_Unstable/Release.key"`

	`# REPO 5: local obs-AfterMozilla`
	`confirm_key "OBS bgstack15" "bgstack15@build\.opensuse\.org" "http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/Release.key"`
	`confirm_repo "OBS bgstack15 AfterMozilla" "mirror\/obs-AfterMozilla" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb http://www.example.com/mirror/obs-AfterMozilla/ /" "home:bgstack15:AfterMozilla.list"`

	`# REPO 6: local obs-gtk3-classic`
	`confirm_key "OBS bgstack15" "bgstack15@build\.opensuse\.org" "http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/Release.key"`
	`confirm_repo "OBS bgstack15 gtk3-classic" "mirror\/obs-gtk3-classic" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb http://www.example.com/mirror/obs-gtk3-classic/ /" "home:bgstack15:gtk3-classic.list"`

	`# ADDITIONAL APT PREFS`
	`# important for the [target] stuff to work on repos so apt-file can work`
	`cp -p "$( dirname "$( readlink -f "${0}" )")/input/52apt-file-stackrpms.conf" "${ADDLCONFBASE}/"`

And supporting file 52apt-file-stackrpms.conf:

# File: /etc/apt/apt.preferences.d/52apt-file-stackrpms.conf
# Part of support devuan scripts
# This enables the flat apt repos in internal to be supported by apt-file
Acquire::IndexTargets {
    deb::Contents-stackrpms {
        MetaKey "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
        ShortDescription "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
        Description "$(RELEASE) $(ARCHITECTURE) Contents (deb)";

        flatMetaKey "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
        flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Contents (deb)";
        PDiffs "true";
        KeepCompressed "true";
        DefaultEnabled "false";
        Identifier "Contents-deb";
    };
};

File update-devuan.sh

I've talked about this before, but here's the current version in case it's different. You think I QA this stuff before I paste+scrub this contents?

	`#!/bin/sh`
	`# File: update-devuan.sh`
	`# Location: /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan`
	`# Author: bgstack15`
	`# Startdate: 2019-07-01 18:48`
	`# Title: The command to run for mostly-unattended updates on Devuan`
	`# Purpose: Mostly-unattended apt-get dist-upgrade`
	`# History:`
	`# 2019-12-15 add the y/n if dist-upgrade will remove packages`
	`# 2020-02-26 add --allow-downgrades for the libqt5core5a which was customized for freefilesync or similar`
	`# 2023-02-28-3 19:47 add dbus-on which populates the dbus machine-id baloney for the dbus package`
	`# Usage:`
	`# Reference:`
	`# Improve:`
	`# Documentation:`

	`export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games`

	`test "${1}" = "preseed" && extrastring="--allow-downgrades"`

	`mkdir -p ~/log`
	`myupdate() {`
	`sudo dbus-on \|\| :`
	`sudo apt-get update ;`
	`sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-overwrite" upgrade ;`
	`___remove_count="$( yes no \| sudo apt-get dist-upgrade 2>&1 \| grep -oiE '[0-9]+ to remove' \| grep -oE '[0-9]*' )"`
	`___do_run="no"`
	`if test "${___remove_count}" = "0" ;`
	`then`
	`___do_run="yes"`
	`else`
	`___to_remove="$( yes no \| sudo apt-get dist-upgrade 2>&1 \| awk 'BEGIN{a=0} /^[ \s]/{ if(a==1)print;} /^[a-zA-Z]/ {if(/REMOVED/ \|\| /NEW /){a=1;print} else {a=0}}' )"`
	`echo "${___to_remove}" 1>&2`
	`echo "WARNING: are you sure you want to do this [yN]? " 1>&2`
	`test -z "${extrastring}" && { read response ; } \|\| ___do_run="yes"`
	`if test "$( echo "${response}" \| cut -c1 2>/dev/null \| tr '[A-Z]' '[a-z]' )" = "y" ; then ___do_run="yes" ; fi`
	`fi`
	`if test "${___do_run}" = "yes" ;`
	`then`
	`sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -q ${extrastring} -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-overwrite" dist-upgrade ;__f=$? ;`
	`fi`
	`date ; return ${__f} ;`
	`} ; myupdate 2>&1 \| tee -a ~/log/apt-get.upgrade.$( date "+%F" ).log`

And dbus-on is a shell script from bgscripts that runs:

dbus-uuidgen | sudo tee /var/lib/dbus/machine-id 1>/dev/null 2>&1

File lightdm-elogind.sh

I'm not sure this script is necessary. It was necessary in the past, and it doesn't hurt anyway, so I still just run it.

	`#!/bin/sh`
	`# Reference: https://bgstack15.wordpress.com/2019/09/01/devuan-with-lightdm-and-xfce-will-not-let-user-reboot-or-shutdown-from-user-session/`
	`# Startdate: 2019-08-11`
	`# History:`
	`# 2020-04-30 updated`
	`# only for devuan ceres`
	`unset YESSTRING`
	`echo " ${@} " \| grep -qE -e " -y " && export YESSTRING="-y"`

	`sudo apt-get install "${YESSTRING}" --no-install-recommends policykit-1 libpam-elogind lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter`
	`sudo sed -i -r -e '/session\s+optional\s+pam_systemd\.so/s/systemd/elogind/;' /etc/pam.d/lightdm-greeter`

File configure-postfix.sh

This is the newest thing I can think of. It sets up postfix to connect to my smtp relay on my network that handles the gmail oauth2 authentication.

	`#!/bin/sh`
	`# Startdate: 2023-06-26-2 16:40`
	`# Purpose: configure postfix, primarily for new VMs`
	`# Documentation:`
	`# keep my network details out of the preseed.cfg`
	`set -x`
	`postconf -e 'relayhost = server2.ipa.internal.com'`

File send-email-ip-address.sh

Looking at this now, I'm shocked and embarrassed in the complexity I've wrapped around sending an email.

	`#!/bin/sh`
	`# File: send-mail-ip-address.sh`
	`# Startdate: 2021-05-17 08:59`
	`#`
	`# Purpose: send email message from newly build VM to myself with new hostname and IP address`

	`# Usage:`
	`# send-mail-ip-address.sh`
	`# Dependencies:`
	`# bgscripts-core (>=1.5.0)`

	`test -z "${ADDRESS}" && export ADDRESS="${1}" # use ADDRESS environment variable or else use first parameter`
	`test -z "${ADDRESS}" && export ADDRESS=bgstack15@gmail.com`

	`test -z "${SERVER}" && export SERVER="$( hostname --fqdn )"`

	`# Ensure PATH contains /sbin and /usr/sbin for ip and sendmail (called by send)`
	`echo "${PATH}" \| grep -qE '^\/usr\/sbin\|:\/usr\/sbin' \|\| export PATH="${PATH}:/usr/sbin"`
	`echo "${PATH}" \| grep -qE '^\/sbin\|:\/sbin' \|\| export PATH="${PATH}:/sbin"`

	`# Modified and improved from bgscripts framework.sh 2021-02-16a`
	`thisip="$( ip -4 -o a s \| awk '$1 !~ /^lo$/ && $2 !~ /^lo$/ && ($1 ~ /^e/ \|\| $2 ~/^e/) {print $3,$4}' \| awk -F'/' '{print $1}' \| tr -dc '[0-9\.]' )"`

