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Ubunto 20.04 Autoinstall Fails

Ubuntu 20.04 introduces yet another different installer to deploy Linux on to your systems. This solution is a combination of autoinstall, cloud-init, curtin deployment, and subiquity.

The autoinstall is delivered as a YAML formated file. As such, it is extremely sensitive to spaces in the formatting. If the rendered template is not fully valid YAML, the autoinstall will fallback to user input to finish the install.

If you are presented with the Ubuntu interactive menu structure (generally starting with Language selection), then the YAML template is bad.

Additionally, check the DRP System Logs (not Job logs). If the template has a validity error rendering, you will receive an error message in the DRP System Log. In this case, the problem is generally not around valid YAML formatting.

Solution

To verify if the YAML formatting is correct, the autoinstall template can be rendered and reviewed. Ensure that the target machine is in the appropriate Ubuntu 20.04 BootEnv (or create a fake machine for testing purposes, and place it in the BootEnv).

Visit a URL similar to the following (when the Machine is in the Ubuntu 20.04 BootEnv):

Example

http://drp.example.com:8091/machines/8920cdea-b722-4f3c-98c5-dc7b6483e300/autoinstall/user-data

If this page does not render correctly, then either a validation error occured (check the System Log for more details - not the Jobs Logs), or the Machine is not in the correct BootEnv.

Visually inspect the YAML to verify it's valid. Additionally, the YAML can be checked with yamllint, or any number of online YAML Validation tools.

One primary cause of YAML linting failure is due to injection of the Storage structure, which does not adhere to the 2 space separation requirement. See the Ubuntu 20.04 BootEnv Documentation field for more details.

Additional Information

Additional resources and information related to this Knowledge Base article.

See Also

Versions

DRP v4.6.0 and newer, DRP Community Content v4.6.0 and newer

Keywords

DRP, ubuntu, YAML, failed, broken, autoinstall

Revision Information

KB Article     :  kb-00062
initial release:  Wed Mar 24 11:24:36 PDT 2021
updated release:  Wed Mar 24 11:24:36 PDT 2021