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I'm wanting to do a minimal install of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on a VM I'm making. My original thought was to use either the network installer or the minimal CD, but both of those seem to be gone right now. How would I be able to get that kind of install on 20.04 LTS?

Tyll'a
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  • I have a similar problem, and worked out a solution using cloud images. I posted it [here](https://askubuntu.com/questions/1284477/customize-an-ubuntu-20-04-virtualbox-vm/1285100#1285100) today. Hope this helps... – MastroGeppetto Oct 19 '20 at 17:03
  • how big is the minimum install of this version of ubuntu? – Patoshi パトシ Jul 04 '21 at 11:15

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The Netinstall/Minimal image (two names for the same thing) was a byproduct of the Debian installer server build. While popular with some users, the Ubuntu developers never supported it.

Ubuntu Server recently changed to a new installer, so the Netinstall image will longer be created. The final 20.04 Netinstall image is here.

  1. For a VM, consider using a daily cloud image: https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/focal/current/

  2. For Bare Metal, consider simply using an older Netinstall image, then release-upgrading those minimal packages to 20.04, then installing the rest of your system.

  3. Netbooting the server installer is still possible, see https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/netbooting-the-live-server-installer/14510

There are many other options: Vagrant, pre-built VMs, Ubuntu Core, Ubuntu Base, etc. It really depends upon what you want your final system configuration to look like.

user535733
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  • So what you're saying is that I would be best off using the server installer? (The VM is intended to be a dev/testing VM for a program I'm writing, so pretty much all I'd need is Xfce, VS Code, NodeJS, and MySQL) – Tyll'a Aug 03 '20 at 00:50
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    All of the options will get you there. What's *best* is what you are most comfortable using. For a *testing* environment, I recommend getting as close to a user environment as possible...that means a real desktop install. Sure it might be slow...but so what? You are looking for bugs, not performance. – user535733 Aug 03 '20 at 01:05
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    The netboot image is still generated, but has been renamed *legacy*. The Ubuntu devs say it will no longer be available in Ubuntu 20.10, which I think would be a shame – Andrew Lowther Aug 03 '20 at 14:32
  • @AndrewLowther edited to address your comment. Any community volunteer with the requisite skills and interest can step up to continue creating the mini.iso, and indeed to make it a supported method of install. All that lacks is one volunteer.... – user535733 Aug 03 '20 at 15:14
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    how should we use the daily cloud image, it is not .iso formatted and vmare can not use it. – ZhaoGang Feb 10 '21 at 06:10
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    @ZhaoGang please open a new question for that. Please do not hijack an answer with a tangential new question. – user535733 Feb 10 '21 at 06:24
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You still can get netboot installer (mini.iso, for now it is called Legacy Ubuntu Server Installer) from direct link below

http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/focal/main/installer-amd64/current/legacy-images/netboot/mini.iso

N0rbert
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You can select "Minimal installation" in the graphic assistant. This will install a web browser and basic utilities. But you still have to download the full 3Gb iso for that. Screenshot of the live install wizard

Rexave
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