	`# Send message`
	`{`
	`echo "${SERVER} has IP address ${thisip}."`
	`echo "system finished build at $( TZ=UTC date "+%FT%TZ" )"`
	`# leave cat INFILE unquoted in case it is inaccessible`
	`} \| send -f "root@${SERVER}" -h -s "${SERVER} is ${thisip}" "${ADDRESS}"`

Use virt-install to fully automate the install for Devuan Ceres with preseed, May 2021 edition

bgstack15 — Sun, 23 May 2021 12:55:28 GMT

This article is a follow-up or replacement to the following older posts: Use virt-install to fully automate the install for Devuan with preseed Use virt-install to fully automate the install for Devuan Ceres with preseed, March 2020 edition I also have a series on building RHEL-like VMs with virt-install: My kickstart for Fedora 34 VMs Install CentOS 8 with kickstart and virt-install

Installing Devuan Ceres with preseed

I use libvirt with qemu+kvm to run my virtualization environment. My latest work includes updating my Devuan Ceres VM build process to use a recent alpha release ISO for Devuan Chimaera (4.0). I had to modify my urlfetcher.py again in the libvirt files to handle the current locations (described in above article from March 2020) which you can determine with 7z. I was too lazy to investigate how to read contents of a iso file properly.

$ 7z l devuan_chimaera_4.0.alpha-20210510_amd64_netinstall.iso | grep -E '\/(linux|initrd\.gz)$'
2021-03-15 07:44:18 .....     62400333     62400333  boot/isolinux/initrd.gz
2021-03-15 07:44:18 .....      5278960      5278960  boot/isolinux/linux

So the urlfetcher.py class needs to have values:

        if self.arch == "x86_64":
            kernel_initrd_pair = ("boot/isolinux/linux",
                                  "boot/isolinux/initrd.gz")

The preseed file

So, with the libvirt configuration out of the way, I have a preseed file which I have updated to match my current needs and the answers that the Devuan installer wants to see.

# File: /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan-preseed1.txt
# Locations:
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan-preseed1.txt
# Author: bgstack15
# Startdate: 2019-06-25
# Title: Preseed for devuan vms for ipa.internal.com
# Purpose: To provide an easy installation for VMs and other systems in the Internal network
# History:
#    2017-06 I learned how to use kickstart files for the RHCSA EX-200 exam
#    2017-08-08 Added notifyemail to --extra-args
#    2017-10-29 major revision to use local repository
#    2019-06-25 fork from centos7-ks.cfg
#    2018-12-29 fix up repos and in-target conclusion stuff
#    2020-02-27 heavy rewrite to use ascii 2.1
#    2021-05-16 bump to chimaera which upgrades self to ceres
# Usage with virt-install:
#    vm=d2-04a ; time sudo virt-install -n "${vm}" --memory 2048 --vcpus=1 --os-variant=debiantesting -v --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/"${vm}".qcow2,size=20 -l /mnt/public/Support/SetupsBig/Linux/devuan_chimaera_4.0.alpha-20210510_amd64_netinstall.iso --initrd-inject=/mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg --extra-args "hostname=${vm} NOTIFYEMAIL=bgstack15@gmail.com interface=auto" --debug --network type=bridge,source=br0 --noautoconsole
#    vm=d2-04a; sudo virsh destroy "${vm}"; sudo virsh undefine --remove-all-storage "${vm}";
# Reference:
#    https://sysadmin.compxtreme.ro/automatically-set-the-hostname-during-kickstart-installation/
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/CentOS7/install-vm.txt
#    https://serverfault.com/questions/481244/preseed-command-string-fail-with-newline-character-using-virt-install-initrd-inj
#    https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/apbs01.html.en
#    https://github.com/jameswthorne/preseeds/blob/master/debian-7-wheezy-unattended.seed
#    syntax for --location https://www.queryxchange.com/q/1_908324/virt-install-preseed-not-working/
#    example preseed https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/example-preseed.txt
#    skip next dvd question https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/409212/preseed-directive-to-skip-another-cd-dvd-scanning
#    grub problem caused by consolekit:amd64 https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=915947#10
#    https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39861614/how-to-fully-automate-unattended-virt-install
#    https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/apbs03.html.en
#    https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=1853
#    https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/howto-setup-serial-console-on-debian-linux/
#    https://github.com/virt-manager/virt-manager/blob/master/virtinst/install/urldetect.py
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/fix-virt-manager.txt
#    https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=3332
#    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2387570
#    sudo debconf-get-selections -c /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg
#    on d2-03a: sudo debconf-get-selections --installer
#    https://serverfault.com/questions/593388/unable-to-nfs-mount-in-debian-preseed-target/593389
#    https://preseed.debian.net/debian-preseed/sid/amd64-main-full.txt
# Improve:
#    discover how to send email, using postfix or sendmail. Don't care which, but exclude exim4.
#    echo "$( hostname ) has IP $( ip -4 -o a s eth0 | awk '{print $4}' | sed -r -e 's/\/.*$//' )" |

d-i debian-installer/country string US
d-i debian-installer/keymap select us
d-i debian-installer/language string en
d-i debian-installer/locale string en_US
d-i localechooser/supported-locales string en_US.UTF-8

d-i keyboard-configuration/layoutcode string us
d-i keyboard-configuration/variantcode string
d-i keyboard-configuration/xkb-keymap select us

d-i netcfg/disable_autoconfig boolean false
d-i netcfg/get_domain string ipa.internal.com
d-i netcfg/wireless_wep string
# disable asking for non-free firmware, because this is a vm and has none
d-i hw-detect/load_firmware boolean false

#d-i apt-setup/enable-source-repositories boolean false
# ORIGINAL d-i apt-setup/services-select multiselect security updates, release updates, backported software
d-i apt-setup/services-select multiselect release updates
d-i apt-setup/contrib boolean true
d-i apt-setup/disable-cdrom-entries boolean true
d-i apt-setup/non-free boolean true
d-i apt-setup/use_mirror boolean true
d-i mirror/country string manual
d-i mirror/http/directory string /merged
d-i mirror/http/hostname string deb.devuan.org
d-i mirror/http/proxy string
d-i mirror/protocol string http
d-i mirror/suite string testing

d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-failed boolean false
d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-first boolean false
d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-next boolean false

## my repos and ceres
d-i apt-setup/local0/comment    string internaldeb
d-i apt-setup/local0/key        string http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local0/repository string http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/ /
d-i apt-setup/local1/comment    string devuan-deb
d-i apt-setup/local1/key        string http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local1/repository string http://www.example.com/internal/repo/devuan-deb/ /
d-i apt-setup/local2/comment    string ceres
d-i apt-setup/local2/key        string http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan/dists/ceres/Release.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local2/repository string http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan ceres main contrib non-free
#d-i apt-setup/local2/key        string http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged/dists/ceres/Release.gpg
#d-i apt-setup/local2/repository string http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged ceres main contrib non-free
d-i apt-setup/local3/comment    string obsmirror
d-i apt-setup/local3/key        string http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/Release.key
d-i apt-setup/local3/repository string http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/ /
# if for some reason I really need to turn off the gpg key check:
#d-i debian-installer/allow_unauthenticated boolean false

#tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, ssh-server
tasksel tasksel/first multiselect none

