Hi there !
I'd like to install Fedora server on one of my RPi 3B+. From my understanding, Fedora doesn't provide a pre-configured image like Raspbian does so that either a monitor or a serial console is required for the initial setup. Is that right?
If yes, it should be possible to fix some config files on the SD card but I'm not really sure about what is needed to fake an entire setup. Is there a tool to do the setup on the installed image so that I can ssh into a configured system?
TIA
fw
you can edit all the files on the card before putting it in the pi.
You probably want at a minimum to set up static networking and if it will use wifi, ensuring that is configured, and making sure sshd is enabled.
Once you have it up on a fixed network address and with sshd ruuning you can access it that way.
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That's clear to me but I'm wondering if fixing the network setup is sufficient to make the Pi believe it's configured so that it's booting and not asking questions on the console which does not exist. Wi-Fi is not needed.
And what do I have to edit in order to simulate "systemctl enable ssh"? I'm not talking about host keys and so on but about the service.
TIA
fw
Don't think a pi or linux in general ever does ask questions on the console before booting. Only potentially the boot loader, and that on a Pi doesn't as far as I know.
I cant answer for fedora though. I used raspbian server as its better documented., Cant see the point of fedora, The Pi Zero W server after editing the card off the pi in a reader came up on the right IP adress, found the network and connected, and set up sshd. First time!
I think that on raspbian at least an empty file called ssh in /boot directory is enough. (that's the DOS FAT partition )
The guys thought of this when they ported linux to the Pi!
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With "questions", I mean all the stuff that is asked during the first boot to do the initial setup. Doesn't the Pi do this when a screen or a serial console is connected?
I'm very familiar with Solaris, roughly with Linux but not really with the Pi.
I installed Raspbian lite (I don't need the desktop stuff) on the card for a second Pi, touched the ssh file and was set. Easy. But my few Linux knowledge is rather RH flavored than Debian so I'd prefer Fedora on this Pi.
Yes, I know how it works on Raspbian. But I'm not sure if Fedora does it in the same way. It would be nice if it did ;) ...
TIA
fw
No idea. I never attached a screen or keyboard to mine, ever. Just edited the card on my PC via a card reared plugged it in & then it worked
I think they would have done that. It makes sense
-- Microsoft : the best reason to go to Linux that ever existed.
I run Fedora on but other boxen but not on my RPi.
The only questions when Fedora boots on my other machines come from the bootloader, but there can be an additional prompt - if you've encrypted a partition you'll get asked for the partition's password during the boot process.
-- -- Martin | martin at Gregorie | gregorie dot org
And with a pi the bootloader is completely different. It sure ain't Grub!
I will bet a pint on fedora not asking questions during a pi boot. The more pertinent issue is how it decides on the inital boot state. Oh
Stupid Fedora
"? Booting Fedora on the Raspberry Pi for the first time
Insert the SD card into the Raspberry Pi. *Make sure you have a keyboard, mouse, network cable and monitor connected*. Power on the Raspberry Pi. You will see Fedora booting and eventually the "Initial setup wizard" will appear. Follow the wizard to set language, timezone and create users. You should be presented with a login prompt or a getting started guide (depending on which Desktop/SPIN you're using). "
So you will need to patch the SD card somehow, or connect that stuff up.
No. At this point you would be advised to junk fedora and use Raspian if you want a headless server. Even the fedora server seems to need screen and keyboard
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On Sat, 9 Jan 2021 10:18:06 +0100, Frank Winkler declaimed the following:
I've always had to have monitor/keyboard on my R-Pis when bringing up an image for the first time...
After that, they don't need the monitor/keyboard.
Have you studied:
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That's what I also found and why I was asking here ;) ...
Of course, but I'm not sure enough what I'll need to get it running ...
If this is really the case, Fedora is out! The term "server" implies headless ;) ...
I don't like Debian style so I'm looking for a RH flavored OS for the Pi and that's why I mentioned Fedora as I've been using it on an other machine and liked it ...
TIA
fw
Raspbian doesn't need that but I'd prefer a RH style OS ...
TIA
fw
Not if you are Microsost! A screen with Windows for every server!
The point is that fedora have not made it possible or at least easy to do a *first time* headless boot, Raspbian have.
Once set up you dont need screen or keyboard on either
Really I cant see there is any difference beyond the package management system. I used Red Hat back in the noughties, then switched pretty seamlessly to debian than to mint and Ubuntu and Raspian.
Especially when using it headless without a GUI.
But its your choice as to *which* long road you take, getting to like Debian or installing a monitor and kb on your first fedora server boot...
I have merely informed you that the short cut does not exist...as far as my web search has taken me.
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I use both Fedora on my laptop rasipian on my raspberry Pi's & cent os on equipment I maintain
the only significant difference is the package management systems & I usually create a .bash_aliases file so I can use the same commands regardless of the system upgrade, install, add & remove are the only package management commands I need normally anyway.
EG
Raspian
alias upgrade="sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade
Fedora
alias upgrade="sudo dnf upgrade"
simple
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Obviously. RIP, Fedora - at least for my Pis. Is there a CentOS port for RPi? Or ... something apart from Linux? Maybe of the *BSDs? Looks like I'll have to search again ...
It's not only the package stuff. Most of the config files are different, none of my scripts will work, etc.
I don't like any of them.
TIA
fw
With the SD card in a PC
edit the config.txt to enable the UART
edit`the extlinux.conf to set ttyS1 as the console
boot the Pi
login over serial and configure wifi or wired networking and then switch to that.
On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 13:52:37 +0100, Frank Winkler declaimed the following:
It likely is... ONCE CONFIGURED INITIALLY. Subsequent access could be done via SSH.
All the stuff is for /first boot/ of a clean installation.
No difference really from installing a direct Debian download on most systems
-- Wulfraed Dennis Lee Bieber AF6VN wlfraed@ix.netcom.com http://wlfraed.microdiversity.freeddns.org/
I like this Raspbian approach with a generic pre-configuration and I'd appreciate to see this on other Pi systems, too. They could integrate an option for the ssh flag file into the Raspberry imager.
Or maybe I'll take some time and play with a scripted setup of the SD card. Something like a poor man's Solaris JumpStart ;) ...
TIA
fw
I thought that a long while ago Raspbian downloads had been modified to boot up with sshd running by default but according to this:
that tweak was later removed because security: this is probably current information since that page was last updated this year (2021).
It explains how to re-enable starting sshd at boot time (very simple: just create one empty file in the boot partition: since thats a FAT32 partition it can be done using a PC running either Linux or Windows. However, the above probably doesn't help with the first Fedora boot.
So, to the OP: just grit your teeth, borrow a USB keyboard and an HDMI screen, plug 'em in and do that first Fedora boot and make sure you enable sshd, shut down, give the keyboard and screen back and reboot the Pi. You should now be able to login as user 'pi' via SSH from another Linux box or from a Windows one running PuTTY.
-- -- Martin | martin at Gregorie | gregorie dot org
Though again, it's normally possible to disconnect keyboard and monitor (and mouse) once the thing is running. Though better just to leave them, for when you need to investigate why a reboot is taking so long...
But they do insist that their server OSes use a GUI.
-- Joe
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