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Using debootstrap is probably the fastest way to install a working Devuan-Debian system onto a hdd.

In fact, the netinstall CD uses debootstrap, with some automated scripts and package installs to select from, but running one's own scripts with it seems very limited and you still need to boot up the installed system or chroot into it to finish setting up, thus making extra steps.

Live-build uses it too but the end result is a live ISO to install to a CD or USB, that you also need to boot from (if it works!) before installing it to any device.

Using debootstrap directly from an installed system reduces the need for downloading and writing an ISO file and booting anything. Plus you can script the whole process to your liking, or make a task list, creating a new system ready to boot up in half an hour.

You could also run debootstrap from a live CD if you don't have an installed Linux to work from.

It is perhaps not for the complete novice however, although the process can be kept minimal and simplified to commands entered one by one.

The process in brief

format & mount a device

setup apt on target

Debootstrap a base system

write /etc/fstab

install Grub

setup locale

insall desktop packages

finish any jobs in chroot, such as copy system files over, setup sudoers for new user, add to fstab

Fist get it from repo...

The basic debootstrap command looks like this for devuan:

which translates to:
debootstrap ARCH SUITE TARGET MIRROR

Other suite names to use can be found in /usr/share/debootstrap/scripts/

To run it you will need to format a device and mount it and include the mount point (target) in the debootstrap command.

Scripting the process

Scripting the whole process is much more fun, but the script has to be written with safety nets and well tested.

And here's a script that I put together... it selects a device, runs debootstrap and enters chroot. It also copies over the apt cache to the target device.

If the nework is good and debootstrap can retrieve the base packages and gpg keys OK, then the process will only take a few minutes. If GPG fails to read the keys then it will fail, no system directories will get created on the target device and mounting sys, proc and dev will not work - hence the findmnt command in the script checks to see if the right system directories get mounted on the target or not.

Following that is another script that can be run in the chroot device.

#!/bin/bash
#run as root, pls check through before running it! Use at your own risk. 
#this script basically helps to automate selecting a device to install on, option format it, then run debootstrap (set here for devuan chimaera -check for others) before mounting and entering chroot on that device
#the script stops there and work can be done in chroot, such as set up apt, fstab, grub2, locales, packages etc - to quit chroot type `exit`and then this script will complete, unmounting everything.

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#set the Target device
blkid
echo -e "\n\nWhich partition would you like to use for the installation
 of the operating system?\n "

TGT=$(find /dev -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1  -name "*[sh]d[a-z][1-9]*" -o -name "*nvme*p[1-9]" \
  | sort | awk '{print $0 }' \
  | yad  --center --list --title=$"Partitions" --text="Choose the partition." \
    --separator="" --column $'Partitions' --height 380 --width 300 --button="OK":0)

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#format target!!!
mkfs.ext4 $TGT

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#set target mount
TMT=/mnt/target

mkdir $TMT
mount -t ext4 $TGT $TMT

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#enable use of apt pkgs during bootstrap install stage - if installing stable these pkgs hardly change except for some security updates so they can be copied from your running system, if you are running the same distro as the one intending to install!!!
mkdir -p $TMT/var/cache/apt/archives
rsync -ar /var/cache/apt/archives/* $TMT/var/cache/apt/archives
#or do: mount --bind /var/cache/apt/archives $TMT/var/cache/apt/archives

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#run debootstrap cmd on target device, for devuan release
debootstrap --arch amd64 chimaera $TMT http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ chimaera

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#copy the chroot commands script over
rsync -arult bootstrap_chroot.sh $TMT/tmp

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#copy apt files from running system
echo -e "\n\n.................................Setting up apt on target...."
rsync -ar /etc/apt $TMT/etc/

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#mount local dirs to TMT
mount -t proc proc $TMT/proc
mount -t sysfs sys $TMT/sys
mount -o bind /dev $TMT/dev
cp /etc/resolv.conf $TMT/etc/resolv.conf
cp /proc/mounts $TMT/etc/mtab

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#check mounts with
findmnt
echo -e "\n\n###################################################################################\n#
#  Is all OK?  Look above for errors. 
#  If debootstrap cannot obtain the release file or gpgv can't read it, then debootstrap will fail to install the base system and base directories, 
#  meaning that nothing just specified will mount (errors: mount points do not exist for /proc, /sys and /dev, and resolv.conf and mtab do not exist). \n#
###################################################################################\n
\n\nPress Enter if OK, or Q to quit the script"
read ans
	case $ans in
		[1]) break ;;
		[Qq]*) exit 0 ;;
	esac

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#change root to target
chroot $TMT /bin/bash

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#unmounting
TMT=/mnt/target
umount $TMT/home
umount $TMT/sys $TMT/dev $TMT/proc 
umount /var/cache/apt/archives

echo -e "\n\n.................................All local sys unmounted from target!
.................................Target still mounted at $TMT"

echo "\n\nUnmount $TMT as well? \n
press Enter to unmount 
press Q and Enter to keep $TMT mounted."

read ans
	case $ans in
		[1]) break ;;
		[Qq]*) exit 0 ;;
	esac
	
umount $TMT
umount $TMT
#2nd time to give the not mounted message!

Another script here, to run commands in chroot.

#!/bin/bash
#run as root: sh /tmp/bootstrap_chroot.sh
#already copied to the target install at /tmp

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#confirm that the right device is mounted
dev1=$(findmnt -fn -o SOURCE /)
devmnt=$(findmnt -fn -o TARGET /)
echo -e "\n\nDevice $dev1 mounted on $devmnt is now root.\n
Is all OK? If the device given is your working box mounted at / then chroot did not work!\n
(Enter to continue/Ctrl-c to abort)\n\n"
read yes

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#updarte pkg lists
apt update

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#configure locale
echo -e "\n\n.................................Installing locale and rsync...."
apt install tzdata locales localepurge rsync keyboard-configuration yad
dpkg-reconfigure locales
dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#write root fs to fstab file
uuidroot=$(findmnt -fn -o UUID /)

echo -e "UUID=$uuidroot\t/\text4\tdefaults\t0\t1" > /etc/fstab

cat /etc/fstab
blkid
echo -e "\n\nBasic file system table written to /etc/fstab 
Is all OK? Hit Enter to continue or type N and enter to open nano editor\n\n"

read ans
	case $ans in
		[1]) break ;;
		[Nn]*) nano /etc/fstab ;;
	esac

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#install boot-loader
apt install grub2

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#separate /home partition
echo -e "\n\nDo you intend to use a separate /home partition?\n 
 (Enter Y or N): \n\n"

read ans
	case $ans  in
		[nN]) break ;;
		[yY]) home=$(find /dev -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1  -name "*[sh]d[a-z][1-9]*" -o -name "*nvme*p[1-9]" \
  | sort | awk '{print $0 }' \
  | yad  --center --list --title=$"Partitions" --text="Choose the partition." \
    --separator="" --column $'Partitions' --height 380 --width 300 --button="OK":0)
		
		mkfs.ext4 $home && mount $home /home ;;
	esac

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#write /home to fstab file
uuidhome=$(findmnt -fn -o UUID  $home)

echo -e  "UUID=$uuidhome\t/home\text4\tdefaults\t0\t2" >> /etc/fstab

cat /etc/fstab
echo -e "\n\nHome partition written to /etc/fstab !
Is all OK? Hit Enter to continue or type N and enter to open nano editor\n\n"

read ans
	case $ans in
		[1]) break ;;
		[Nn]*) nano /etc/fstab ;;
	esac

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#root passwd
echo "\n\nCreate a password for root"
passwd

#add user
echo -e "\n\nCreate a new user for login...\nEnter the user name and press Enter\n\n"
read user
adduser $user

#add groups
echo "\n\n.................................Adding groups and user $user to groups"
for g in dialout plugdev lpadmin admin clamav fuse audio ;do groupadd -f $g; done
for g in netdev dialout plugdev lpadmin admin clamav fuse audio sudo ;do adduser $user $g; done

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

echo $"
 Use a swap file?  Enter Y or N
"
	read swap
	case $swap in
		[Nn]) break ;;
		[Yy]*) 
		echo -e $"\nMaking a swap file...\n"
	fallocate -l 1G /swapfile
	mkswap /swapfile
	chmod 600 /swapfile
	echo -e "\nAdding swap fiile entry to fstab...\n"
	echo -e "swap\t/swapfile\tswap\tsw\t0\t0" >> /etc/fstab
	mkdir -p /etc/initramfs-tools/conf.d
	echo -e "RESUME=/swapfile" >> /etc/initramfs-tools/conf.d/resume
			;;		
	esac