# adapted from /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan.txt, main fluxbox desktop, but for a vm
# no xscreensaver, for a vm.
#d-i pkgsel/include string \
#   alsamixergui alttab apt-transport-https bgconf bgscripts bgscripts-core \
#   cifs-utils curl fluxbox freeipa-client git grub lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter \
#   mlocate net-tools nfs-common ntpdate oddjob-mkhomedir=0.0.1-1 openssh-server \
#   p7zip palemoon palemoon-ublock-origin parted qemu-guest-agent rsync scite \
#   screen spice-vdagent strace sudo tcpdump vim vlc volumeicon-alsa waterfox \
#   xfce4-terminal xfe xserver-xorg-video-qxl fluxbox-themes-stackrpms
#d-i pkgsel/include string cifs-utils curl grub lightdm vim sudo vlc screen p7zip nfs-common
d-i pkgsel/include string openssh-server wget curl

d-i pkgsel/upgrade select none

popularity-contest popularity-contest/participate boolean true

d-i clock-setup/ntp boolean true
d-i clock-setup/ntp-server string dns1.ipa.internal.com
d-i time/zone string America/New_York

# skip grub during main part, because we will do it in late_command
#d-i grub-installer/skip boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/skip-again boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/skip-confirm boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/confirm_skip boolean true
#d-i nobootloader/confirmation_common boolean true
d-i     choose-init/select_init select  sysvinit
d-i     choose-init/selected_sysvinit bool   true
grub-installer  grub-installer/choose_bootdev   select  /dev/vda

d-i lilo-installer/skip boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/with_other_os boolean true
d-i grub-installer/only_debian boolean true
d-i grub-installer/grub2_instead_of_grub_legacy boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/bootdev string /dev/vda
#d-i grub-installer/choose_bootdev select /dev/vda
#grub-installer grub-installer/force-efi-extra-removable boolean false

d-i passwd/root-password password plaintextexamplepw
d-i passwd/root-password-again password plaintextexamplepw

d-i partman-auto/choose_recipe select home
d-i partman-auto-crypto/erase_disks boolean false
d-i partman-auto/disk string /dev/vda
d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select biggest_free
d-i partman-auto/method string lvm
d-i partman/choose_label string gpt
d-i partman/choose_partition select finish
d-i partman/confirm boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman/default_label string gpt
#d-i partman-lvm/confirm boolean true
d-i partman-lvm/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman-md/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
#d-i partman/mount_style select uuid
d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman-auto-lvm/guided_size string 100%

# Uncomment this to add multiarch configuration for i386
#d-i apt-setup/multiarch string i386

d-i passwd/make-user boolean true
d-i passwd/user-fullname string bgstack15-local
d-i passwd/username string bgstack15-local
d-i passwd/user-password-crypted password $6$BxyYQfM7A1TEeS6X$S0SALxIk6.n6SU21s.ojeQ9F06AMcnnHS7vODHTufeWXLpNu6EmpsDN7eLVSyYXXU4moiXVgzIiTJYXatdGBz0/
d-i passwd/user-default-groups string audio cdrom video

d-i finish-install/reboot_in_progress note
d-i cdrom-detect/eject boolean true

# additional application stuff just in case it works and is useful
# LDAP server URI:
d-i shared/ldapns/ldap-server   string  ldapi:///ipa.internal.com

d-i openssh-server/password-authentication  boolean true
d-i openssh-server/permit-root-login    boolean false

d-i preseed/late_command string mkdir -p /target/etc/apt/sources.list.d /target/mnt/bgstack15 /target/mnt/public /target/etc/apt/sources.list.d /target/root/input ; touch /target/etc/apt/sources.list.d/empty ; cd /target/etc/apt ; \
   in-target apt-get install -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" gpg grub-pc sudo ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/set-local-devuan-repo.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/set-local-devuan-repo.sh ; in-target sh /root/set-local-devuan-repo.sh ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/input/52apt-file-stackrpms.conf http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/input/52apt-file-stackrpms.conf ; in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/set-my-repos.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/set-my-repos.sh ; in-target sh /root/set-my-repos.sh || : ; \
   in-target rm /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/ceres.gpg || : ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter http://www.example.com/internal/certs/ca-ipa.internal.com.crt --output /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/ca-ipa.internal.com.crt && in-target update-ca-certificates || : ; \
   in-target apt-get install -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" alsamixergui alttab bgconf bgscripts bgscripts-core ca-certificates cifs-utils curl desktop-base fluxbox fluxbox-themes-stackrpms freeipa-client freeipa-helper git grub-pc gtk3-nocsd gtk3-nooverlayscrollbar krb5-auth-dialog logout-manager man mlocate net-tools newmoon nfs-common ntpdate oddjob-mkhomedir=0.0.1-1 p7zip parted postfix qemu-guest-agent rsync scite screen spice-vdagent strace sudo tcpdump ublock-origin-combined vim vlc volumeicon-alsa xdgmenumaker xfce4-terminal xfe xserver-xorg-input-libinput xserver-xorg-video-qxl ; \
   in-target apt-mark hold oddjob-mkhomedir ; \
   rm -f /target/etc/apt/sources.list.d/empty || : ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '/^\s*linux/s/(\s*console=.{1,7}[0-9])*\s*$/ console=tty0 console=ttyS0/;' /boot/grub/grub.cfg || : ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '/^\s*kernel/s/(\s*console=.{1,7}[0-9])*\s*$/ console=tty0 console=ttyS0/;' /boot/grub/menu.lst || : ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '$aT0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100' /etc/inittab ; \
   in-target apt-get update ; \
   in-target apt-get purge -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" consolekit exim4\* lxqt\* udev ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/lightdm-elogind.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/lightdm-elogind.sh ; in-target sh /root/lightdm-elogind.sh -y ; \
   in-target su bgstack15-local -c "sudo /usr/bin/bgconf.py -d 10 1>/home/bgstack15-local/clone.log 2>&1" ; \
   in-target wget -O /root/update-devuan.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/update-devuan.sh ; in-target sh /root/update-devuan.sh preseed ; \
   in-target curl --no-progress-meter --output /root/send-mail-ip-address.sh http://www.example.com/internal/Support/Platforms/devuan/scripts/send-mail-ip-address.sh ; in-target sh /root/send-mail-ip-address.sh bgstack15@gmail.com ;

Explanations

Some of the choices here need explanation. New since March 2020 is "partman- auto-lvm/guided_size string 100%". I like to use lvm for my VMs because I sometimes need to extend filesystems (particularly when trying to build mozilla-based browsers). I use my own local mirror of Devuan but it is a truly flattened repository and not the complex amprolla two-layer (proxying back to usptream Debian files) ordeal that upstream Devuan uses. It makes it possible for me to understand that apt repo, as well as facilitates the speed of downloads when it's just across my LAN! I discovered that a good portion of my logic that used to be in my preseed late_command I have already replicated with various shell scripts. So I just download them and execute them. They are included here as appendices. I install grub-pc (which is grub2) instead of grub-legacy like I used to. I forget why and don't care. I'm more familiar with grub2 anyway. There's some busted ceres.gpg file that could be part of the alpha-release ISO but it's not important for some odd reason. I always enable popcon to contribute stats upstream. Vote early, and vote often! The big apt-get install list has multiple choices in it that are significant. I don't use the pkgsel include because it would always flake out and I got tired of troubleshooting it.

