Bug#1123551: installation-reports: Static IP correction during install is not persisted to final system

2025-12-18 Thread Pascal Hambourg 

On 17/12/2025 at 18:56, travis meeks wrote:


I encountered an issue where the Debian Installer (d-i) persisted an
incorrect initial network configuration despite my correcting it
during the installation steps.


Yes, AFAICS here is how it works:
- during "Configure the network", netcfg writes "basic" network 
configuration files (/etc/network/interfaces /etc/networks /etc/hostname 
/etc/resolv.conf /etc/hosts) and configuration files for NetworkManager 
and Netplan in the installer environment;
- during "Install the base system", base-installer.d/40netcfg copies 
"basic" network configuration files to the target environment;
- during "Finish the installation", 
finish-install.d/55netcfg-copy-config writes configuration files for 
NetworkManager or Netplan and re-writes /etc/network/interfaces with 
only the loopback interface in the target environment if either package 
is installed.


So nothing updates "basic" network configuration files in the target 
environment if you reconfigure the network after installing the base 
system. It does not affect only the target system after the 
installation, it may also affect the ability to use a mirror in 
"Configure the package manager" and "Select and install software" if the 
the original DNS configuration is wrong.


Maybe a possible option would be to copy "basic" network configuration 
files to the target system if "Configure the network" is re-run after 
"Install the base system" ? In rescue mode, the target system is mounted 
only when in "Enter rescue mode" so it should be fine. Not sure about 
live-installer though.

Bug#1123551: installation-reports: Static IP correction during install is not persisted to final system

2025-12-17 Thread travis meeks 
Package: installation-reports
Version: Debian 13.2 (Trixie)
Severity: normal

-- Information about the install --
Method: Network installation (netinst) via ISO
Date: 2025-12-17
Machine: Virtual Machine (xcp-ng)

-- Issue Description --
I encountered an issue where the Debian Installer (d-i) persisted an
incorrect initial network configuration despite my correcting it
during the installation steps.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Booted the Debian 13 Testing installer.
2. During the network configuration step, I manually configured a
Static IP address. I accidentally entered an incorrect/non-working IP
address.
3. The installer proceeded to the "Configure the package manager"
(mirror selection) step.
4. Because the IP was incorrect, the mirror connectivity check failed.
5. I used the installer menu to go back to the Network Configuration step.
6. I corrected the Static IP to a valid, working address.
7. The mirror selection step then passed successfully, and the
installation completed.
8. Upon the first reboot of the installed system, the server came up
using the INITIAL (bad) IP address, not the corrected one used to
complete the installation.

Expected Behavior:
The final /etc/network/interfaces (or NetworkManager config) should
reflect the corrected IP address that was successfully used to
download packages.

Actual Behavior:
The system reverted to the first user input provided, ignoring the
subsequent correction made during the install session.

-- End of Report --

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