#!/usr/bin/perl # Copyright (C) 2009, 2010 Neil Williams # # This package is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by # the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or # (at your option) any later version. # # This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, # but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of # MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the # GNU General Public License for more details. # # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License # along with this program. If not, see . use strict; use warnings; use IO::File; use Config::Auto; use File::Basename; use Parse::Debian::Packages; use POSIX qw(locale_h); use Locale::gettext; use vars qw/ $progname $ourversion $dstrap $extra @aptsources $mirror @archives $deb $cachedir $config_str %packages $retval $str $retries $dir $include $arch $foreign $suite $url $unpack $sourcedir $msg $etcdir @e $sourcesname $libdir $dpkgdir @debootstrap %suites %components $component $repo @dirs @touch %sources $section %keys $host $key $value $type $file $config $tidy $noauth $keyring %keyrings $deflist @extrapkgs /; setlocale(LC_MESSAGES, ""); textdomain("multistrap"); $progname = basename($0); $ourversion = &our_version(); $unpack = "true"; while( @ARGV ) { $_= shift( @ARGV ); last if m/^--$/; if (!/^-/) { unshift(@ARGV,$_); last; } elsif (/^(-\?|-h|--help|--version)$/) { &usageversion(); exit( 0 ); } elsif (/^(-f|--file)$/) { $file = shift(@ARGV); } elsif (/^(-a|--arch)$/) { $arch = shift(@ARGV); } elsif (/^(-d|--dir)$/) { $dir = shift(@ARGV); $dir .= ($dir =~ m:/$:) ? '' : "/"; } elsif (/^(--tidy-up)$/) { $tidy++; } elsif (/^(--source-dir)$/) { $sourcedir = shift (@ARGV); $sourcedir .= ($sourcedir =~ m:/$:) ? '' : "/"; $sourcedir = (-d $sourcedir) ? $sourcedir : undef; } elsif (/^(--no-auth)$/) { $noauth++; } else { die "$progname: "._g("Unknown option")." $_.\n"; } } $msg = sprintf (_g("Need a configuration file - use %s -f\n"), $progname); die ($msg) if (not defined $file); $config = Config::Auto::parse("$file"); %keys=(); foreach $key (%$config) { $type = lc($key) if (ref $key ne "HASH"); $value = $key if (ref $key eq "HASH"); $keys{$type} = $value; } %sources=(); %packages=(); %suites=(); %components=(); %keyrings=(); @aptsources=(); foreach $section (sort keys %keys) { if ($section eq "general") { $arch = $keys{$section}{'arch'} if (not defined $arch); $dir = $keys{$section}{'directory'} if (not defined $dir); # support the original value but replace by new value. $unpack = lc($keys{$section}{'unpack'}) if (defined $keys{$section}{'forceunpack'}); $unpack = lc($keys{$section}{'unpack'}) if (defined $keys{$section}{'unpack'}); $tidy++ if ((defined $keys{$section}{'cleanup'}) and ($keys{$section}{'cleanup'} eq "true")); $noauth++ if ((defined $keys{$section}{'noauth'}) and ($keys{$section}{'noauth'} eq "true")); $sourcedir = $keys{$section}{'retainsources'} if ((defined $keys{$section}{'retainsources'}) and (-d $keys{$section}{'retainsources'})); @debootstrap = split(' ', lc($keys{$section}{'debootstrap'})); @aptsources = split (' ', lc($keys{$section}{'aptsources'})); } else { $sources{$section}=$keys{$section}{'source'}; $packages{$section}=$keys{$section}{'packages'}; $suites{$section}=$keys{$section}{'suite'}; $components{$section}=$keys{$section}{'components'}; if (not defined $components{$section}) { $components{$section}='main'; } $keyrings{$section}=$keys{$section}{'keyring'}; push @extrapkgs, split (' ', lc($keys{$section}{'additional'})); } } # Translators: fields are: programname, versionstring, configfile. printf (_g("%s %s using %s\n"), $progname, $ourversion, $file); $host = `dpkg-architecture -qDEB_BUILD_ARCH`; chomp ($host); if (not defined $arch) { $arch = $host; printf (_g("Defaulting architecture to native: %s\n"),$arch); } elsif ($arch eq $host) { printf (_g("Defaulting architecture to native: %s\n"),$arch); } else { printf (_g("Using foreign architecture: %s\n"), $arch); } $foreign++ if ($host ne $arch); unless (keys %sources and @aptsources) { my $msg = sprintf(_g("No sources defined for a foreign multistrap. Using your existing apt sources. To use different sources, list them with aptsources= in '%s'."), $file); warn ("$progname: $msg\n"); $deflist = prepare_sources_list(); } # Translators: fields are: programname, architecture, host architecture. printf (_g("%s building %s multistrap on '%s'\n"), $progname, $arch, $host); $cachedir = "var/cache/apt/"; # archives $libdir = "var/lib/apt/"; # lists $etcdir = "etc/apt/"; # sources $dpkgdir = "var/lib/dpkg/"; # state if (not -d "$dir") { my $ret = mkdir ("$dir"); die ("Unable to create directory '$dir' $!