The bgconf, bgscripts, and stackrpm options are all my own packages for my own themes, files, configurations, etc. However, some logic in the scripts that this preseed run depend on bgscripts-core specifically.
newmoon and waterfox are just my preferred web browsers
oddjob-mkhomedir is a custom empty package to satisfy freeipa-common requirements. I describe it in article Devuan join freeipa domain
qemu-guest-agent and spice-vdagent. While a modern Devuan installer will recognize it's in qemu and install that package, it doesn't catch spice-vdagent, which is incredibly useful including for resizing the screen of the guest console
xserver-xorg-input-libinput and xserver-xorg-video-xql are the drivers to enable mouse and keyboard input and graphical (X11) output on the guest in spice-viewer. These are explicitly listed now but in the past they were not specifically named; I'm guessing they are no longer part of -all packages or similar.

One of my scripts, as you will see below, uses a glob of /etc/apt/sources.list.d/* and to stave off any errors I just made an empty file. The grub.cfg an dmenu.lst logic add a serial console to the VM which I've already covered a few times. I dislike exim and not just because of it's security vulnerabilities; it had some weird bugs a few years ago and also I just don't like it. So I use postfix xor sendmail like a graybeard.

Appendices

set-local-devuan-repo.sh

#!/bin/sh
# Startdate: 2020-03-12
# Purpose: Replace original devuan repos with my local devuan mirror
# History:
#    2021-01-27 remove prebuilt file. Just use heredoc
# Documentation:
# Use the network file if available, otherwise, use this hardcoded heredoc.
tf=/etc/apt/sources.list
touch "${tf}"
{
   cat <<'EOF'
# file: /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/sources.list 
# date: 2019-12-25

# the 3 main ones: ascii main/security/updates
# uncomment all of them when needing winehq-staging for AoC.
# If using ascii, there are multiple lines: ascii ascii-security ascii-updates
deb http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan ceres main contrib non-free
deb-src http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged ceres main
EOF
} > "${tf}"

set-my-repos.sh

This script also uses file input/52apt-file-stackrpms.conf.

# File: /etc/apt/apt.preferences.d/52apt-file-stackrpms.conf
# Part of support devuan scripts
# This enables the flat apt repos in internal to be supported by apt-file
Acquire::IndexTargets {
    deb::Contents-stackrpms {
        MetaKey "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
        ShortDescription "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
        Description "$(RELEASE) $(ARCHITECTURE) Contents (deb)";

        flatMetaKey "Contents-$(ARCHITECTURE)";
        flatDescription "$(RELEASE) Contents (deb)";
        PDiffs "true";
        KeepCompressed "true";
        DefaultEnabled "false";
        Identifier "Contents-deb";
    };
};

And now, set-my-repos.sh

#!/bin/sh
# File: /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/set-my-repos.sh
# Location:
# Author: bgstack15
# Startdate: 2019-08-10 16:02
# Title: Script that Establishes the repos needed for Devuan
# Purpose: Set up the 3 repos I always need on devuan clients
# History:
#    2020-02-01 customize clients for devuan-archive
#    2020-10-23 add apt-file compatibility
#    2021-01-27 disable devuan-archive
# Usage:
#    sudo set-my-repos.sh
# Reference:
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan.txt
# Improve:
#    need to control the sources.list file itself to have the main, contrib, etc., for ceres.
# Documentation:

test -z "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" && ALLREPOSGLOB="/etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*"
test -z "${REPOSBASE}" && REPOSBASE="/etc/apt/sources.list.d"
test -z "${PREFSBASE}" && PREFSBASE="/etc/apt/preferences.d"
test -z "${ADDLCONFBASE}" && ADDLCONFBASE="/etc/apt/apt.conf.d"

# confirm key
confirm_key() {
   # call: confirm_key "${PRETTYNAME}" "${SEARCHPHRASE}" "${URL_OF_KEY}"
   ___ck_repo="${1}"
   ___ck_sp="${2}"
   ___ck_url="${3}"
   if apt-key list 2>/dev/null | grep -qe "${___ck_sp}" ;
   then
      :
   else
      # not found so please add it
      echo "Adding key for ${___ck_repo}" 1>&2
      #wget -O- "${___ck_url}" | sudo apt-key add -
      ___ck_keyfile="/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/$( echo "${___ck_repo}" | tr '[: ]' '_' ).gpg"
      wget -O- --quiet "${___ck_url}" | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee "${___ck_keyfile}" 1>/dev/null
   fi
}

# confirm repo
confirm_repo() {
   # call: confirm_repo "${PRETTYNAME}" "${SEARCHPHRASE}" "${SEARCHGLOB}" "${FULLSTRING}" "${PREFERRED_FILENAME}" "${OVERWRITE}"
   ___cr_repo="${1}"
   ___cr_sp="${2}"
   ___cr_sf="${3}"
   ___cr_full="${4}"
   ___cr_pref="${5}"
   ___cr_overwrite="${6}"
   if ! grep -E -qe "${___cr_sp}" ${___cr_sf} ;
   then
      # not found so please add it to preferred file
      echo "Adding repo ${___cr_repo}" 1>&2
      if test "${___cr_overwrite}" = "true" ;
      then
         # overwrite, instead of append
         echo "${___cr_full}" > "${REPOSBASE}/${___cr_pref:-99_misc.list}"
      else
         echo "${___cr_full}" >> "${REPOSBASE}/${___cr_pref:-99_misc.list}"
      fi
   fi
}

confirm_preferences() {
   # call: confirm_preferences "${PRETTYNAME}" "${FILENAME}" "{PACKAGE}" "${PIN_EXPRESSION}" "{PRIORITY}"
   ___cp_prettyname="${1}"
   ___cp_pref="${2}"
   ___cp_package="${3}"
   ___cp_pin_expression="${4}"
   ___cp_priority="${5}"

   ___cp_tempfile="$( mktemp )"
   {
      echo "Package: ${___cp_package}"
      echo "Pin: ${___cp_pin_expression}"
      echo "Pin-Priority: ${___cp_priority}"
   } > "${___cp_tempfile}"

   diff "${PREFSBASE}/${___cp_pref}" "${___cp_tempfile}" 1>/dev/null 2>&1 || {
      echo "Setting preferences for ${___cp_prettyname}"
      touch "${PREFSBASE}/${___cp_pref}" ; chmod 0644 "${PREFSBASE}/${___cp_pref}"
      cat "${___cp_tempfile}" > "${PREFSBASE}/${___cp_pref}"
   }

   rm -f "${___cp_tempfile:-NOTHINGTODEL}" 1>/dev/null 2>&1
}

# REPO 1: local internaldeb
confirm_key "internaldeb" "bgstack15.*www\.no-ip\.biz" "http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg"
confirm_repo "internaldeb" "target.*internal\/repo\/deb" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb [target-=Contents-deb target+=Contents-stackrpms] http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/ /" "internaldeb.list" "true"

# REPO 2: local devuan-deb
confirm_key "devuan-deb" "bgstack15.*www\.no-ip\.biz" "http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg"
confirm_repo "devuan-deb" "target.*internal\/repo\/devuan-deb" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb [target-=Contents-deb target+=Contents-stackrpms] http://www.example.com/internal/repo/devuan-deb/ /" "devuan-deb.list" "true"

# REPO 3: local obs
#confirm_key "OBS bgstack15" "bgstack15@build\.opensuse\.org" "https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:bgstack15/Debian_Unstable/Release.key"
#confirm_repo "OBS bgstack15" "repositories\/home:\/bgstack15\/Debian_Unstable" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/bgstack15/Debian_Unstable/ /" "home:bgstack15.list"
confirm_key "OBS bgstack15" "bgstack15@build\.opensuse\.org" "http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/Release.key"
confirm_repo "OBS bgstack15" "mirror\/obs" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/ /" "home:bgstack15.list"

