Prerequisites

$ sudo apt install git xorriso squashfs-tools python3-debian gpg liblz4-tool python3-pip -y

steps

we only need a modified iso and a cloudinit config

modifying the iso (grub.cfg)

download the ubuntu live server , and save the name of the iso in a variable:

ORIG_ISO="ubuntu-22.04.1-live-server-amd64.iso"

create a mnt directory to mount the iso

$ mkdir mnt
$ mount -o loop <iso name> mnt
$ cp --no-preserve=all mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg /tmp/grub.cfg

adding autoinstall quiet ds=nocloud-net\;s=http://192.168.122.1/ between /casper/vmlinuz and ---

ps: the ip has to be accessible by the server

set the timeout to 1 second:
for creating a new iso file follow the steps:

clone the repo:

$ git clone https://github.com/mwhudson/livefs-editor
$ cd livefs-editor/
$ python3 -m pip install .

go the the directory of the main iso:

$ sudo livefs-edit <$ORIG_ISO> <$MODDED_ISONAME> --cp /tmp/grub.cfg new/iso/boot/grub/grub.cfg

now you have the iso , make a bootable usb with the iso file

cloudinit_config

make another directory and create a file named user-data and add the following config:

#cloud-config
autoinstall:
  version: 1
  network:
      version: 2
      ethernets:
        eno5:
          dhcp4: false
          addresses:
            - 192.168.0.9/24
          routes:
            - to: default
              via: 192.168.0.1
          nameservers:
            addresses: [8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1]

  ssh:
    install-server: true
    allow-pw: false

  late-commands:
  	# random hostname 
    - echo ubuntu-host-$(openssl rand -hex 3) > /target/etc/hostname
   # see the ip address in login page 
    - echo "Ubuntu 22.04 LTS \nIP - $(hostname -I)\n" > /target/etc/issue
    # shut-down the host to avoid installation loop
    - shutdown -h now

  user-data:
    disable_root: true
    package_upgrade: false
    users:
      - name: core5g
        primary_group: users
        groups: sudo
        lock_passwd: false
        shell: /bin/bash
        ssh_authorized_keys:
          - "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAv9S9ksWqizbgAeYE4/D5OteN3J/HYffpAv alireza@arp" 
        sudo: ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
    chpasswd:
      list: |
        root:1
        core5g:1
      expire: false
    # reboot after cloud-init config
    power_state:
      mode: reboot

users : core5g , root
password : 1
change the ssh-key with your own public key
you can modify this as you please , search in cloudinit document for more modification.

make the following empty files or it will fail:

$ touch meta-data vendor-data

serv the current directory with python3 , or nginx :

python3 -m http.server 80

ps : you have to give the current device ip when modifying the iso file in the first step

booting

just change the boot order to the usb and it should be fine if you dont see a log like this and get to the normal install , there is somthing wrong with the user-data file
after installation the server will shutdown , remove the flash drive and power on the server
wait for all the cloud-init configuration to complete then the server will reboot
start the server and everything should be fine!

AlirezaPourchali/Ubuntu_automatic_installation

Prerequisites

steps

modifying the iso (grub.cfg)

cloudinit_config

booting