How do I install Trisquel through the terminal?
Hi everyone.
Could you please tell me how to install Trisquel through the terminal? Not through a GUI, not through a TUI, and not through a text menu—through the terminal?
How does this work in other distributions? The user downloads the ISO, boots from it, and sees an installation process in the terminal.
I think this is statement contradicts itself.
So, you want a installer, or not a installer?
You can install using a text installer, netinstall, you can download the ISO.
If you are not looking for an installer, then you can try with debootstaping your system into the HDD and making it bootable, it's not something automatic, you have to manually do all the process, actually know the process, and set everything yourself. I don't understand why would you want yourself to use that path but is possible, actually it what installers automate so you don't have to.
Regards.
I am a translator!
I am also not sure what you are looking for exactly.
Thing that come to my mind:
- https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/installing-trisquel-server
- https://blog.josefsson.org/2022/12/30/preseeding-trisquel-virtual-machines-using-netinst-images/
Those two methods do not cover the case of installation without any display (not even a terminal) and without network. Is it what you are looking for?
The page on installation with debootstrap might be good to update for special cases, like installation on arm, which some people said they did successfully but they never found the time to document it. With an olinuxino lime 2, I am first trying to find a linux-libre kernel that I manage to install on Debian, to make sure it works, but I am having a really hard time there.
I am a translator!
Sorry, I meant debootstrap is only for special case, and the page needs update. I get the forbidden message if I try updating my previous message.
Hello Avron and Ark74.
Thank you for your replies.
Let me explain the scenario I have in mind so it’s clear.
I want to download an ISO, as you can do with other distributions. For example, ParabolaOS: https://redirector.parabola.nu/iso/x86\_64-systemd-cli-2022.04/parabola-x86\_64-systemd-cli-2022.04-netinstall.iso. Other distributions have similar ISOs, often called “BASE.” Then I want to boot the system from a USB drive or in QEMU and start the installation in the terminal—not through an installer or a text-based installer. I want to partition the disk from the terminal, set up encryption, or use an installation script.
At the moment, I see the NetInstall option (79 MB CD ISO image, text-based network installer), but it doesn’t offer this functionality. The other ISOs don’t seem to offer it either.
As for the more complicated option using debootstrap, I read the wiki and tried it, but I keep getting errors saying that certain packages can’t be downloaded.
I tried mirrors in the US and Europe, but I keep getting the same error and can’t proceed.
I: Retrieving zlib1g 1:1.3.dfsg-3.1ubuntu2.3trisquel0
I: Validating zlib1g 1:1.3.dfsg-3.1ubuntu2.3trisquel0
E: Couldn't download packages: bash e2fsprogs isc-dhcp-client isc-dhcp-common kbd libargon2-1 libbsd0 libcom-err2 libcrypt1 libdebconfclient0 libext2fs2t64 libgpg-error0 libjson-c5 libmd0 libnewt0.52 libpcre2-8-0 libpopt0 libslang2 libss2 libzstd1 logsave trisquel-keyring whiptail
Here are the steps I followed (I’m using Parabola):
# === 1. Install tools ===
$ sudo pacman -S --noconfirm debootstrap qemu
# === 2. Create directory ===
$ mkdir -p ~/trisquel-vm/rootfs
# === 3. debootstrap ===
$ curl -o /tmp/trisquel-signkey.gpg https://mirror.fsf.org/trisquel/trisquel-archive-signkey.gpg
$ gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /tmp/trisquel-keyring.gpg --import /tmp/trisquel-signkey.gpg
$ gpg --no-options --export B138CA450C05112F > /tmp/trisquel-keyring.gpg
$ ls -la /tmp/trisquel-keyring.gpg
$ sudo debootstrap --keyring=/tmp/trisquel-keyring.gpg --arch=amd64 ecne ~/trisquel-vm/rootfs https://mirror.fsf.org/trisquel/
...after a while I get the same error with the inability to install programs.
I am a translator!
Parabola uses a live CLI ISO, then one needs to follow the wiki to install Parabola using commands.
The Trisquel website does not offer a live CLI ISO but it should not be that difficult to make one. You could try follow instructions at https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/customizing-trisquel-iso. Those instructions were last updated in 2024 and perhaps very few people used them, so it is very likely that they don't work without several adjustments.
the more complicated option using debootstrap
You need to use debootsrap in that case, like you use pacstrap on Parabola. To get your errors, did you run exactly the instructions without change? At least, robur should not be used. The context is different, but there are instructions in a PDF file linked at
https://trisquel.info/en/forum/arm64-already-supported-trisquel#comment-178653 to install aramo from debian on arm64.
Of course, adjusting instructions is work and, depending on your experience, it may be more or less difficult to do. Currently, I have been trying to install Trisquel with debootstrap on an Olinuxino Lime 2. I don't have errors when I create the micro SD card but in the end I have "Starting kernel" and nothing happens.
Then, even though that is not my current objective, I could try the debootstrap installation on an amd64 system first, and if I get that working, then continue to work on the olinuxino lime 2.
You could try doing what you want from the live image. Else, the installer should have a way to open up a shell.
I checked Debian, everything works. The problem is on Trisquel’s end!
$ sudo debootstrap --arch=amd64 \
--include=linux-image-amd64,grub-pc,locales \
stable ~/debian-vm/rootfs https://deb.debian.org/debian
I: Configuring udev...
I: Configuring ucf...
I: Configuring libreadline8t64:amd64...
I: Configuring whiptail...
I: Configuring dracut-install...
I: Configuring initramfs-tools-core...
I: Configuring iputils-ping...
I: Configuring libnftables1:amd64...
I: Configuring nftables...
I: Configuring initramfs-tools...
I: Configuring libtirpc3t64:amd64...
I: Configuring iproute2...
I: Configuring linux-image-6.12.107+deb13-amd64...
I: Configuring linux-image-amd64...
I: Configuring fdisk...
I: Configuring ifupdown...
I: Configuring libdevmapper1.02.1:amd64...
I: Configuring dmsetup...
I: Configuring grub-common...
I: Configuring grub2-common...
I: Configuring grub-pc-bin...
I: Configuring grub-pc...
I: Configuring libc-bin...
I: Configuring ca-certificates...
I: Configuring initramfs-tools...
I: Base system installed successfully.