# REPO 4: local devuan-archive
#confirm_key "devuan-archive" "bgstack15.*www\.no-ip\.biz" "http://www.example.com/internal/repo/deb/internaldeb.gpg"
#confirm_repo "devuan-archive" "target.*server1((\.ipa)?\.internal\.com)?(:180)?.*internal\/repo\/devuan-archive" "${ALLREPOSGLOB}" "deb [target-=Contents-deb target+=Contents-stackrpms] http://server1.ipa.internal.com:180/internal/repo/devuan-archive/ /" "devuan-archive.list" "true"
#confirm_preferences "devuan-archive" "puddletag" "*" "origin server1.ipa.internal.com" "700"

# REPO 5: local obs-aftermozilla key for non-local aftermozilla repo
# just the key
confirm_key "OBS bgstack15 aftermozilla" "bgstack15@build\.opensuse\.org" "https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:bgstack15:aftermozilla/Debian_Unstable/Release.key"

# ADDITIONAL APT PREFS
# important for the [target] stuff to work on repos so apt-file can work
cp -p "$( dirname "$( readlink -f "${0}" )")/input/52apt-file-stackrpms.conf" "${ADDLCONFBASE}/"

This script just enforces the contents of /etc/apt/sources.list.d/.

lightdm-elogind.sh

#!/bin/sh
# Reference: /posts/2019/09/01/devuan-with-lightdm-and-xfce-will-not-let-user-reboot-or-shutdown-from-user-session/
# Startdate: 2019-08-11
# History:
#    2020-04-30 updated
# only for devuan ceres
unset YESSTRING
echo " ${@} " | grep -qE -e " -y " && export YESSTRING="-y"

sudo apt-get install "${YESSTRING}" --no-install-recommends policykit-1 libpam-elogind lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter
sudo sed -i -r -e '/session\s+optional\s+pam_systemd\.so/s/systemd/elogind/;' /etc/pam.d/lightdm-greeter

update-devuan.sh

This script is already covered in Unattended updates for Devuan Ceres, 2021 edition

send-mail-ip-address.sh

#!/bin/sh
# File: send-mail-ip-address.sh
# Startdate: 2021-05-17 08:59
# 
# Purpose: send email message from newly build VM to myself with new hostname and IP address

# Usage:
#    send-mail-ip-address.sh 
# Dependencies:
#    bgscripts-core (>=1.5.0)

test -z "${ADDRESS}" && export ADDRESS="${1}" # use ADDRESS environment variable or else use first parameter
test -z "${ADDRESS}" && export ADDRESS=bgstack15@gmail.com

test -z "${SERVER}" && export SERVER="$( hostname --fqdn )"

# Ensure PATH contains /sbin and /usr/sbin for ip and sendmail (called by send)
echo "${PATH}" | grep -qE '^\/usr\/sbin|:\/usr\/sbin' || export PATH="${PATH}:/usr/sbin"
echo "${PATH}" | grep -qE '^\/sbin|:\/sbin'           || export PATH="${PATH}:/sbin"

# Modified and improved from bgscripts framework.sh 2021-02-16a
thisip="$( ip -4 -o a s | awk '$1 !~ /^lo$/ && $2 !~ /^lo$/ && ($1 ~ /^e/ || $2 ~/^e/) {print $3,$4}' | awk -F'/' '{print $1}' | tr -dc '[0-9\.]' )"

# Send message
{
   echo "${SERVER} has IP address ${thisip}."
   echo "system finished build at $( TZ=UTC date "+%FT%TZ" )"
# leave cat INFILE unquoted in case it is inaccessible
} | send -f "root@${SERVER}" -h -s "${SERVER} is ${thisip}" "${ADDRESS}"

Use virt-install to fully automate the install for Devuan Ceres with preseed, March 2020 edition

bgstack15 — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 12:55:52 GMT

I have previously written about using virt-install to automate installing a new Devuan GNU+Linux virtual machine in libvirt/qemu. This article is the March 2020 edition, that uses devuan_ascii_2.1_amd64_dvd-1.iso which is the latest Devuan Ascii iso available. With this new iso, a number of changes have been made to the image itself, that will interfere with the default settings of virt-install. The branding of the ISO file was updated, so now isoinfo shows "Devuan" in the name and not Debian.

$ isoinfo -J -i devuan_ascii_2.1_amd64_dvd-1.iso -x /.disk/info
Devuan GNU/Linux 2.1 (ascii) amd64 DVD1 - 2019-12-21 07:24:54 UTC

Virt-manager uses this identifying info to find the initramfs/initrd and kernel ("vmlinuz," "linux," or similar) to boot. With the branding change, the Devuan disc changed the name of its initrd for some reason. I wrote a patch for /usr/share/virt-manager/virtinst/urlfetcher.py for package virt- install-1.5.0-7.el7.noarch.

--- /usr/share/virt-manager/virtinst/urlfetcher.py.orig 2020-02-20 21:06:53.515076802 -0500
+++ /usr/share/virt-manager/virtinst/urlfetcher.py  2020-02-20 21:41:17.649056883 -0500
@@ -1279,6 +1279,33 @@
         logging.debug("Didn't find any known codename in the URL string")
         return self.os_variant

+class DevuanDistro(DebianDistro):
+    name = "Devuan"
+    urldistro = "devuan"
+    def _is_install_cd(self):
+        # For install CDs
+        if not self._check_info(".disk/info"):
+            return False
+
+        if self.arch == "x86_64":
+            kernel_initrd_pair = ("linux",
+                                  "initrd.gz")
+        elif self.arch == "i686":
+            kernel_initrd_pair = ("install.386/vmlinuz",
+                                  "install.386/initrd.gz")
+        elif self.arch == "aarch64":
+            kernel_initrd_pair = ("install.a64/vmlinuz",
+                                  "install.a64/initrd.gz")
+        elif self.arch == "ppc64le":
+            kernel_initrd_pair = ("install/vmlinux",
+                                  "install/initrd.gz")
+        elif self.arch == "s390x":
+            kernel_initrd_pair = ("boot/linux_vm", "boot/root.bin")
+        else:
+            kernel_initrd_pair = ("install/vmlinuz", "install/initrd.gz")
+        self._hvm_kernel_paths += [kernel_initrd_pair]
+        self._xen_kernel_paths += [kernel_initrd_pair]
+        return True

 class UbuntuDistro(DebianDistro):
     # http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/natty/main/installer-amd64/

It's clear that we are defining a number of architectures and the kernel and initrd pairs. I copied and altered the DebianDistro class to use the relevant info. I only tested with the x86_64 arch, but it should be easy for you to read the iso file for your architecture and adjust the other pairs as needed. No word is out on if the initrd and kernel filenames will be static now in Devuan, so I have not tried to submit a patch upstream, who have refactored now anyway. And now, here is my one-liner for installing with the following, updated preseed file.

vm=d2-04a ; time sudo virt-install -n "${vm}" --memory 2048 --vcpus=1 --os-variant=debiantesting -v --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/"${vm}".qcow2,size=20 -l /mnt/public/Support/SetupsBig/Linux/devuan_ascii_2.1_amd64_dvd-1.iso --initrd-inject=/mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg --extra-args "hostname=${vm} NOTIFYEMAIL=bgstack15@gmail.com interface=auto" --debug --network type=bridge,source=br0 --noautoconsole

I usually omit the --no-autoconsole so my prompt returns after the VM has installed and rebooted.

Preseed file

# File: /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg
# Locations:
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg
# Author: bgstack15
# Startdate: 2019-06-25
# Title: Preseed for devuan vms for ipa.example.com
# Purpose: To provide an easy installation for VMs and other systems in the Mersey network
# History:
#    2017-06 I learned how to use kickstart files for the RHCSA EX-200 exam
#    2017-08-08 Added notifyemail to --extra-args
#    2017-10-29 major revision to use local repository
#    2019-06-25 fork from centos7-ks.cfg
#    2019-12-29 fix up repos and in-target conclusion stuff
#    2020-02-27 heavy rewrite to use ascii 2.1
# Usage with virt-install:
#    vm=d2-04a ; time sudo virt-install -n "${vm}" --memory 2048 --vcpus=1 --os-variant=debiantesting -v --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/"${vm}".qcow2,size=20 -l /mnt/public/Support/SetupsBig/Linux/devuan_ascii_2.1_amd64_dvd-1.iso --initrd-inject=/mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg --extra-args "hostname=${vm} NOTIFYEMAIL=bgstack15@gmail.com interface=auto" --debug --network type=bridge,source=br0 --noautoconsole
#    vm=d2-04a; sudo virsh destroy "${vm}"; sudo virsh undefine --remove-all-storage "${vm}";
# Reference:
#    https://sysadmin.compxtreme.ro/automatically-set-the-hostname-during-kickstart-installation/
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/CentOS7/install-vm.txt
#    https://serverfault.com/questions/481244/preseed-command-string-fail-with-newline-character-using-virt-install-initrd-inj
#    https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/apbs01.html.en
#    https://github.com/jameswthorne/preseeds/blob/master/debian-7-wheezy-unattended.seed
#    syntax for --location https://www.queryxchange.com/q/1_908324/virt-install-preseed-not-working/
#    example preseed https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/example-preseed.txt
#    skip next dvd question https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/409212/preseed-directive-to-skip-another-cd-dvd-scanning
#    grub problem caused by consolekit:amd64 https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=915947#10
#    https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39861614/how-to-fully-automate-unattended-virt-install
#    https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/apbs03.html.en
#    https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=1853
#    https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/howto-setup-serial-console-on-debian-linux/
#    https://github.com/virt-manager/virt-manager/blob/master/virtinst/install/urldetect.py
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/fix-virt-manager.txt
#    https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=3332
#    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2387570
#    sudo debconf-get-selections -c /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg
#    on d2-03a: sudo debconf-get-selections --installer
#    https://serverfault.com/questions/593388/unable-to-nfs-mount-in-debian-preseed-target/593389
# Improve:
#    discover how to send email, using postfix or sendmail. Don't care which, but exclude exim4.
#    echo "$( hostname ) has IP $( ip -4 -o a s eth0 | awk '{print $4}' | sed -r -e 's/\/.*$//' )" | 
#    2020-02-24 add the kernel lines: console=ttyS0 console=tty1. Get this to work; use grub.cfg and "linux" line, not "kernel"

d-i debian-installer/country string US
d-i debian-installer/keymap select us
d-i debian-installer/language string en
d-i debian-installer/locale string en_US
d-i localechooser/supported-locales string en_US.UTF-8

d-i keyboard-configuration/layoutcode string us
d-i keyboard-configuration/variantcode string
d-i keyboard-configuration/xkb-keymap select us

d-i netcfg/disable_autoconfig boolean false
d-i netcfg/get_domain string ipa.example.com
d-i netcfg/wireless_wep string
# disable asking for non-free firmware, because this is a vm and has none
d-i hw-detect/load_firmware boolean false

#d-i apt-setup/enable-source-repositories boolean false
# ORIGINAL d-i apt-setup/services-select multiselect security updates, release updates, backported software
d-i apt-setup/contrib boolean true
d-i apt-setup/disable-cdrom-entries boolean true
d-i apt-setup/non-free boolean true
d-i apt-setup/use_mirror boolean true
d-i mirror/country string manual
d-i mirror/http/directory string /merged
d-i mirror/http/hostname string deb.devuan.org
d-i mirror/http/proxy string
d-i mirror/protocol string http
d-i mirror/suite string testing

d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-failed boolean false
d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-first boolean false
d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-next boolean false

## my repos and ceres
d-i apt-setup/local0/comment    string stack123deb
d-i apt-setup/local0/key        string http://www.example.com/stack123/repo/deb/stack123deb.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local0/repository string http://www.example.com/stack123/repo/deb/ /
d-i apt-setup/local1/comment    string devuan-deb
d-i apt-setup/local1/key        string http://www.example.com/stack123/repo/deb/stack123deb.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local1/repository string http://www.example.com/stack123/repo/devuan-deb/ /
d-i apt-setup/local2/comment    string ceres
d-i apt-setup/local2/key        string http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan/dists/ceres/Release.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local2/repository string http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan ceres main contrib non-free
#d-i apt-setup/local2/key        string http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged/dists/ceres/Release.gpg
#d-i apt-setup/local2/repository string http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged ceres main contrib non-free
d-i apt-setup/local3/comment    string obsmirror
d-i apt-setup/local3/key        string http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/Release.key
d-i apt-setup/local3/repository string http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/ /
# if for some reason I really need to turn off the gpg key check:
#d-i debian-installer/allow_unauthenticated boolean false

#tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, ssh-server
tasksel tasksel/first multiselect none

# adapted from /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan.txt, main fluxbox desktop, but for a vm
# no xscreensaver, for a vm.
#d-i pkgsel/include string \
#   alsamixergui alttab apt-transport-https bgconf bgscripts bgscripts-core \
d-i pkgsel/include string openssh-server

d-i pkgsel/upgrade select none

popularity-contest popularity-contest/participate boolean true

d-i clock-setup/ntp boolean true
d-i clock-setup/ntp-server string dns1.ipa.example.com
d-i time/zone string America/New_York

# skip grub during main part, because we will do it in late_command
#d-i grub-installer/skip boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/skip-again boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/skip-confirm boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/confirm_skip boolean true
#d-i nobootloader/confirmation_common boolean true
d-i     choose-init/select_init select  sysvinit
d-i     choose-init/selected_sysvinit bool   true
grub-installer  grub-installer/choose_bootdev   select  /dev/vda

d-i lilo-installer/skip boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/with_other_os boolean true
d-i grub-installer/only_debian boolean true
d-i grub-installer/grub2_instead_of_grub_legacy boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/bootdev string /dev/vda
#d-i grub-installer/choose_bootdev select /dev/vda
#grub-installer grub-installer/force-efi-extra-removable boolean false

d-i passwd/root-password password somethingStrongHere
d-i passwd/root-password-again password somethingStrongHere

d-i partman-auto/choose_recipe select home
d-i partman-auto-crypto/erase_disks boolean false
d-i partman-auto/disk string /dev/vda
d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select biggest_free
d-i partman-auto/method string lvm
d-i partman/choose_label string gpt
d-i partman/choose_partition select finish
d-i partman/confirm boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman/default_label string gpt
#d-i partman-lvm/confirm boolean true
d-i partman-lvm/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman-md/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
#d-i partman/mount_style select uuid
d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true

