How to ship Linux preinstalled
Posted by linuxed1@reddit | linux | View on Reddit | 22 comments
So I have a Lenovo laptop and I'm going to sell it. I would like to sell it with Ubuntu, or fedora installed.
How do I do that without me logging in etc.? so I know windows has a command to prep it for being logged in as a new user.
Does either Ubuntu, or fedora do that?
indie_web@reddit
I just erased Windows and installed Mint xfce on a brand new one spec Asus Vivobook without ever signing into Windows. I went straight into bios, set it to boot from the thumb drive I had already loaded with the Mint iso and that was it.
Asbolus_verrucosus@reddit
That’s not the question
indie_web@reddit
And you are who? My assigned gatekeeper?
Asbolus_verrucosus@reddit
Yes. Self-appointed. 🫡
indie_web@reddit
Quite the ego you have there.
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DesiOtaku@reddit
Ubuntu (and its variants) have an "OEM" install feature where the customer can set their own username / password on first boot.
linuxed1@reddit (OP)
Where do I find info on that at?
SuAlfons@reddit
really? it's just there. it's easy.
gtrash81@reddit
A lot of places, the documentation is scattered across at least 4 sites and tools.
I had to work with it, it is close to a nightmare.
AvonMustang@reddit
YouTube instructions…
https://youtu.be/jWX5nmMtM_E?si=r0EFaKbjSWMXAFgP
DesiOtaku@reddit
When you first boot in to the install disk, one of the options is "OEM install (for manufacturers)". It will do a regular install but just not ask you for username / password.
SuAlfons@reddit
Fedora now routinely installs but leaves the user creation for the first boot.
Back in the day when I used Ubuntu, there was a dedicated installation option for this. "OEM install" or similarly named.
Normal_Usual7367@reddit
spreading linux
Lower-Limit3695@reddit
Fedora by default has users setup their account after installing last time I checked.
Proman4713@reddit
Funny that just this morning I was researching the Ubuntu installer and learned about this:
You can use the OEM install mode (Ubuntu has documentation for it and so does YouTube), which is exactly how, for example, a Framework laptop is shipped with Ubuntu. It delays the user creation to after the system restart, so you can just shutdown the laptop after you see the user creation dialogue, and the buyer will see it when they boot it up the first time
Hanzerik307@reddit
LMDE7 has an OEM install option, maybe regular Linux Mint has it also?Â
For whatever distro you're going to use, I'd do a full install first and test everything out before using an OEM install. Customer might be a little disappointed if it didn't work.
Tricky_Branch_4925@reddit
latest fedora actually also got the new plasma setup tool, i'm not sure how exactly it's used but there's probably documentation somewhere
SpeedDaemon1969@reddit
I don't know if this is current any more, but:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/294377/install-ubuntu-without-creating-a-user-account
Failing that, you can just create a default account, and give the default username and password to the new owner. Then let them create a username & password of their liking.
linuxed1@reddit (OP)
Thanks folks!
Matheweh@reddit
I think when installing fedora if you don't configure a profile or root then it should allow people to add their own on first boot. Ubuntu has something similar, but I think the installer has like a OEM mode, where you configure the system and there's no user setup.
coopsoup247@reddit
Make a USB installer for the distro, boot into that, and then install the distro onto the laptop's SSD.
Once that's done, when it's next booted, it will ask the new user to configure the laptop.