Return of experience + howto: Debian Trixie (not armbian) install from netinst ISO

amouiche · February 13, 2025, 9:01am

UEFI EDK2 + official Debian ISO with generic arm64 kernel

amouiche/dev-blog/blob/master/Radxa_Rock5_ITX/debian_install.md

# Goal 

- Install Debian from official debian netinst ISO installer for arm64 to build a NAS based on Radxa ROCK5-ITX.
- I want something that will be maintained and upgradeable for years, so not based on a vendor kernel, but, if possible (and this is the case), based on generic arm64 kernel.

- I don't care about HDMI output or GPU. No screen will be attached. I'm only using the serial port for the install
- the main system will installed on a NVME driver. Multiple SATA drives will be grouped as a raid volume

Notes:

- A serial console is **highly recommended** for this process. Indeed, 
- Unfortunately **Bookworm kernel images don't have support for rk3588**. So currently, we only have access to future **Trixie** netinst images, which is still in Alpha.

# Image Download

## Debian Installer

Trixie alpha netinst image:

- https://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer

This file has been truncated. show original

dominik · February 13, 2025, 9:52am

I’ve checked debian with edk2 and can confirm that current debian image will fail, but some others linux UEFI ARM images worked.
Also note that serial console is recommended, but for now with EDK2 also monitor + keyboard. It failed to setup just via uart

BTW: It’s quite easy to generate Armbian UEFI images with right kernel and and already installed system (not installer). For me it’s just better option to flash image than to get installer working with periperials only. EDK2 is great solution but not for headless units.

amouiche · February 13, 2025, 10:09am

I agree that installing armbian image is really easy compared to Debian UEFI.
And I’m pretty sure to re-install the whole stuff with an armbian image since Trixie is still in alpha stage.

Concerning "EDK2[…] It failed to setup just via uart ", I have to disagree, since I did the setup only with uart.