# Uncomment this to add multiarch configuration for i386
#d-i apt-setup/multiarch string i386

d-i passwd/make-user boolean true
d-i passwd/user-fullname string bgstack15-local
d-i passwd/username string bgstack15-local
d-i passwd/user-password-crypted password $6$85aKM2DkiD5g9r3D$zkBcVES1Bzu.b5dBJxklSGgEJzswZBlVAyc9lUUIzMA2OLRH3PD2ZWE9Q40ztw/32OyDm2nF031hfE4s5LGuG1
d-i passwd/user-default-groups string audio cdrom video

d-i finish-install/reboot_in_progress note
d-i cdrom-detect/eject boolean true

# additional application stuff just in case it works and is useful
# LDAP server URI:
d-i shared/ldapns/ldap-server   string  ldapi:///ipa.example.com

d-i openssh-server/password-authentication  boolean true
d-i openssh-server/permit-root-login    boolean false

d-i preseed/late_command string mkdir -p /target/etc/apt/sources.list.d /target/mnt/bgstack15 /target/mnt/public ; cd /target/etc/apt ; \
   in-target wget -O /Release.gpg http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan/dists/ceres/Release.gpg ; in-target apt-key add /Release.gpg ; \
   echo "deb http://www.example.com/mirror/devuan ceres main contrib non-free" > sources.list ; \
   in-target wget -O /stack123deb.gpg http://www.example.com/stack123/repo/deb/stack123deb.gpg ; in-target apt-key add /stack123deb.gpg ; \
   echo "deb http://www.example.com/stack123/repo/deb/ /" > sources.list.d/stack123deb.list ; \
   echo "deb http://www.example.com/stack123/repo/devuan-deb/ /" > sources.list.d/devuan-deb.list ; \
   in-target wget -O /Release.key http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/Release.key ; in-target apt-key add /Release.key ; \
   echo "deb http://www.example.com/mirror/obs/ /" > sources.list.d/home\:bgstack15.list ; \
   in-target apt-get update ; \
   in-target apt-get purge -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" consolekit exim4\* lxqt\* udev ; \
   in-target apt-get install -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" alsamixergui alttab apt-transport-https bgconf bgscripts bgscripts-core cifs-utils curl fluxbox freeipa-client git grub lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter mlocate net-tools nfs-common ntpdate oddjob-mkhomedir=0.0.1-1 openssh-server p7zip palemoon-ublock-origin parted qemu-guest-agent rsync scite screen spice-vdagent strace sudo tcpdump vim vlc volumeicon-alsa xfce4-terminal xfe xserver-xorg-video-qxl fluxbox-themes-stackrpms xdgmenumaker man logout-manager freeipa-helper palemoon waterfox ; \
   in-target wget http://www.example.com/stack123/certs/ca-ipa.example.com.crt -O /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/ca-ipa.example.com.crt && update-ca-certificates || : ; \
   in-target su bgstack15-local -c "sudo /usr/bin/bgconf.py -d 10 1>/home/bgstack15-local/clone.log 2>&1" ; \
   in-target wget -O /root/set-my-repos.sh http://www.example.com/stack123/Support/Platforms/devuan/set-my-repos.sh ; in-target sh /root/set-my-repos.sh ; \
   in-target wget -O /root/lightdm-elogind.sh http://www.example.com/stack123/Support/Platforms/devuan/lightdm-elogind.sh ; in-target sh /root/lightdm-elogind.sh ; \
   in-target wget -O /root/set-local-devuan-repo.sh http://www.example.com/stack123/Support/Platforms/devuan/set-local-devuan-repo.sh ; in-target sh /root/set-local-devuan-repo.sh ; \
   in-target apt-get install -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" postfix ; \
   in-target wget -O /root/update-devuan.sh http://www.example.com/stack123/Support/Platforms/devuan/update-devuan.sh ; in-target sh /root/update-devuan.sh preseed ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '/^\s*linux/s/(\s*console=.{1,7}[0-9])*\s*$/ console=tty0 console=ttyS0/;' /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -E '^\s*linux' ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '/^\s*kernel/s/(\s*console=.{1,7}[0-9])*\s*$/ console=tty0 console=ttyS0/;' /boot/grub/menu.lst ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '$aT0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100' /etc/inittab ;

#### SHOULDN'T NEED THIS ANYMORE
#   in-target install -m0644 /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list ; \

For some reason, the pkgsel/include answer would not work here. Also, the native answers for custom apt repositories wouldn't work, but it might have been implementation errors on my side. So I learned the tricky in-target or not in-target logic required to manipulate apt and install my phone book of packages.

References

Weblinks

My original conversation: Installing Devuan Ascii 2.1 with virt-install / Installation / Dev1 Galaxy Forum

Use virt-install to fully automate the install for Devuan with preseed

bgstack15 — Mon, 29 Jul 2019 12:49:06 GMT

I recently discovered how to use a Debian preseed file while building a VM in kvm. After hand-crafting my Devuan preseed file, here it is in all my customized and I'm sure duplicate-filled and bogus-answer-encrusted glory.

How I use this

I define a variable, and plug it into the important parts.

vm=d2-04a ; time sudo virt-install -n "${vm}" --memory 2048 \
   --vcpus=1 --os-variant=debiantesting -v \
   --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/"${vm}".qcow2,size=20 \
   -l /mnt/public/Support/SetupsBig/Linux/devuan_ascii_2.0.0-beta_amd64_DVD.iso \
   --initrd-inject=/mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg \
   --extra-args "hostname=${vm} NOTIFYEMAIL=bgstack15@gmail.com interface=auto" \
   --debug --network type=bridge,source=br0 --noautoconsole

Some thoughts

For some reason I was unable to get the preseed to work with the non-beta Ascii iso. When I started the preseed vm activity, I already had the beta disc so I was using it first before I downloaded the release disc, which didn't even work. So I reverted to the beta disc. Please share any results, working or otherwise, you have when trying this with the release disc. I do some tricky stuff in here with grub and the ceres release. Apparently consolekit messes with some of the files grub wants to lay down in /boot (having to do with locales), so I had to create this complex solution. I don't even care that it's "grub-legacy." It seems a little simpler for a simpler time, and also works, so why bother doing anything different?

