Guide for how-to install Alpine Linux as a domU (tested on a Debian Jessie dom0).
The iso alpine-extended-3.4.4-x86_64.iso is used as that makes it possible to
complete a full alpine linux installation without networking in the domU.
Preparations in dom0¶
-
Setup storage as
/dev/<lvm_vg>/<domU-name>-diskand create an ext4 file system on it. (in the examples below the VG is calledvg_raid1). -
Optional: if you need swap create
/dev/<lvm_vg>/<domU-name>-swapand add it to the domU config as xvda2 -
Extract
vmlinuz-grsec&initramfs-grsecfromalpine-extended-3.4.4-x86_64.isoand store it in/home/<user>/. -
Setup basic domU configuration for installation from iso.
# basic config for alpine linux installation vcpus = '1' memory = '128' kernel = "/home/<user>/vmlinuz-grsec" ramdisk = "/home/<user>/initramfs-grsec" extra="alpine_dev=hdc:iso9660 modules=loop,squashfs,sd-mod,usb-storage console=hvc0" disk = [ 'file://home/<user>/alpine-extended-3.4.4-x86_64.iso,hdc:cdrom,r', 'phy:/dev/vg_raid1/<domU-name>-disk,xvda1,w', ] name = '<domU-name>' vif = [ 'mac=00:16:3E:AA:BB:CC,bridge=br_<domU>' ] on_poweroff = 'destroy' on_reboot = 'restart' on_crash = 'restart'
Now we can start the alpine domU and run the installer.
dom0# xl create /etc/xen/<domU-name>.cfg -c
Steps in the installer domU¶
Install e2fsprogs and mount the partition that was setup before in the dom0.
domU# apk add e2fsprogs domU# mount /dev/xvda1 /mnt
Run alpine setup (answer none for the last options)
domU# setup-alpine ... Enter where to store configs ('floppy', 'usb', 'xvdc1' or 'none') [xvdc1]: none Enter apk cache directory (or '?' or 'none') [/var/cache/apk]: none
On some test runs /etc/apk/world got a strange entry .setup-apkrepos, make
sure it is not there and if it is remove that line before continuing with the next step.
Install alpine linux to the mounted partition.
domU# setup-disk /mnt
Optional: setup swap on /dev/xvda2 accordning to the Setting_up_swap instruction on the alpine wiki.
Setup basic grub configuration for pvgrub
domU# mkdir /mnt/boot/grub domU# vi /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg
set timeout=2 set default=0 menuentry "alpine" { linux /boot/vmlinuz-grsec modules=ext4 console=hvc0 root=/dev/xvda1 initrd /boot/initramfs-grsec }
Now the installation is done so we can halt the installer.
domU# halt
dom0: prepare for first boot¶
Change domU configuration to use pvgrub
vcpus = '1' memory = '128' kernel = '/usr/lib/grub-xen/grub-x86_64-xen.bin' disk = [ 'phy:/dev/vg_raid1/<domU name>-disk,xvda1,w', ] name = '<domU name>' vif = [ 'mac=00:16:3E:AA:BB:CC,bridge=br_<domU>' ] on_poweroff = 'destroy' on_reboot = 'restart' on_crash = 'restart'
boot alpine with pvgrub
dom0# xl create /etc/xen/<domU-name>.cfg -c
Grub should show up and boot into your new alpine linux domU.