[Bug 1772556] [NEW] d-i netinstall fails due to missing apt-transport-https package

[Launchpad Bug Tracker]

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[Impact]

When installing over the network using a netinstall image with pxe boot
and with an https apt mirror, the installer fails with the error:

  Debootstrap error

  couldn't find these debs: apt-transport-https

  Check /var/log/syslog or see virtual console 4 for the details

This happens due to apt-transport-https moving to universe from bionic
onward, but still being required by debootstrap when it sees a https apt
mirror, even though support for https mirrors is built into apt.

[Testcase]

Use the 18.04.4 LTS netinstall ISO to PXE boot with a preseed that uses
a custom https apt mirror. Something like:

```
d-i mirror/country string manual
d-i mirror/protocol string https
d-i mirror/https/hostname string mirrors.ptisp.pt
d-i mirror/https/directory string /ubuntu/
d-i mirror/https/proxy string
```

The installer will fail with the error in the impact section.

There are test packages for debootstrap available in the following PPA,
for both bionic and focal:

https://launchpad.net/~mruffell/+archive/ubuntu/sf289200-test

I have also built a test netinstall ISO with the test debootstrap
packages, and is available here:

https://people.canonical.com/~mruffell/sf289200/

You probably want to use mini.iso for PXE boot, but vmlinuz and
initrd.gz are provided as well.

[Regression Potential]

The fix adds checks for specific distribution releases, so if someone is
trying to debootstrap a previous release where apt-transport-https is
still required, it will still function.

For users of newer releases, it simply omits the package. apt-transport-
https will still be available in universe if anyone still needs it.

If a regression did occur, users may not be able to access https apt
mirrors when using debootstrap. In this case, users can use a plain http
mirror until things are fixed.

Due to apt-transport-https not being needed in bionic onward, due to
being built into apt directly, I believe this change won't introduce any
regressions.

[Other info]

The fix landed in upstream debootstrap in the following commit:

commit 66cbaae642953beba8aec393f3eca076abd89a7d
From: Hideki Yamane <henrich at debian.org>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2020 00:10:25 +0900
Subject: select codename for apt-transport-https (Closes: #920255, #879755)
Link: https://salsa.debian.org/installer-team/debootstrap/-/commit/66cbaae642953beba8aec393f3eca076abd89a7d

It adds a check for distro release name, and if they fall within Zesty
and prior, then it requires apt-transport-https, and if Artful and
later, then it is omitted.

** Affects: debootstrap (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: Confirmed

** Affects: debootstrap (Ubuntu Bionic)
     Importance: High
     Assignee: Matthew Ruffell (mruffell)
         Status: In Progress

** Affects: debootstrap (Ubuntu Eoan)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: Won't Fix

** Affects: debootstrap (Ubuntu Focal)
     Importance: High
     Assignee: Matthew Ruffell (mruffell)
         Status: In Progress

** Affects: debootstrap (Debian)
     Importance: Unknown
         Status: Fix Released


** Tags: patch sts
-- 
d-i netinstall fails due to missing apt-transport-https package
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1772556
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