[Bug 1308281] [NEW] can't answer partman-auto/init_automatically_partition via preseed

[Perry Neben]

Public bug reported:

I'm using preseed, installed with initrd, to automatically install
Ubuntu 12.04.4 server on the remaining free space of a disk that has an
existing partition (only one disk, just want it to use the remaining
free space, using all other defaults).  I've gotten all of the questions
answered with my preseed.cfg, save partman-
auto/init_automatically_partition.  I obviously want to select
biggest_free (d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select
biggest_free), but it always stops and asks for the partitioning method
selection.  If I add "d-i partman-auto/method string regular" to my
preseed.cfg, it will erase the existing partition and use the whole
disk, but the install will complete automatically without stopping.

Here are the relevant partman portions of my preseed.cfg:

d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select biggest_free
#d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select Guided - use the largest continuous free space
#d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select 50biggest_free__________/var/lib/partman/devices/=dev=sda//8590983168-21474836479
d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i partman/choose_partition select finish
d-i partman/confirm boolean true
d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true

I've also tried the above two commented out lines individually (the
second coming from the DEBCONFIG=5 output, see attached).

Here somebody got it to work by removing the partman-auto/method line, which I've commented out:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1269334

Same here:
http://jurjenbokma.com/ApprenticesNotes/not_setting_regular_in_preseed.html

But both of these are from 2009, so maybe it has regressed?  I don't see
any obvious changes to the partman-auto source since then, but I haven't
dug too deeply.

** Affects: partman-auto (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

** Attachment added: "DEBCONFIG=5 boot param screen when it stops"
   https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1308281/+attachment/4084881/+files/debconfig5screen.png

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to partman-auto in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1308281

Title:
  can't answer partman-auto/init_automatically_partition via preseed

Status in “partman-auto” package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I'm using preseed, installed with initrd, to automatically install
  Ubuntu 12.04.4 server on the remaining free space of a disk that has
  an existing partition (only one disk, just want it to use the
  remaining free space, using all other defaults).  I've gotten all of
  the questions answered with my preseed.cfg, save partman-
  auto/init_automatically_partition.  I obviously want to select
  biggest_free (d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select
  biggest_free), but it always stops and asks for the partitioning
  method selection.  If I add "d-i partman-auto/method string regular"
  to my preseed.cfg, it will erase the existing partition and use the
  whole disk, but the install will complete automatically without
  stopping.

  Here are the relevant partman portions of my preseed.cfg:

  d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select biggest_free
  #d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select Guided - use the largest continuous free space
  #d-i partman-auto/init_automatically_partition select 50biggest_free__________/var/lib/partman/devices/=dev=sda//8590983168-21474836479
  d-i partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
  d-i partman/choose_partition select finish
  d-i partman/confirm boolean true
  d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true

  I've also tried the above two commented out lines individually (the
  second coming from the DEBCONFIG=5 output, see attached).

  Here somebody got it to work by removing the partman-auto/method line, which I've commented out:
  http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1269334

  Same here:
  http://jurjenbokma.com/ApprenticesNotes/not_setting_regular_in_preseed.html

  But both of these are from 2009, so maybe it has regressed?  I don't
  see any obvious changes to the partman-auto source since then, but I
  haven't dug too deeply.

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/partman-auto/+bug/1308281/+subscriptions