I guess I don't really know where to begin -- first time

[BlueToast]

This is where I am starting from:
https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php/FOGUserGuide#Installation_on_different_distributions_of_Linux

What OS I want to choose:
The most recent and stable of either Ubuntu or Debian

OS I tried:
Ubuntu Server 12.04 32-bit CD ISO

Where I acquired the OS from:
http://releases.ubuntu.com/12.04/

What my problem is:
Ubuntu 14.10 and 14.04 have notes “(Buggy)” and “WARNING THIS VERSION OF LINUX, IT IS RELATIVITY NEW AND THERE ARE ISSUES WITH TFTP UPSTART AGAIN, WHEN TIME ALLOWS AND MAJOR ISSUES WITH FOG HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, WE WILL TACKLE FIXES FOR THE UBUNTU 14.04 OPERATING SYSTEM!”

Ubuntu 13.10, 13.04, and 12.10 aren’t even available for download from Ubuntu’s website

After I install Ubuntu Server 12.04 32-bit on a server that I want to dedicate to FOG, I want to operate it remotely via SSH so I attempt to install OpenSSH Server and for grins Ubuntu Desktop. Instead, I get error messages about index files failing to download/ being ignored / old ones used instead / packages having unmet dependencies / dependencies not installable / unable to correct problems and that I have held broken packages. I am doing this logged in as root using a direct keyboard and monitor hook-up, and have tried variations of “sudo apt-get” and “sudo aptitude” with the -f parameter and “update” and “install openssh-server” and “install ubuntu-desktop”. I doubt that if I continued FOG would even install. The server is able to successfully attain a LAN IP address and communicate with computers on the internet (ex. download files, ping Google, etc).

Example error messages:
“W: Failed to fetch blahblahblah_Packages Hash Sum mismatch”
“E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.”
“Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable distribution that some required packages have not yet been created or been moved out of Incoming.”
“The following packages have unmet dependencies:”
“Depends: libwrap0 (>= 7.6-4~) but it is not installable”
and more “<whatever here> but it is not installable”
“E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.”

Commands I tried, all with fail results:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install openssh-server
sudo apt-get install openssh-server -f
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop -f
sudo aptitude update
sudo aptitude -f update
sudo aptitude install openssh-server
sudo aptitude -f install openssh-server
sudo aptitude install ubuntu-desktop
sudo aptitude -f install ubuntu-desktop

New problem reaching this point in the thread:
The FOG Wiki is confusing, not upfront, straight forward, and tech friendly. I’m not a Linux-god to figure this out myself. I wish there would be something that would give guaranteed-to-work instructions and just tell me what to do rather than give me several dozen choices, some of which shoo me away with notes about being buggy or having unresolved major issues, and others that appear to be solid and stable don’t actually work and require a lot of Linux experience and knowledge to resolve.

I am afraid that without such instructions I would need to spend a significant and impractical amount of time (several days to weeks) before I get a working FOG server that could have maybe been avoided with improved installation instructions, maybe.

I can’t help but to imagine that I would be trying every single version of Ubuntu and Debian that I could possibly get my hands on (aka spending time waiting on ISO downloads, burning to CDs and DVDs, waiting on server boots and changing discs, waiting on OS installation) and trying every possible combination of settings and solutions I find through Google … that I would spend all the little energy I have remaining after coming home from work trying to get this up and running. Is it really cost effective and practical to spend such a quantity of time? It might be better to go with a paid solution but I really want to benefit from FOG.

I’m sorry if I seem arrogant because I don’t mean to look arrogant. I’m sorry for my ignorance, I just see myself as a simple person. =( Truth is, I need help and I feel that I won’t succeed here without help from others. I would like someone’s help.

[Tom Elliott]

@BlueToast The hardest part about what I’m seeing out of this post is that it seems, to me, that you haven’t tried installing fog yet. The installation of an OS is usually pretty straightforward. The instructions on the WIKI are the actual installation of FOG.

12.04 is an OLD version of Ubuntu. Ubuntu doesn’t maintain repositories in the same fashion as other distributions. Through that, I believe, when any distro reaches a point of “No longer support” their repositories will typically be inaccessible. Ubuntu 12.04 is supposedly still supported, but I do see issues now and again.

What I’m understanding out of your post is that the installation and update of the Ubuntu 12.04 system you have is not working as expected. Does this sound correct? You’re afraid to continue further because the updates won’t happen properly?

