Setup a new computer

readme.md

net.markfaine

Overview

This project contains an Ansible collection for Ubuntu that is used to configure a user environment and to install dotfiles.

• ansible
• bash with bash-it
• asdf
• git
• fzf
• nvim with NVChad
• node/npm
• python3 (libraries)
• ruby
• tmux
• wsl configuration (for WSL2 environments)
• wsl vpn-kit (for WSL2 environments)
• zsh with zim
• zoxide
• fonts from NerdFonts

Note: I am assuming the commands below will be all executed as the root user and the ansible remote_user will also be root.

Instructions

See Setup a new computer for the files referenced below.

1. Create an Ansible vault file as ~/.vault and edit the file to add the password:

default SUPER_SECRET_PASSWORD

2. Set permissions on vault file

chmod 600 ~.vault

3. Create an inventory file as ~/inventory.yml with the following contents:

---
# Edit the below as required
all:
  hosts:
    localhost:
      ansible_connection: local
      ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ ansible_playbook_python }}"
      github_username: GITHUB_USERNAME # username may be different in github
      user_name: USER_NAME
      user_homedir: "/home/USER_NAME" # this is the default if unset
      user_comment: "USER_FULL_NAME"
      user_uid: 1000 # This id should exist on default Ubuntu installations but verify before using
      user_group_id: 1000 # This gid should exist on default Ubuntu installations but verify before using
      user_group: USER_GROUP
      user_groups: sudo # This ensures that the user can sudo
      user_shell: USER_SHELL # i.e /usr/bin/bash or /usr/bin/zsh
      user_font_list: ['Meslo'] # Optional list of fonts to install from NerdFonts or ['all'] to install them all      
      user_ssh_keys: # each key here will be installed into `/home/USER_NAME/.ssh/<basename>`
        - /tmp/id_rsa # be sure to delete this when it is no longer needed
      stow_dotfiles_repo: 'git@github.com:markfaine/dotfiles.git'
      dns_servers: ['127.0.0.1'] # dns servers should be added here, used by wsl role

4. Create ~/ansible.cfg with the following contents:

[defaults]
action_warnings=False
ansible_managed = This file is managed by Ansible, all changes will be lost
inventory = ~/inventory.yml
log_path = ~/ansible.log
remote_user = root
nocows = True
retry_files_enabled = False
timeout = 60
vault_identity_list="default@~/.vault"

[ssh_connection]
pipelining = True
scp_if_ssh = True

5. Create ~/bootstrap.sh with the following contents:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
apt-get update &>/dev/null
apt-get install -y python3-venv whois
python3 -m venv --system-site-packages /tmp/venv
chmod -R u+rwX,g+rX,o+rX /tmp/venv
. /tmp/venv/bin/activate
python3 -m pip install ansible
VAULT_FILE="$HOME/vault.yml"
if [[ -f "$VAULT_FILE" ]]; then
    exit 0
fi
SALT="$(tr -dc A-Za-z0-9 </dev/urandom | head -c 12; echo)"
cat <<EOF > "$VAULT_FILE"
---
user_password_salt: "$SALT"
user_password: $(mkpasswd --method=sha-512 -S "$SALT")
EOF

6. Run bootstrap.sh

chmod +x bootstrap.sh
./bootstrap.sh

7. Encrypt ~/vault.yml with Ansible vault:

. /tmp/venv/bin/activate
ansible-vault encrypt ~/vault.yml

8. Install the collection:

. /tmp/venv/bin/activate
ansible-galaxy collection install git+https://github.com/markfaine/net-markfaine.git

9. Run the playbook

ansible-playbook -l localhost \
  ~/.ansible/collections/ansible_collections/net/markfaine/playbooks/playbook.yml \
  -e @~/vault.yml

10. Logout and login as the non-root user

Pre-requisites for WSL vpn-kit installations

The steps below for WSL vpn-kit are not managed by the role and must be performed prior to running the wsl role.

Setup a distro

Download the prebuilt file wsl-vpnkit.tar.gz from the latest release to $env:USERPROFILE\wsl-vpnkit wsl-vpnkit.tar.gz and import the distro into WSL 2.

# Powershell

wsl --import wsl-vpnkit --version 2 $env:USERPROFILE\wsl-vpnkit wsl-vpnkit.tar.gz

Run the wsl role

ansible-playbook -l localhost \
  ~/.ansible/collections/ansible_collections/net/markfaine/playbooks/playbook.yml \
  -e @~/vault.yml -e wsl

Shutdown WSL

# Get the default distro
wsl --list
# The verstion will be the item marked with (Default)
# for example: Ubuntu-24.04 (Default)
# Now run
C:\Windows\System32\wsl.exe --shutdown "THE_DEFAULT_DISTRO"
# For example:
C:\Windows\System32\wsl.exe --shutdown Ubuntu-24.04

Restart WSL and wsl-vpnkit should be installed.

ansible.cfg

[defaults]
action_warnings=False
ansible_managed = This file is managed by Ansible, all changes will be lost
inventory = ~/inventory.yml
log_path = ~/ansible.log
remote_user = root
nocows = True
retry_files_enabled = False
timeout = 60
vault_identity_list="default@~/.vault"

[ssh_connection]
pipelining = True
scp_if_ssh = True

bootstrap.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash
apt-get update &>/dev/null
apt-get install -y python3-venv whois
python3 -m venv --system-site-packages /tmp/venv
chmod -R u+rwX,g+rX,o+rX /tmp/venv
. /tmp/venv/bin/activate
python3 -m pip install ansible
VAULT_FILE="$HOME/vault.yml"
if [[ -f "$VAULT_FILE" ]]; then
    exit 0    
fi
SALT="$(tr -dc A-Za-z0-9 </dev/urandom | head -c 12; echo)"
cat <<EOF > "$VAULT_FILE"                                                                                                         
---
user_password_salt: "$SALT"                                             
user_password: $(mkpasswd --method=sha-512 -S "$SALT")
EOF
```
6. Encrypt `~/vault.yml` with Ansible vault:
```sh
. /tmp/venv/bin/activate
ansible-vault encrypt default ~/vault.yml

inventory.yml

---
# Edit the below as required
all:
  hosts:
    localhost:
      ansible_connection: local
      ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ ansible_playbook_python }}"
      github_username: GITHUB_USERNAME # username may be different in github
      user_name: USER_NAME
      user_homedir: "/home/USER_NAME" # this is the default if unset
      user_comment: "USER_FULL_NAME"
      user_uid: 1000 # This id should exist on default Ubuntu installations but verify before using
      user_group_id: 1000 # This gid should exist on default Ubuntu installations but verify before using
      user_group: USER_GROUP
      user_groups: sudo # This ensures that the user can sudo
      user_shell: USER_SHELL # i.e /usr/bin/bash or /usr/bin/zsh
      user_font_list: ['Meslo'] # Optional list of fonts to install from NerdFonts or ['all'] to install them all
      user_ssh_keys: # each key here will be installed into `/home/USER_NAME/.ssh/<basename>`
        - /tmp/id_rsa # be sure to delete this when it is no longer needed
      stow_dotfiles_repo: 'git@github.com:markfaine/dotfiles.git' 
      dns_servers: ['127.0.0.1'] # dns servers should be added here, used by wsl role
      

Stable