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I am trying to install a Linux OS(Debian) on my embedded device. My requirement is that, after a successful installation of OS, a set of file operations should be performed on the media from which the OS is getting installed. I need some clarification on who executes the process of OS installation, so I can understand which component I can modify to include the above mentioned installation action.

I think it is not the bootloader but an installation script such as Anaconda OS installer that carries out the task of OS installation. Bootloader only comes into picture while booting an already installed OS image. Can you please confirm?

If my understanding is correct, then I have to add a post installation action in Anaconda installation script to perform the file operations that I mentioned above. If it is really the boot loader that performs the OS installation , then I will have to figure out how to modify the bootloader script

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My understanding of generic Debian OS installation is as follows:

  1. Installation "live" distribution is booted via bootloader from installation media to memory
  2. Installation procedure starts - in case of Debian it's the DebianInstaller https://wiki.debian.org/DebianInstaller/
  3. Installer guides user using wizard to perform OS installation to a computer storage subsystem
  4. Installation finishes and system reboots

to answer this: "If my understanding is correct, then I have to add a post installation action in Anaconda installation script to perform the file operations that I mentioned above" .

  1. there's no Anaconda in Debian.
  2. You'd need to modify the DebianInstaller - here's a hint https://wiki.debian.org/DebianInstaller/Modify/CD and good luck with that :)

My personal weapon of choice would be to employ ansible or cloud init as post-install or pre-install process to achieve this.

On a side-note I would consider using an image or a template to achieve such post-install "automation" in a controlled environment.

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