[Bug 1398148] Comment bridged from LTC Bugzilla

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------- Comment From aravam at us.ibm.com 2015-02-23 19:21 EDT-------
(In reply to comment #8)
> (In reply to comment #7)
> > My point was that the late_command can run in the target, where the tools
> > are available and installed, there's no reason to have the tools also in the
> > installer environment to make this workaround go.
>
> Tomo, can you verify if you run the late command in the chroot, that we
> don't need to install nvram?

Ah now I recall!

So the issue is multifold.

We need to save off the bootorder information from before the installer
runs in a preseed_early script. No tools exist at that point (nvram,
etc.). So that's one problem (we manually wget it there).

Then, once install is done, we need to fix-up the boot-order. Yes, we
could do this from the chroot, but then we don't have access to the data
saved off in the preseed_early script. We could run a non-chroot'd
command to just cp it up to the chroot and then use the system-installed
nvram in the chroot. Instead, we chose to just fix the boot order
outside the chroot (which again lacks the nvram command).

So, to recap:

1) We need access to the boot-order manipulation/reading tools in the
preseed_early script.

2) We can either manipulate that preseed_early data in a chroot/non-
chroot preseed_late script, but it's a moot point -- either we do it in
the chroot using the installed tools, or we do it in a non-chroot using
the tools that are required by 1).

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1398148

Title:
  Make network/disk boot toggle preseedable in d-i

Status in debian-installer package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  ---Problem Description---
  The Ubuntu installer alters the boot order for PowerVM LPARs, which affects automated testing (using network installation). e.g, if the original boot order is network then disk in SMS, after 14.10 installation, the boot order is disk. That means automatic installation will fail, as the network won't be used to boot at all.

  I already work around this on other distributions that have made the
  same decision by restoring the original boot order, but it seems that
  the Ubuntu installer's limited environment contains none of the
  necessary tools (nvram, nvsetenv or bootlist), so it's not possible
  currently.

  This is mostly an request for information to Canonical on:

  1) if this was intentional
  2) if it's possible via preseed to not rewrite the boot order
  3) if some or all of the above mentioned tools can be present in the installer
    
   
  ---uname output---
  Linux ltcbrazos2-lp03 3.16.0-23-generic #31-Ubuntu SMP Tue Oct 21 17:55:08 UTC 2014 ppc64le GNU/Linux
   
  Machine Type = IBM,9119-MME 
   
   
  ---Steps to Reproduce---
   Attempt to install over the network via boot order in SMS. After successful installation, on the disk is in the boot order.

  Drop to a shell in the installer and attempt to run any of the commands.
   
  Install method: Cobbler (DHCP/HTTP)
   
  Install disk info: N/A
   
  Install ISO Information: 14.10 from cdimage

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