\n") if ($ret == 0); } $dir = `realpath $dir`; chomp ($dir); $dir .= ($dir =~ m:/$:) ? '' : "/"; system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${cachedir}") if (not -d "${dir}${cachedir}"); system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${libdir}") if (not -d "${dir}${libdir}"); system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${dpkgdir}") if (not -d "${dir}${dpkgdir}"); system ("mkdir -p ${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/") if (not -d "${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/"); system ("mkdir -p ${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/") if (not -d "${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/"); system ("mkdir -p ${dir}usr/share/info/dir") if (not -d "${dir}usr/share/info/dir"); system ("mkdir -p ${dir}/usr/share/doc/gcc-4.2-base/") if (not -d "${dir}/usr/share/doc/gcc-4.2-base/"); system ("touch ${dir}/usr/share/doc/gcc-4.2-base/.copyright"); system ("touch ${dir}/usr/share/doc/gcc-4.2-base/changelog.Debian.gz"); my $msg = sprintf(_g("Unable to create directory '%s'\n"), "${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/"); die ($msg) if (not -d "${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/"); @dirs = qw/ alternatives info parts updates/; @touch = qw/ diversions statoverride status lock/; foreach my $dpkgd (@dirs) { if (not -d "${dir}${dpkgdir}$dpkgd") { mkdir "${dir}${dpkgdir}$dpkgd"; } } foreach my $file (@touch) { utime(time, time, "${dir}${dpkgdir}/$file") or ( open(F, ">${dir}${dpkgdir}/$file") && close F ); } utime(time, time, "${dir}etc/shells") or (open(F, ">${dir}etc/shells") && close F ); if (not -d "${dir}etc/network") { mkdir "${dir}etc/network"; } if (not -d "${dir}dev") { mkdir "${dir}dev"; } # prevent the absolute symlink in libc6 from allowing # writes outside the multistrap root dir. See: #553599 if (-l "${dir}lib64" ) { my $r = readlink "${dir}lib64"; if ($r =~ m:^/:) { my $old = `pwd`; chomp ($old); unlink "${dir}lib64"; chdir ("$dir"); print _g("INF: ./lib64 -> /lib symbolic link reset to ./lib.\n"); symlink "./lib", "lib64"; chdir ("${old}"); } } else { my $old = `pwd`; chomp ($old); chdir ("$dir"); print _g("INF: Setting ./lib64 -> ./lib symbolic link.\n"); symlink "./lib", "lib64"; chdir ("${old}"); } unlink ("${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list") if (-f "${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list"); unlink ("${dir}etc/apt/sources.list") if (-f "${dir}etc/apt/sources.list"); foreach $repo (sort keys %suites) { if (not -e "${dir}${cachedir}") { mkdir "${dir}${cachedir}"; } if (not -e "$dir/${libdir}lists") { mkdir "$dir/${libdir}lists"; } if (not -e "$dir/${libdir}lists/partial") { mkdir "$dir/${libdir}lists/partial"; } if (not -e "$dir/${cachedir}archives") { mkdir "$dir/${cachedir}archives"; } if (not -e "$dir/${cachedir}archives/partial") { mkdir "$dir/${cachedir}archives/partial"; } } foreach my $aptsrc (@debootstrap) { if (defined $deflist) { open (SOURCES, ">>${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list") or die _g("Cannot open sources list"). $!; print SOURCES $deflist; close SOURCES; } elsif (-d "${dir}etc/apt/") { open (SOURCES, ">>${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list") or die _g("Cannot open sources list"). $!; $mirror = $sources{$aptsrc}; $suite = $suites{$aptsrc}; $component = (defined $components{$aptsrc}) ? $components{$aptsrc} : "main"; print SOURCES< /lib symbolic link reset to ./lib after unpacking.\n"); printf (_g("ERR: Some files may have been unpacked outside %s!\n"), $dir); } else { printf (_g("\nMultistrap system installed successfully in %s.