Installing Ubuntu 7.10 server via serial terminal

[Nils Kassube]

Dave wrote:
> I've got a box i want to put Ubuntu 7.10 server on, it 
> does not have a monitor or keyboard on it as they are not needed and
> it's currently not possible to plug one in. What i'd like to do is put
> in a bootable ubuntu 7.10 CD and install via a serial terminal, that is
> another box with a keyboard and monitor connected to the headless
> machine via a nullmodem serial cable. Is this doable? If not with the
> standard 7.10 server CD is it doable if i remaster the disk and create
> a custom one?

I don't think you can do it without a custom CD. Just as an idea to save 
some work: You could install everything you need for the server on a 
virtual machine. Don't forget to include openssh-server so you can later 
access the server via network (I forgot it the first time when I was in a 
similar situation). Write a disk image from that installation to a file. 
Then make a CD (or better a CDRW if it doesn't work at the first attempt) 
which automatically writes this disk image to the hard disk. That way you 
don't have to do a lot of customization - you only have to find out how 
to make a bootable CD (with isolinux) which can write a file to the hard 
disk.


Nils