On Wed, Oct 11, 2017 at 08:18:29AM -0500, Richard Owlett wrote: > My long term goal is a "minimal" install -- my precise definition of > "minimal" to be specified. > > Constraints when accomplishing this goal: > 1. the installer will be on a USB flash drive. > 2. the installation target will also be a USB flash drive. > The underlying purpose is having a Debian system available > to any machine capable of booting from a USB flash drive. > This implies installing Grub to MBR of the flash drive. >
This is slightly tricky - not completely impossible but you need to be very clear which USB stick is which at all times :) DD a netinst to one USB stick. Plug in the other USB - make it a large one - greater than 16GB would be my prreference. Do an expert install which will ask questions at low priority. Standard installation includes enough to bring up a command line environment well. No tasks installed at all will result in only installing about 300 packages altogether. Installing GRUB ought to be asked as a question. [And no, I haven't get two USB sticks to try it now to see how well it works for you.] All the best, Andy > Two Questions: > Section B.4.10. "Package selection" says in part "You can also choose to > install no tasks, ... We recommend always including the standard task." I > need to know what is installed when no tasks are specified > and when the standard task is specified. > > > Section B.4.11. "Boot loader installation" covers when/where Grub is > installed. I'll always install to _*A*_ MBR. I need to force the installer > to ask which device is target. It is unclear to me. > > I note that > https://wiki.debian.org/Installation+Archive+USBStick?action=AttachFile&do=view&target=preseed.cfg#CA-92ec8c7fca7565142e8daa9b11114577891ee95c_56 > says "d-i grub-installer/choose_bootdev select manual". But I do not see > anything similar in Section B.4.11.
