Installing Ubuntu/Debian on a running remote server (Without BIOS Access and Live CD)

RobGTX

4/7/24, 12:52 AM

Currently I have this case, I have a dedicated server that has several attached disks, one of them a 350GB SSD and a 2TB HDD.

The 350GB disk is covering the entire /root partition so I need to reduce that partition to only 30GB and leave the remaining free for other purposes.

I can only access the server via SSH and the only other option is to enter rescue mode with GRML.

I tried to install Debian with GRML, through debootstrap but I was unsuccessful. I thought about backing up the entire root directory and then delete the partition and restore the backup, but apparently it contains files from the service provider, which gives a weight above what the 30GB partition allows me, and surely problems can occur with the files in the future.

So I was thinking of doing a direct installation while I am in GRML rescue mode or if it is possible to install the entire system on the secondary disk, modify the grub and start that second disk and then perform the same process but with a new 30GB partition.

How could I perform an installation of either debian or ubuntu while running the system and in turn without having access to the BIOS or without access to a LIVE CD, and having as the only connection, via SSH?

0 + 4

ubuntu

debian

ssh

debootstrap

Jaromanda X

4/7/24, 1:13 AM

`I tried to install Debian with GRML, through debootstrap` was that using `grml-debootstrap`? did you use the config file for that or command line options? `but I was unsuccessful` in what way? what errors did you encounter?

RobGTX

4/7/24, 1:22 AM

I tried using grml-debootstrap, the installation seemed to be fine, and I tried to update the grub, but when I rebooted the server normally, the server did not seem to start correctly because I never got SSH connection restore and I could not ping it. I had to reboot the server and request access to the rescue mode again

Jaromanda X

4/7/24, 1:32 AM

it's hard to guess what you *may* have done wrong with `grml-debootstrap` configuration. could you ping the server? if so, perhaps you didn't enable ssh? if no ping, perhaps you misconfigured networking?

A.B

4/7/24, 11:56 AM

Doing this remotely without a remote console to see what happens, including during boot before the OS starts appears difficult. Remote console is really useful (some servers can even enable serial console from the bios phase), but what matters is what the host provider offers.

Elon Musk

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EN: Installing Ubuntu/Debian on a running remote server (Without BIOS Access and Live CD)

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