Set up an ubuntu mirror for installation
Mar 1, 2009 by mohamed hanoosh
I wanted to install Ubuntu in more than one pc. Installing using CD in each machine is time consuming. Net installation is another option. I decided to boot from a CD and obtain install image and packages from another machine(let me call it 'server'). Server machine should should have an Ubuntu mirror. Preparing an ubuntu mirror using apt-mirror needes downloading a lot of packages from other mirrors. Alternatively ubuntu(alternate) cd could be used for the same puropse. The steps are given below.
Boot with the CD and give the the options as and when required untill the installation mirror is asked. Scroll up to the top and select the manual install mirror. Give the server name, say server.yourdomain.com, directory , /ubuntu , as we had mounted it in the folder ubuntu. Give necessary proxy url in the next screen. Further steps are same as the normal installation.
Setting up the server
- Obtain the ubuntu alternate install cd.
- Mount the cd in some apache accessible location
This is a text based (not commands) installation cd. The normal ubuntu cd, which is also used as live cd, can't be used for setting up the mirror.
$ mkdir /var/www/ubuntu
$ mount -o loop ubuntu-8.10-alternate.iso /var/www/ubuntu
$ mount -o loop ubuntu-8.10-alternate.iso /var/www/ubuntu
Client
Obtain mini.iso for netinstall from ubuntu.Alternative a pendrive could be prepared for booting the client.Boot with the CD and give the the options as and when required untill the installation mirror is asked. Scroll up to the top and select the manual install mirror. Give the server name, say server.yourdomain.com, directory , /ubuntu , as we had mounted it in the folder ubuntu. Give necessary proxy url in the next screen. Further steps are same as the normal installation.