\n\n"), $dir); } } unlink ("${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list") if (-f "${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list"); foreach my $aptsrc (@aptsources) { if (defined $deflist) { open (SOURCES, ">>${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list") or die _g("Cannot open sources list"). $!; print SOURCES $deflist; close SOURCES; } elsif (-d "${dir}etc/apt/") { open (SOURCES, ">>${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list") or die _g("Cannot open sources list"). $!; $mirror = $sources{$aptsrc}; $suite = $suites{$aptsrc}; $component = (defined $components{$aptsrc}) ? $components{$aptsrc} : "main"; print SOURCES<${dir}${libdir}lists/lock"); close (LOCK); opendir (DEBS, "${dir}${cachedir}archives/") or die (_g("Cannot read apt archives directory.\n")); @archives=grep(/.*\.deb$/, readdir DEBS); closedir (DEBS); } my $old = `pwd`; chomp ($old); chdir ("${dir}"); printf (_g("Using directory %s for unpacking operations\n"), ${dir}); foreach $deb (sort @archives) { printf (_g("I: Extracting %s...\n"), $deb); my $ver=`LC_ALL=C dpkg -f ./${cachedir}archives/$deb Version`; my $pkg=`LC_ALL=C dpkg -f ./${cachedir}archives/$deb Package`; chomp ($ver); chomp ($pkg); mkdir ("./tmp"); my $tmpdir = `mktemp -p ./tmp -d -t multistrap.XXXXXX`; chomp ($tmpdir); my $datatar = `LC_ALL=C dpkg -X ./${cachedir}archives/$deb ${dir}`; my $exit = `echo $?`; chomp ($exit); if ($exit ne "0") { printf(_g("dpkg -X failed with error code %s\nSkipping...\n"), $exit); next; } my @lines = split("\n", $datatar); open (LIST, ">>./${dpkgdir}info/${pkg}.list"); foreach my $l (@lines) { chomp ($l); $l =~ s:^\.::; $l =~ s:^/$:/\.:; $l =~ s:/$::; print LIST "$l\n"; } close (LIST); system ("dpkg -e ./${cachedir}archives/$deb ${tmpdir}/"); opendir (MAINT, "./${tmpdir}"); my @maint=grep(!m:\.\.?:, readdir (MAINT)); closedir (MAINT); open (AVAIL, ">>./${dpkgdir}available"); open (STATUS, ">>./${dpkgdir}status"); foreach my $mscript (@maint) { rename "./${tmpdir}/$mscript", "./${dpkgdir}info/$pkg.$mscript"; if ( $mscript eq "control" ) { open (MSCRIPT, "./${dpkgdir}info/$pkg.$mscript"); my @scr=; close (MSCRIPT); my @avail = grep(!/^$/, @scr); print AVAIL @avail; print STATUS @avail; print AVAIL "\n"; print STATUS "Status: install ok unpacked\n"; unlink ("./${dpkgdir}info/$mscript"); } } close (AVAIL); if ( -f "./${dpkgdir}info/$pkg.conffiles") { print STATUS "Conffiles:\n"; printf (_g(" -> Processing conffiles for %s\n"), $pkg); open (CONF, "./${dpkgdir}info/$pkg.conffiles"); my @lines=; close (CONF); foreach my $line (@lines) { chomp ($line); my $md5=`LC_ALL=C md5sum ./$line | cut -d" " -f1`; chomp ($md5); print STATUS " $line $md5\n"; } } print STATUS "\n"; close (STATUS); system ("rm -rf ./${tmpdir}"); if (-l "${dir}lib64" ) { my $r = readlink "${dir}lib64"; if ($r =~ m:^/:) { my $old = `pwd`; chomp ($old); printf (_g("ERR: lib64 -> ./lib symbolic link clobbered by %s\n"), $pkg); unlink "${dir}lib64"; chdir ("$dir"); print _g("INF: lib64 -> /lib symbolic link reset to ./lib.\n"); symlink "./lib", "lib64"; chdir ("${old}"); } } } chdir ("$old"); print _g("I: Unpacking complete.\n"); } sub check_bin_sh { $dir = shift; my $old = `pwd`; chomp ($old); # dash refuses to configure if no existing shell is found. # (always expects a diversion to already exist). # (works OK in subsequent upgrades.) #546528 unlink ("$dir/var/lib/dpkg/info/dash.postinst"); # now ensure that a usable shell is available as /bin/sh if (not -l "$dir/bin/sh") { print (_g("ERR: ./bin/sh symbolic link does not exist.\n")); if (-f "$dir/bin/dash") { print (_g("INF: Setting ./bin/sh -> ./bin/dash\n")); chdir ("$dir/bin"); symlink ("dash", "sh"); chdir ("$old"); } elsif (-f "$dir/bin/bash") { print (_g("INF: ./bin/dash not found. Setting ./bin/sh -> ./bin/bash\n")); chdir ("$dir/bin"); symlink ("bash", "sh"); chdir ("$old"); } } if (-l "$dir/bin/sh") { print ("${dir}bin/sh found OK:\n"); system ("(cd $dir ; ls -lh bin/sh)"); } else { die ("No shell."); } } sub tidy_apt { print _g("I: Tidying up apt cache and list data.\n"); unlink ("${dir}etc/apt/sources.list") if (-f "${dir}etc/apt/sources.list"); opendir (DEBS, "${dir}${libdir}lists/") or die (_g("Cannot read apt lists directory.\n")); my @lists=grep(!m:\.\.?