install_ubuntu_via_minimal_archive.md

Installing Ubuntu Via Minimal Archive

This is a simple guide for installing Ubuntu using minimal archive. I knew it some days ago, Ubuntu provides a minimal archive / rootfs which we can use to have a minimal Ubuntu system. We will use it to get a minimal and quite usable Ubuntu distro.

Requirements.

We will need some requirements, like :

• A live bootable USB, I use slax, you can use whatever you want.
• An internet connection, we will use it download some packages.
• A partition for system (root, /), you can also have a swap if you need it.
• Ubuntu minimal rootfs / archive, you can download it here

https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-base/daily/current/

note : I use the amd64 version.

Instalation Steps.

If you familiar with debootstrap or installing archlinux, it's almost basically same.

1. Booting the live bootable usb.

2. Format, mount partition.

   # mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdaX
   # mount /dev/sdaX /mnt
   

   note : You can format the partition with other format, I use ext4.

3. Download and unpack the minimal archive.

   # cd /mnt
   # wget -c https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-base/daily/current/noble-base-amd64.tar.gz
   # tar -xvf noble-base-amd64.tar.gz
   

4. Mount some file systems and chroot.

   # mount -t proc proc proc
   # mount -o bind /dev dev/
   # mount -o bind /sys sys/
   # mount -o bind /run run/
   # chroot /mnt /usr/bin/bash
   

5. Update the repository.

   # apt update
   # apt upgrade
   

6. Install some tools.

   # apt install vim locales dialog isc-dhcp-client wpasupplicant
   iproute2
   

7. Configure locales and timezone.

   # dpkg-reconfigure locales
   # dpkg-reconfigure tzdata
   

8. Edit fstab.

   UUID=2d3b91ab-4936-4fb1-add6-b820adbd0b6c /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0 1
   

   Note : that's just an example.

9. Install kernel, grub, dracut, systemd-sysv package.

   # apt install linux-image-generic dracut grub-pc systemd-sysv
   

   note: we need to install systemd-sysv to fix error on dracut (error installing "poweroff", "halt" and "reboot" when generating initrd).

10. Install linux-firmware (optional).

    # apt install linux-firmware 
    

11. Set root password.

    # passwd
    

12. Generate initrd using dracut.

    # dracut -f --regenerate-all
    

13. Install grub & update grub.

    # grub-install /dev/sdX
    # grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
    

14. Unmount some filesystems.

    # umount /mnt/proc
    # umount /mnt/dev
    # umount /mnt/sys
    # umount /mnt/run
    # cd /
    # umount /mnt
    

15. Reboot.

    # reboot