Automated Qubes OS Installation using Kickstart and/or PXE Network Boot
- Original forum link
- https://forum.qubes-os.org/t/12963
- Original poster
- alzer89
- Editors
- deeplow
- Created at
- 2022-08-03 03:30:56
- Last wiki edit
- 2023-09-07 05:42:51
- Revisions
- 2 revisions
- Posts count
- 39
- Likes count
- 15
For anyone curious about how to batch-install Qubes OS, this guide by the Fedora Project is incredibly helpful:
https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/latest/install-guide/advanced/Kickstart_Installations/#chap-kickstart-installations
https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/latest/install-guide/advanced/Network_based_Installations/#chap-pxe-server-setup
https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/latest/install-guide/advanced/Boot_Options/#sect-boot-options-kickstart
This will be helpful for:
- Anyone considering deploying Qubes OS in a work environment
- Quick and easy remote installation of work machines
- Can be deployed onto a PXE server, via NFS, FTP, HTTP and HTTPS
- Initial Install and First Boot options can be completely customised.
- Every Qubes OS install already comes with Kickstart files. For anyone curious, check your dom0 root directory for /root/anaconda-ks.cfg and /root/initial-setup-ks.cfg.
- The PXE server could even potentially be an AppVM on another Qubes OS machine 😱
- Anyone who needs a "quick and painless" zero-interaction way to install Qubes OS
- Maybe your laptop is lost/stolen/damaged/seized, and you want to get back your custom-configured Qubes OS back up and running ASAP. Just plug it in, PXE network boot, go get a coffee, and you'll have your Qubes OS machine back before you know it!
- Maybe you created an awesome Qubes OS which you've spent a long time configuring and tweaking, and you want to share it with other people. You could set up a PXE server with the ISO and your Kickstart file. All the other person needs to do is boot from your PXE server, and the installer does the rest!
- Maybe you just want to run your Qubes OS dom0 in RAM. With a bit of tweaking this guide could be adapted to that purpose...
I'm writing a Qubes OS-specific guide derived from these guides, and I will upload it when it's ready. (It's on my list of things to do 😗)
Now all we need is a GUI tool for developing SaltStack configs that create 100% custom VMs (I'm not going to lie, I'm a little confused by the .top and .sls files, where they go, why they can't just be a single file etc., but I'm trying!), and we've got a 100% automated, easy-to-use, and zero-interaction method to set up every single aspect of a Qubes OS machine 😎