$:, readdir DEBS); closedir (DEBS); foreach my $file (@lists) { next if (-d $file); unlink ("${dir}${libdir}lists/$file"); } opendir (DEBS, "${dir}${cachedir}/") or die (_g("Cannot read apt cache directory.\n")); my @files=grep(!m:\.\.?$:, readdir DEBS); closedir (DEBS); foreach my $file (@files) { next if (-d $file); next unless ($file =~ /\.bin$/); unlink ("${dir}${cachedir}$file"); } if ($unpack eq "true") { opendir (DEBS, "${dir}${cachedir}/archives/") or die (_g("Cannot read apt archives directory.\n")); my @files=grep(!m:\.\.?$:, readdir DEBS); closedir (DEBS); foreach my $file (@files) { next if (-d $file); next unless ($file =~ /\.deb$/); (defined $sourcedir) ? system ("mv ${dir}${cachedir}archives/$file $sourcedir/$file") : unlink ("${dir}${cachedir}archives/$file"); ; } } } # if native arch, do a few tasks just because we can and probably should. sub native { print _g("I: Native mode - configuring unpacked packages . . .\n"); my $e=`LC_ALL=C printenv`; my $str = ($e =~ /\nUSER=root\n/) ? "" : "sudo"; $str = (-f "/usr/bin/sudo") ? "$str" : ""; my $env = "DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive ". "DEBCONF_NONINTERACTIVE_SEEN=true ". "LC_ALL=C LANGUAGE=C LANG=C"; printf (_g("I: dpkg configuration settings:\n\t%s\n"), $env); # check that we have a workable shell inside the chroot &check_bin_sh("$dir"); system ("$str $env chroot $dir dpkg --configure -a"); } sub get_required_debs { # emulate required="$(get_debs Priority: required)" # from debootstrap/functions # needs to be run after the first apt-get install so that # Packages files exist my @required=(); my @debs=(); opendir (PKGS, "${dir}${libdir}lists/") or die sprintf(_g("Cannot open %s directory. %s\n"), "${dir}${libdir}lists/", $!); my @lists=grep(/_Packages$/, readdir (PKGS)); closedir (PKGS); foreach my $strap (@debootstrap) { my $s = lc($strap); foreach my $l (@lists) { push (@required, $l); } } foreach my $file (@required) { my $fh = IO::File->new("${dir}${libdir}lists/$file"); my $parser = Parse::Debian::Packages->new( $fh ); while (my %package = $parser->next) { next unless $package{'Priority'} eq "required"; push @debs, $package{'Package'}; } } return \@debs; } # inherited from apt-cross sub prepare_sources_list { my @source_list=(); # collate all available/configured sources into one list if (-e "/etc/apt/sources.list") { open (SOURCES, "/etc/apt/sources.list") or die _g("cannot open apt sources list. %s",$!); @source_list = ; close (SOURCES); } if (-d "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/") { opendir (FILES, "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/") or die _g("cannot open apt sources.list directory %s\n",$!); my @files = grep(!/^\.\.?$/, readdir FILES); foreach my $f (@files) { next if ($f =~ /\.ucf-old$/); open (SOURCES, "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/$f") or die _g("cannot open /etc/apt/sources.list.d/%s %s",$f, $!); while() { push @source_list, $_; } close (SOURCES); } closedir (FILES); } return \@source_list; } sub usageversion { printf STDERR (_g(" %s version %s Usage: %s [-a ARCH] [-d DIR] -f CONFIG_FILE %s -?|-h|--help|--version Command: -f|--file CONFIG_FILE: path the the multistrap configuration file. Options: -a|--arch ARCHITECTURE: override the configuration file architecture. -d|--dir PATH: override the configuration file directory. --no-auth: do not use Secure Apt for any repositories --tidy-up: remove apt cache data and downloaded archives. -?|-h|--help: print this usage message and exit --version: print this usage message and exit %s extends debootstrap to provide support for multiple repositories, using a configuration file to specify the relevant suites, architecture, extra packages and the mirror to use for each repository. Example configuration: [General] arch=armel directory=/opt/multistrap/ # same as --tidy-up option if set to true cleanup=true # same as --no-auth option if set to true # keyring packages listed in each debootstrap will # still be installed. noauth=false # extract all downloaded archives (default is true) unpack=true # aptsources is a list of sections to be used for downloading packages # and lists and placed in the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list # of the target. Order is not important aptsources=Grip Updates # the order of sections is not important. # the debootstrap option determines which repository # is used to calculate the list of Priority: required packages. debootstrap=Debian [Debian] packages= source=http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian keyring=debian-archive-keyring suite=lenny This will result in a completely normal debootstrap of Debian lenny from the specified mirror, for armel in /opt/multistrap/. 