Being new to linux is not the only issue you’re running into, as the errors you’re seeing during the update operation are not something we know will happen at specific times. While the error message you saw displayed about 14.04 being “buggy” is somewhat true, it doesn’t mean you can’t try it. It’s just a warning to people so they know when there are other issues with FOG, down the road, that we are aware of the problem.

My recommendations, if you really want to use a Debian/Ubuntu OS, install Ubuntu 15.04. This is one of the more modern Ubuntu’s. The only caveat I add is that you will need to install the “svn/trunk/development” version of FOG which has been tested and seems to operate properly on Ubuntu and Debian of their more modern releases.

Install/Upgrade to trunk click here

When installing ANY OS, you can install it with a GUI (Desktop as you elegantly put) and things should work fine. The only suggestion (and I develop fog so please listen as much as you can) is to not install Apache, Mysql, PHP with the installation. Also, I’d recommend NOT making a linux user named “fog” as the fog installer will do all of this for you.

Part of the reason the WIKI’s aren’t as “straight forward” is because the installer handles almost everything for you.

The only things you should be made aware of and need to “configure” is to disable firewall, make sure your server has a static IP Address, and if your OS has it, disable SELINUX.

If you need help, do as you did, but don’t make it seem like you’ve already given up. From my reading of your post, you haven’t even made it to installing FOG on the system, but you’ve already given up.

[Wayne Workman]

I recommend you trying FOG Trunk as Tom suggested.

IF by chance you didn’t want Ubuntu or Debian anymore, you could try Fedora or CentOS. I pride myself in being a clear technical writer; see what you think of this: https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php/Fedora_21_Server

[BlueToast]

@Wayne-Workman
Thanks! I was successful with getting FOG setup on Fedora 21. The server I am using has multiple NICs, and eth0 uses DHCP for internet access while eth1 is for a private PXE with DHCP run by FOG. I had to include in the rc.local two additional lines before the “exit 0” –

ifdown eth1
ifup eth1

If I didn’t do that, then DHCP wouldn’t be broadcasting anything nor would the statically assigned IP address be pingable from another computer on the same private LAN (also with static IP assignment since the DHCP wasn’t working).

I’ll have to spend more time with FOG and reading the manual. I registered a machine and did an upload of the template image I am using. Right now I am relying on Acronis TrueImage for “imaging” (have to use a USB3 hard drive docking station) and it works flawlessly, just takes more time and only one drive at a time.

This experience, even if it takes me 6-12 months to learn, will be super advantageous to me.

@Tom-Elliott
I’m sorry and you’re right, I didn’t try and I was being a spoiled cry baby for not having remote SSH and allowed that to be the show stopper. =(

[Tom Elliott]

For fedora, You shouldn’t be adding “ifup eth1, ifdown eth1” info to the rc.local.

Edit the:
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth1 and add the line ONBOOT=“yes” or edit it if ONBOOT=“no” already exists.

This should make sure the interface starts up on boot.

[EAHarvey]

Don’t get frustrated. We all have to start somewhere. I think you’re doing a great job. The group here is super nice and knowledgeable. I would say just do it. Load a Virtual box, Load a server, load FOG and break it. Then fix it, then start over. lol. I know this sounds crazy but you can learn so much by just doing this. With the help of this group and a little diligence, you will be kicking FOG but in no time. Keep it up!!

[SKasai]

From personal experience…

Each flavor of Linux will have its own frustration. The important thing is, take it slow… Take it easy…

I am currently in a University environment where I literally have 3+ or so OSes to figure out a lot of times. Heck, I am working with Fedora and CentOS as the mainstay, but have others who are on Ubuntu. And mind you, CentOS 6 as well as CentOS 7 now, Fedora 20 and 22…

One of the major problems you will run into is just repositories, unfortunately, FOG will not always have the answers nor their wiki because it is still hard to cover it all and I also found that while the FOG Project guys try to make sure you have all the repositories, sometimes the stumbling block is that the machine you are on may not be ‘nice’ when trying to look at new repositories and you have to make sure you enable the ones they put in.

Another thing to note, that some Repositories may not be ‘ideal’. As CentOS is one of the OSes that tend to change not as much… Some of the expected repositories may not have the ‘latest’ or ‘stable’ builds that some people will be willing to vette. So again, take it slow and easy.

[Wayne Workman]

@SKasai Right now I’m learning Devil Linux for a side project that has to do with an 89 Camaro