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#apt install basic pkg list
apt install sudo iw rfkill lshw aptitude debootstrap linux-image-amd64

apt install xorg pm-utils hdparm cpufrequtils cpulimit alsa-utils openbox lxpanel lxtask lxpolkit network-manager-gnome tango-icon-theme obconf obmenu openbox-menu lxappearance-obconf moblin-cursor-theme rxvt-unicode htop elinks links2 gparted bash-completion xcape kbd less acpi elogind libpam-elogind xserver-xorg-legacy xserver-xorg-video-nvidia

apt install firmware-amd-graphics firmware-linux firmware-linux-nonfree firmware-iwlwifi

apt install ranger w3m w3m-img less xsel xvkbd  atool mediainfo jhead ffmpegthumbnailer trash-cli exiftool feh imagemagick zip unzip bzip2 p7zip-full ntfs-3g blktool dosfstools mtools testdisk partclone sshfs locate git cups gpa ntp yad rpl bluetooth blueman mtp-tools go-mtpfs adb pmount udiskie gvfs cdrdao discover rename apt-file xbacklight

apt install gtk2-engines gtk2-engines-xfce gtk2-engines-murrine gtk2-engines-cleanice gtk2-engines-aurora qt5-style-plugins

echo -e "\n\n.................................Done installing pkgs with apt!"

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
update-grub

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#just as a reminder to avoid any problems with command not found
echo "export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/scripts:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/bin" >> $user/.bashrc

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

echo "
Exit chroot and unmount devices? 
press Enter if that's OK - you can then attempt to boot into the new system!
press Q, Enter to quit the script, stay in chroot and continue work on the new install at the command line."

read ans
	case $ans in
		[1]) break ;;
		[Qq]*) exit 0 ;;
	esac
	
exit

Finally, while the target device is miounted, I sync over system settings files from my running box

rsync -arlt /etc/default/keyboard /mnt/target/etc/default
rsync -arlt /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf /mnt/target/etc/modprobe.d
rsync -arlt /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/iptables /mnt/target/etc/network/if-pre-up.d
rsync -arlt /etc/network/interfaces /mnt/target/etc/network
mkdir -p /etc/polkit-1/localauthority/50-local.d
rsync -arlt /etc/polkit-1/localauthority/50-local.d/udisks2.pkla /mnt/target/etc/polkit-1/localauthority/50-local.d
rsync -arlt /etc/X11/cursors/moblin.theme /mnt/target/etc/X11/cursors
rsync -arlt /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-monitor.conf //mnt/targetetc/X11/xorg.conf.d
rsync -arlt /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config /mnt/target/etc/X11
rsync -arlt /etc/xdg/menus/lxde-applications.menu /mnt/target/etc/xdg/menus
rsync -arlt /etc/hostname /mnt/target/etc
rsync -arlt /etc/hosts /mnt/target/etc
rsync -arlt /etc/iptables.up.rules /mnt/target/etc
rsync -arlt /usr/bin/apt-history /mnt/target/usr/bin
rsync -arlt /usr/bin/xs /mnt/target/usr/bin
chmod +x /mnt/target/usr/bin/xs
chmod +x /mnt/target/usr/bin/apt-history
rsync -arlt /usr/share/desktop-directories/editor.directory /mnt/target/usr/share/desktop-directories
rsync -arlt /usr/share/icons/* /mnt/target/usr/share/icons
rsync -arlt /root/.config/geany/geany.conf /mnt/target/root/.config/geany
mkdir /mnt/target/root/.config/geany/colorschemes
rsync -arlt /root/.config/geany/colorschemes/* /mnt/target/root/.config/geany/colorschemes
rsync -arlt /root/.config/ranger/* /mnt/target/root/.config/ranger
rsync -arlt /root/.bashrc /mnt/target/root
rsync -arlt /root/.bash_aliases /mnt/target/root

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Devuan bootstrapping

The process in brief

Scripting the process