Hd Install Without a Monitor HowTo

Warning, this is only for people, which knows how to play with GNU/Linx!

If you have no (or no free) monitor to install a new GNU/Linux server/firewall... but you have a laptop (or a PC with a monitor) - run knx-hdinstall unblind ;)

You can use Headless Knoppix and run a script to be able to use ssh, or connect a keyboard and type the first commands blind 

Connect on of the blackbox's netadapter with your Laptop by a cross-link cable or via a hub/switch. Put in the Knoppix CD and hope that the BIOS is set to CD-Boot first.

When now Knoppix is booted - you know after loading the bootloader you can use cheatcodes, type blind "knoppix 2" and return and Knoppix will boot. From now on, everytime you may make a typo, don't correct it, use Ctrl-C and type it again.

Switch to one root shell with

alt-ctr-F2

Change the rootpassword and remember to type it twice(!)

blind@blackbox#passwd root return
test return
test return

Setup the network, for example:

blind@blackbox# ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.5 netmask 255.255.255.0 up return
blind@blackbox# route add default gw 192.168.0.3 eth0 return

Knoppix has an active firewall, stop it:

blind@blackbox# rm /etc/hosts.deny return
blind@blackbox# rm /etc/hosts.allow return
blind@blackbox# /etc/init.d/inetd restart return

Warning - I can't explain how to make your system safe - hope that sombody will add this ;)

Start ssh:

blind@blackbox# /etc/init.d/ssh start return

Now go to your Laptop and when you can ping

user@laptop# ping 192.168.0.5 return

than your network is ok, then start a ssh connection:

user@laptop# ssh root@192.168.0.5

(if you got problems it is likely that your laptop has an active firewall.)

Via the ssh conection you can now start a VNC connection on your blackbox:

root@0/vncserver
root@0/vncviewer localhost:1

Now you can follow Hd InstallHowTo ;)

After the Knoppix HD-install update your Debian(unstable). When you laptop has two networkcards, an internetconnection and I hope a firewall, you can use it as router/firewall for secure your blackbox during you update it. Be root on your laptop:

root@laptop# modprobe iptable_nat
root@laptop# iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE
root@laptop# echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward