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Reliable way to install archlinux on kvm vps?
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Reliable way to install archlinux on kvm vps?

lowendguy7lowendguy7 Member
edited March 2018 in Help

I started buying kvm vps's because people on here said it would be easier to install with them than openvz. With the exception of hetzner who already had an iso ready to go this hasn't been the case so far.

Each time I have had trouble getting the iso image to work/register in the control panel.

The first time the company didn't know what they were doing they said 'we have never done it before' even though it had an pic of arch as a possible install option on their slaes page. They ended up just saying to me 'why don't you just settle for a stock linux distro'. Well I did that and it was the exact rigmarole with repos that I had feared having to spend days and days routing around to find what I want whereas arch has everything in the community or aur.

I got that one going and the month is up but now I am on a new one and again they are having issues. First it wouldnt let me upload the arch image but support did that for me but now it won't register that image. This is in vmcp vmpanel for nvme server (whatever that is). I have made sure to set cdrom as first boot device and added the image but still when I reboot it just takes me to the stock os's advanced boot settings and not the arch iso and I can only press up and down arrow and not any option.

I would like a way to do it outside of messing with the control panels then in future I wouldn't have to screw around learning their nuances as they are often different or have to be concerned if it will work at all.

The arch2vps script that used to work a charm doesn't work now. I tried twice now on that other server and this new one and both times it says it completed successfully but when I reboot it goes into kernel panic and won't boot.

So is there any other methods to do it? The old go for broke dd iso nuke didn't work last time either- although I managed that on the aruba $1 ones once, haven't made it work again though I am gonna try it now on this new one. FIngers crossed :D though I am not hopeful. Is there something different about kvm which prevents such things? since I have been even less succesful with these manual methods than I was when doing it on openvz (though openvz doesnt work any more due to old kernel errors when installing which is what caused me to switch in the first place).

I'm fed up having to wait days for support to help me and most times they end up just leaving me hanging so want to find a proper solution myself.

Comments

  • launchvpslaunchvps Member, Patron Provider
    edited March 2018

    Hi! Our KVM systems allow installing Arch without any issue. We also support Arch Linux being deployed automatically with our LXC VPS. After activation, you are sent the log-in details.

    We have never seen the issues you are describing and it sounds like you are doing everything correctly in terms of setting the proper boot devices, etc.

    I am trying to understand where OpenVZ plays into this... Are you trying to install OpenVZ on an Arch Linux machine running on KVM? Or, are you just stating that you cannot use Arch Linux as a OpenVZ container due to the older kernel version required by OpenVZ hosts?

    If you are just trying to install Arch on a KVM machine or have an auto-provisioned container, we have the Arch ISO available and we have LXC Arch Linux containers available. Never have had any tickets come in regarding troubles installing.

    Let me know if I can help any further.

    Thanked by 1uptime
  • Shot2Shot2 Member

    Is there anything that keeps Arch from being launched from an existing linux install? (e.g. via grub-imageboot + vnc)

  • No there are guides to do it and I did it in the past but not had success the last server. I didn't try it manually but with arch2vps script, which does this, it caused kernel panic.

    I will try manually if I have to but didn't yet.

    @Shot2 said:
    Is there anything that keeps Arch from being launched from an existing linux install? (e.g. via grub-imageboot + vnc)

  • ucxoucxo Member

    If you've got access to the VM's console, you can install a stock distro, add the archiso to its Grub menu and then use the console to install manually from there: https://github.com/n-st/15_netinstall

    If you're really intent on doing this, you could probably even remaster the archiso to automate the installation completely, but that would probably take just as long as going through support to get them to mount the ISO.

    My advice: go for providers with proper ISO and console support — you will need it at some point, if not now then when something breaks unexpectedly.

  • angstromangstrom Moderator
    edited March 2018

    @lowendguy7

    I will grant that you're persistent ...

    https://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/138941/any-better-deals-for-a-2-core-which-definitely-support-archlinux

    https://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/136357/1-gig-ram-vps-30-gigs-which-will-support-archlinux-be-compatible-for-manual-setup-for-2-per-mont

    https://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/136351/is-it-possible-to-use-arch-on-an-openvz-server-any-more-since-the-kernel-is-hardbaked-on-them

    https://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/125729/have-trouble-installing-arch-to-linux-arubacloud-vps

    ... but at the same time, it's getting a little old. Why not just spend a little more money and get a decent KVM for Arch? LAUNCH VPS would be an excellent choice, but there are others as well, for example, BuyVM, Vultr, RamNode, etc. It can't be that hard to run Arch on a decent KVM.

    Thanked by 1launchvps
  • mkshmksh Member

    Using the rescue system to dd https://www.netboot.xyz/ to the disk should work. I have zero experience with Arch but according to the site it's supported.

  • Thanks, so it is just a case of dding it like dding an iso and no further setup needed?, ill try now. I tried with dding the image earlier but it wouldn't have it even though it completed and synced without errors, kept kernel panicking after the splash screen.