'Architecture' and 'directory' can be overridden on the command line. Specify a package to extend the debootstap to include that package and all dependencies. Dependencies will be calculated by apt so as to use only the most recent suitable version from all configured repositories. General settings: 'directory' specifies the top level directory where the debootstrap will be created - it is not packed into a .tgz once complete. "), $progname, $ourversion, $progname, $progname, $progname) or die ("$progname: ". _g("failed to write usage:") . "$!\n"); } sub _g { return gettext(shift); } =pod =head1 Name em_multistrap - extends debootstrap for multiple repository support =head1 Synopsis em_multistrap [-a ARCH] [-d DIR] -f CONFIG_FILE em_multistrap -?|-h|--help|--version =head1 Options (These options can also be set in the configuration file.) --tidy-up - remove apt cache data, downloaded Packages files and the apt package cache. Same as cleanup=true. --no-auth - allow the use of unauthenticated repositories. Same as noauth=true =head1 Description em_multistrap provides a debootstrap-like method based on apt and extended to provide support for multiple repositories, using a configuration file to specify the relevant suites, architecture, extra packages and the mirror to use for each debootstrap. The aim is to create a complete debootstrap with all packages installed and configured, instead of just the base system. Example configuration: [General] arch=armel directory=/opt/multistrap/ # same as --tidy-up option if set to true cleanup=true # same as --no-auth option if set to true # keyring packages listed in each debootstrap will # still be installed. noauth=false # extract all downloaded archives (default is true) unpack=true # aptsources is a list of sections to be used for downloading packages # and lists and placed in the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/multistrap.sources.list # of the target. Order is not important aptsources=Grip Updates # the order of sections is not important. # the debootstrap option determines which repository # is used to calculate the list of Priority: required packages. debootstrap=Debian [Debian] packages= source=http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian keyring=debian-archive-keyring suite=lenny This will result in a completely normal debootstrap of Debian lenny from the specified mirror, for armel in '/opt/multistrap/'. Specify a package to extend the multistrap to include that package and all dependencies. Specify more debootstraps by adding new sections. Section names are used in the debootstrap general option. Section names are case-insensitive. e.g. change debootstrap=Debian to debootstrap=Grip then add the new section for Grip: [Grip] packages=locales keyring=emdebian-archive-keyring source=http://www.emdebian.org/grip suite=lenny Setting Grip instead of Debian in the debootstrap option, as above, will provide a base system from Emdebian Grip 1.0 and locate any missing dependencies in Debian 5.0 Lenny, allowing you to add any package(s) you need from Debian that are not yet in Emdebian Grip. All dependencies are resolved only by apt, using all configured repositories, to use only the most recent and most suitable dependencies. Note that multistrap turns off Install-Recommends so if the multistrap needs a package that is only a Recommended dependency, the recommended package needs to be specified in the packages line explicitly. 