---
name: "mkautoinstalldiskette"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "systemimager-server"
version: "3.2.3-6sarge4"
release: "Debian 3.1 (Sarge)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mkautoinstalldiskette"
---

# mkautoinstalldiskette(8)

creates a bootable floppy for autoinstalling clients

## NAME

mkautoinstalldiskette - creates a bootable floppy for autoinstalling clients

## SYNOPSIS

**mkautoinstalldiskette** \[ **-help** \] \[ **-version** \] \[ **-quiet** \] \[ **-floppy** *DEVICE* \] \[ **-out-file** *PATH* \] \[ **-flavor** *FLAVOR* \] \[ **-kernel** *PATH* \] \[ **-initrd** *PATH* \] \[ **-append** *STRING* \] \[ **-config** *PATH* \] \[ **-ssh-key** *PATH* \]

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the **mkautoinstalldiskette** command.

**mkautoinstalldiskette** creates a floppy disk which can be used to boot an autoinstall client and initiate an autoinstall.

## OPTIONS

A summary of options is included below.

- **-help**

  Show summary of options

- **-version**

  Display version and copyright information.

- **-quiet**

  Don't print any output, just provide an appropriate exit code. (requires -floppy)

- **-floppy** *DEVICE*

  The 1.44MB floppy drive device containing the disk to format.  If not specified, /dev/fd0 is assumed.  This command understands "/dev/fd0" through "/dev/fd7".  (if you specify -floppy, this command will run non-interactively)

- **-out-file** *FILE*

  Create a 1.44MB floppy image in *FILE*. **dd** can be used to write this image to a floppy later.  This is useful for some systems that allow you to boot nodes using a "virtual floppy" file that is retrieved via TFTP (some PXE loaders and some remote management boards).

- **-kernel** *PATH*

  Specify an alternate kernel to use.  This is useful if you have clients that have network cards or disk controllers that are not supported by the default kernel provided by SystemImager.  See the SystemImager manual for instructions on creating a custom autoinstall kernel.

- **-flavor** *FLAVOR*

  The flavor of the boot package to use.  If this option is not specified, you will be asked to choose a flavor from the available list interactively.

- **-initrd** *PATH*

  Specify an alternate initial ramdisk to use.  This is rarely useful, but may be necessary in some cases (e.g. needing to add more special files in /dev).  See the SystemImager manual for instructions on creating a custom initial ramdisk.

- **-append** *STRING*

  This option allows you to pass options to the autoinstall kernel. For example, to tell the kernel to use ttyS3 as the serial console:

  \-append "console=ttyS3"

- **-config** *FILE*

  Where *FILE* contains all the settings necessary for the client to set it's hostname and configure it's networking information without DHCP.  This file is copied to */local.cfg* on the autoinstalldiskette.

- **-ssh-key=***FILE*

  Where *FILE* is the SSH2 id\_dsa or id\_rsa  private key of the user account that the autoinstall client will  use to connect to the imageserver.  It is usually found in the user's *.ssh* directory.

  To use this private key, you must also add the corresponding public key to this user's *.ssh/authorized\_keys* file on the imageserver.  The public key is usually called *.ssh/id\_rsa.pub* or *.ssh/id\_dsa.pub*.  The *.ssh/authorized\_keys* must be readable only by this user.  (**chmod 600 .ssh/authorized\_keys**)

## SEE ALSO

[**mkautoinstallcd**(8)](/mkautoinstallcd/8.md)

More details can be found in the *SystemImager* *manual.*

## AUTHOR

This manual page was compiled by dann \<\<dannf@debian.org\>\> for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).