Need a way to quietly proceed if no network interface is present

[Matt Zimmerman]

As discussed, casper wants to configure the network if possible, but quietly
proceed otherwise. It currently uses the following preseeds in pursuit of this
goal:

    db_register debian-installer/dummy netcfg/choose_interface
    db_fset netcfg/choose_interface seen true

    db_register debian-installer/dummy netcfg/dhcp_failed
    db_fset netcfg/dhcp_failed seen true

    db_register debian-installer/dummy netcfg/dhcp_options
    db_fset netcfg/dhcp_options seen true
    db_set netcfg/dhcp_options 'Do not configure the network at this time'

    db_register debian-installer/dummy netcfg/get_hostname
    db_set netcfg/get_hostname ubuntu
    db_fset netcfg/get_hostname seen true

    db_register debian-installer/dummy netcfg/wireless_wep
    db_fset netcfg/wireless_wep seen true

One case which remains unsolved is where no network interfaces are available
whatsoever. In this case, netcfg displays netcfg/no_interfaces, and seems to
end up backing up to the main menu. What I would like for it to do is to move
to GET_HOSTNAME_ONLY state.

I don't have a convenient way to reproduce this (even qemu has a supported NIC),
but John Richard Moser has mentioned it repeatedly on the mailing list, and
should be happy to assist:

http://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2005-January/003870.html

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

This was surprisingly easy:

casper (0.42) hoary; urgency=low

  * Preseed netcfg/no_interfaces, to avoid prompt when no network interfaces
    can be configured (closes: Ubuntu #6107).
  * Remove redundant DH_COMPAT setting in debian/rules, since there's
    already a (different) debian/compat.

 -- Colin Watson <email address hidden> Tue, 22 Feb 2005 12:43:43 +0000

For future reference, you can reproduce this regardless of your hardware by the
following procedure:

  * change the debconf priority to low at the first opportunity
  * step through the installer until you're about to enter "Detect network hardware"
  * switch to the second console
  * remove the kernel modules corresponding to your network hardware
  * switch back to the first console
  * change debconf priority back to high