'Architecture' and 'directory' can be overridden on the command line. Other general options have command line options, except debootstrap itself. =head1 General settings: 'directory' specifies the top level directory where the debootstrap will be created - it is not packed into a .tgz once complete. As with debootstrap, em_multistrap will continue after errors. em_multistrap does not currently implement the machine:variant support used in Emdebian but the build directory is not packed up at the end of the run so other scripts can be used to implement customisations. =head1 Secure Apt To use authenticated apt repositories, multistrap either needs to be able to install an appropriate keyring package from the existing apt sources *outside the multistrap environment* or have the relevant keys already configured using apt-key *on the host system*. If relevant packages exist, specify them in the 'keyring' option for each repository. em_multistrap will then check that apt has already installed this package so that the repository can be authenticated before any packages are downloaded from it. Note that *all* repositories to be used with multistrap must be authenticated or apt will fail. Similarly, secure apt can only be disabled for all repositories (by using the --no-auth command line option or setting the general noauth option in the configuration file), even if only one repository does not have a suitable keyring available. Not all packages need keyring packages, if you configure apt-key appropriately. The keyring package(s) will also be installed inside the multistrap environment to match the installed apt sources for the multistrap. All configuration of apt-key needs to be done for the machine running multistrap itself. =head1 State multistrap is stateless - if the directory exists, it will simply proceed as normal and apt will try to pick up where it left off. =head1 Configuration multistrap unpacks the downloaded packages but other stages of system configuration are not attempted. Examples include: /etc/inittab /etc/fstab /etc/hosts /etc/securetty /etc/modules /etc/hostname /etc/network/interfaces /etc/init.d /etc/dhcp3 Any device-specific device nodes will also need to be created using MAKEDEV. Once multistrap has successfully created the basic file and directory layout, other device-specific scripts are needed before the filesystem can be packaged up and installed onto the target device. Once installed, the packages themselves need to be configured using the package maintainer scripts and C, unless this is a native multistrap. For C to work, F and F must be mounted (or mountable), F is also recommended. See also: http://wiki.debian.org/Multistrap =head1 Environment To configure the unpacked packages (whether in native or cross mode), certain environment variables are needed: Debconf needs to be told to accept that user interaction is not desired: DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive DEBCONF_NONINTERACTIVE_SEEN=true Perl needs to be told to accept that no locales are available inside the chroot and not to complain: LC_ALL=C LANGUAGE=C LANG=C Then, dpkg can configure the packages: chroot method (PATH = top directory of chroot): DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive DEBCONF_NONINTERACTIVE_SEEN=true \ LC_ALL=C LANGUAGE=C LANG=C chroot /PATH/ dpkg --configure -a at a login shell: # export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive DEBCONF_NONINTERACTIVE_SEEN=true # export LC_ALL=C LANGUAGE=C LANG=C # dpkg --configure -a (As above, dpkg needs F and F mounted first.) =head1 Native mode - multistrap em_multistrap was not intended for native support, it was developed for cross architecture support. In order for multiple repositories to be used, em_multistrap only unpacks the packages selected by apt. In native mode, various post-multistrap operations are likely to be needed that debootstrap would do for you: 1. copy /etc/hosts into the chroot 2. clean the environment to unset LANGUAGE, LC_ALL and LANG to silence nuisance perl warnings that obscure other errors (An alternative to unset the localisation variables is to add locales to your multistrap configuration file in the 'packages' option. A native multistrap can be used directly with chroot, so C runs C at the end of the multistrap process. =head1 Local repositories apt will not download packages from repositories that use the file:// type, so multistrap is unable to locate the package files. Always use a http:// or ftp:// method like F. =cut