The preseed file

# File: /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan-preseed1.txt
# Locations:
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan-preseed1.txt
# Author: bgstack15
# Startdate: 2019-06-25
# Title: Kickstart for CentOS 7 for ipa.example.com
# Purpose: To provide an easy installation for VMs and other systems in the Mersey network
# History:
#    2017-06 I learned how to use kickstart files for the RHCSA EX-200 exam
#    2017-08-08 Added notifyemail to --extra-args
#    2017-10-29 major revision to use local repository
#    2019-06-25 fork from centos7-ks.cfg
# Usage with virt-install:
#    vm=d2-04a ; time sudo virt-install -n "${vm}" --memory 2048 --vcpus=1 --os-variant=debiantesting -v --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/"${vm}".qcow2,size=20 -l /mnt/public/Support/SetupsBig/Linux/devuan_ascii_2.0.0-beta_amd64_DVD.iso --initrd-inject=/mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/preseed/preseed.cfg --extra-args "hostname=${vm} NOTIFYEMAIL=bgstack15@gmail.com interface=auto" --debug --network type=bridge,source=br0 --noautoconsole
#    vm=d2-04a; sudo virsh destroy "${vm}"; sudo virsh undefine --remove-all-storage "${vm}";
# Reference:
#    https://sysadmin.compxtreme.ro/automatically-set-the-hostname-during-kickstart-installation/
#    /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/CentOS7/install-vm.txt
#    https://serverfault.com/questions/481244/preseed-command-string-fail-with-newline-character-using-virt-install-initrd-inj
#    https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/apbs01.html.en
#    https://github.com/jameswthorne/preseeds/blob/master/debian-7-wheezy-unattended.seed
#    syntax for --location https://www.queryxchange.com/q/1_908324/virt-install-preseed-not-working/
#    example preseed https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/example-preseed.txt
#    skip next dvd question https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/409212/preseed-directive-to-skip-another-cd-dvd-scanning
#    grub problem caused by consolekit:amd64 https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=915947#10
#    https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39861614/how-to-fully-automate-unattended-virt-install
#    https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/apbs03.html.en
#    https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=1853
#    https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/howto-setup-serial-console-on-debian-linux/
# Improve:
#    discover how to send email, using postfix or sendmail. Don't care which, but exclude exim4.
#    echo "$( hostname ) has IP $( ip -4 -o a s eth0 | awk '{print $4}' | sed -r -e 's/\/.*$//' )" | 
#    add the kernel lines: console=ttyS0 console=tty1. Get this to work; tried manually but perhaps devuan doesn't use console the same way?

d-i debian-installer/country string US
d-i debian-installer/keymap select us
d-i debian-installer/language string en
d-i debian-installer/locale string en_US
d-i localechooser/supported-locales string en_US.UTF-8

d-i keyboard-configuration/layoutcode string us
d-i keyboard-configuration/variantcode string
d-i keyboard-configuration/xkb-keymap select us

d-i netcfg/disable_autoconfig boolean false
d-i netcfg/get_domain string ipa.example.com
d-i netcfg/wireless_wep string
# disable asking for non-free firmware, because this is a vm and has none
d-i hw-detect/load_firmware boolean false

#d-i apt-setup/enable-source-repositories boolean false
# ORIGINAL d-i apt-setup/services-select multiselect security updates, release updates, backported software
d-i apt-setup/contrib boolean true
d-i apt-setup/disable-cdrom-entries boolean true
d-i apt-setup/non-free boolean true
d-i apt-setup/use_mirror boolean true
d-i mirror/country string manual
d-i mirror/http/directory string /devuan
d-i mirror/http/hostname string deb.devuan.org
d-i mirror/http/proxy string
d-i mirror/protocol string http
d-i mirror/suite string testing

d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-failed boolean false
d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-first boolean false
d-i apt-setup/cdrom/set-next boolean false

# my repos and ceres
d-i apt-setup/local0/comment string exampledeb
d-i apt-setup/local0/key string http://www.example.com/example/repo/deb/exampledeb.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local0/repository string http://www.example.com/example/repo/deb/ /
d-i apt-setup/local1/comment string devuan-deb
d-i apt-setup/local1/key string http://www.example.com/example/repo/deb/exampledeb.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local1/repository string http://www.example.com/example/repo/devuan-deb/ /
d-i apt-setup/local2/comment string ceres
d-i apt-setup/local2/key string https://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged/dists/ceres/Release.gpg
d-i apt-setup/local2/repository string http://pkgmaster.devuan.org/merged ceres main contrib non-free
# if for some reason I really need to turn off the gpg key check:
#d-i debian-installer/allow_unauthenticated boolean false

tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, ssh-server

# adapted from /mnt/public/Support/Platforms/devuan/devuan.txt, main fluxbox desktop, but for a vm
# no xscreensaver, for a vm.
d-i pkgsel/include string \
   alsamixergui alttab apt-transport-https bgconf bgscripts bgscripts-core \
   cifs-utils curl fluxbox freeipa-client git grub lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter \
   mlocate net-tools nfs-common ntpdate oddjob-mkhomedir=0.1-1 openssh-server \
   p7zip palemoon palemoon-ublock-origin parted qemu-guest-agent rsync scite \
   screen spice-vdagent strace sudo tcpdump vim vlc volumeicon-alsa waterfox \
   xfce4-terminal xfe xserver-xorg-video-qxl

d-i pkgsel/upgrade select none

popularity-contest popularity-contest/participate boolean true

d-i clock-setup/ntp boolean true
d-i clock-setup/ntp-server string dns1.ipa.example.com
d-i time/zone string America/New_York

# skip grub during main part, because we will do it in late_command
d-i grub-installer/skip boolean true
# these next 2 are experimental
d-i grub-installer/skip-again boolean true
d-i grub-installer/skip-confirm boolean true
d-i grub-installer/confirm_skip boolean true
d-i nobootloader/confirmation_common boolean true

d-i lilo-installer/skip boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/with_other_os boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/only_debian boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/grub2_instead_of_grub_legacy boolean true
#d-i grub-installer/bootdev string /dev/vda
#d-i grub-installer/choose_bootdev select /dev/vda
#grub-installer grub-installer/force-efi-extra-removable boolean false

d-i passwd/root-password password somethingStrongHere
d-i passwd/root-password-again password somethingStrongHere

d-i partman-auto/choose_recipe select home
d-i partman-auto-crypto/erase_disks boolean false
d-i partman-auto/disk string /dev/vda
d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select biggest_free
d-i partman-auto/method string lvm
d-i partman/choose_label string gpt
d-i partman/choose_partition select finish
d-i partman/confirm boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman/default_label string gpt
#d-i partman-lvm/confirm boolean true
d-i partman-lvm/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i partman-md/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
#d-i partman/mount_style select uuid
d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true

# Uncomment this to add multiarch configuration for i386
#d-i apt-setup/multiarch string i386

d-i passwd/make-user boolean true
d-i passwd/user-fullname string bgstack15
d-i passwd/username string bgstack15
d-i passwd/user-password-crypted password $6$85aKM2DkiD5g9r3D$zkbcVES1Bzu.b5dBJxklSggEJzswZBlVAyc9LUUIzMA2OLRH2PD2ZWE9Q40Wtw/3OOxDM2nF031hfD4s5LGuG1
d-i passwd/user-default-groups string audio cdrom video

d-i finish-install/reboot_in_progress note
d-i cdrom-detect/eject boolean true

# additional application stuff just in case it works and is useful
# LDAP server URI:
d-i shared/ldapns/ldap-server   string  ldapi:///ipa.example.com

d-i openssh-server/password-authentication  boolean true
d-i openssh-server/permit-root-login    boolean false

# Remove consolekit from ceres, which disrupts /boot/grub/local/*mo files, that grub-install wants.
d-i preseed/late_command string in-target apt-get purge -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" consolekit exim4\* ; \
   apt-get install -q -y -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" postfix ; \
   in-target grub-install /dev/vda ; in-target update-grub ; \
   in-target wget http://www.example.com/example/certs/ca-ipa.example.com.crt -O /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/ca-ipa.example.com.crt && update-ca-certificates || : ; \
   in-target su bgstack15 -c "sudo /usr/bin/bgconf.py" 1>/root/clone.log 2>&1 ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '/^kernel/s/(\s*console=.{1,7}[0-9])*\s*$/ console=tty0 console=ttyS0/;' /boot/grub/menu.lst ; \
   in-target sed -i -r -e '$aT0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100' /etc/inittab