    @mksh said:
    Using the rescue system to dd https://www.netboot.xyz/ to the disk should work. I have zero experience with Arch but according to the site it's supported.

  • mkshmksh Member

    @lowendguy7 said:
    Thanks, so it is just a case of dding it like dding an iso and no further setup needed?, ill try now. I tried with dding the image earlier but it wouldn't have it even though it completed and synced without errors, kept kernel panicking after the splash screen.

    Yeah there should be nothing needed to be done after the dding the image to disk besides restarting, connecting VNC, selecting Arch and completing the installation.

  • I just tried but it failed to setup internet connection and then gave up.

    @mksh said:

    @lowendguy7 said:
    Thanks, so it is just a case of dding it like dding an iso and no further setup needed?, ill try now. I tried with dding the image earlier but it wouldn't have it even though it completed and synced without errors, kept kernel panicking after the splash screen.

    Yeah there should be nothing needed to be done after the dding the image to disk besides restarting, connecting VNC, selecting Arch and completing the installation.

  • mkshmksh Member

    @lowendguy7 said:
    I just tried but it failed to setup internet connection and then gave up.

    @mksh said:

    @lowendguy7 said:
    Thanks, so it is just a case of dding it like dding an iso and no further setup needed?, ill try now. I tried with dding the image earlier but it wouldn't have it even though it completed and synced without errors, kept kernel panicking after the splash screen.

    Yeah there should be nothing needed to be done after the dding the image to disk besides restarting, connecting VNC, selecting Arch and completing the installation.

    >

    Well, chances are you have to setup the network yourself. Don't think you can count on the provider running DHCP.

  • lionlion Member

    @lowendguy7 said:
    it failed to setup internet connection and then gave up.

    And you're sure you want to use Arch?

  • lowendguy7lowendguy7 Member
    edited March 2018

    Begone foul spirit.

    @lion said:

    @lowendguy7 said:
    it failed to setup internet connection and then gave up.

    And you're sure you want to use Arch?

  • lowendguy7lowendguy7 Member
    edited March 2018

    I know how to setup the net ofc but you aren't dropped into a normal command prompt when netbooting are you and I am not familiar with the control panel stuff which is why I was querying where it should be done. In the vm when it is booted or in the vm control panel turning on some setting.

    Ah I see your OP the net should be setup through rescue system?

    @mksh said:

    @lowendguy7 said:
    I just tried but it failed to setup internet connection and then gave up.

    @mksh said:

    @lowendguy7 said:
    Thanks, so it is just a case of dding it like dding an iso and no further setup needed?, ill try now. I tried with dding the image earlier but it wouldn't have it even though it completed and synced without errors, kept kernel panicking after the splash screen.

    Yeah there should be nothing needed to be done after the dding the image to disk besides restarting, connecting VNC, selecting Arch and completing the installation.

    >

    Well, chances are you have to setup the network yourself. Don't think you can count on the provider running DHCP.

  • mkshmksh Member

    @lowendguy7 said:
    I know how to setup the net ofc but you aren't dropped into a normal command prompt when netbooting are you and I am not familiar with the control panel stuff which is why I was querying where it should be done. In the vm when it is booted or in the vm control panel turning on some setting.

    You dd the netboot.xyz iso to the disk, boot and launch the Arch installer. Not sure what you are doing. Did you look at https://netboot.xyz/?

  • I am saying that I did that already and when it boots into the image netboot is unable to setup the network and gives up without doing anything.

    @mksh said:

    @lowendguy7 said:
    I know how to setup the net ofc but you aren't dropped into a normal command prompt when netbooting are you and I am not familiar with the control panel stuff which is why I was querying where it should be done. In the vm when it is booted or in the vm control panel turning on some setting.

    You dd the netboot.xyz iso to the disk, boot and launch the Arch installer. Not sure what you are doing. Did you look at https://netboot.xyz/?

  • mkshmksh Member

    @lowendguy7 said:
    I am saying that I did that already and when it boots into the image netboot is unable to setup the network and gives up without doing anything.

    I see. Well according to the site:

    If you need to set a static IP address, hit the 'm' key during boot up for the failsafe menu and choose manual network configuration.

    Never had to do that but it seems pretty straight forward.

    Thanked by 1uptime
  • I found out this has nothing to do with arch itself. It is an issue with the server not liking newer kernel versions.

    I found this because I went with a stock debian distro provided by them and was working normal however I wanted to update the kernel since firefox wasn't working and found a forum post where they solved it by updating the kernal. I did so and as soon as I did I was greeted with the same errors as when using the arch image.

    Is that normal that you can't update kernels on servers? and can it be fixed or are you stuck with whatever kernel they give you?

  • mkshmksh Member

    @lowendguy7 said:

    Good luck.

  • Aborting, waste of time.

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