Ubuntu – OEM Mode October 11, 2005
Posted by Carthik in guides, news, ubuntu.trackback
An OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) installation mode is now available for Ubuntu. This will help OEMs (like, say, hp, dell, or even your local computer store) to pre-install Ubuntu on a computer and sell it to you. Once you buy the computer, the first time you power up, you will be asked to set your time zone, create a new user and basically customize the computer for your use.
With the OEM installation mode, it is hoped that more and more vendors will pre-install Ubuntu on the computers they sell. As with everything else Ubuntu, the oem installation is free, and one can use a regular install disc to install in the OEM mode. Here’s how:
While the OEM mode is part of Ubuntu 5.10, it is not yet documented in full. Fortunately, the basic OEM mode install consists of only 7 steps:
1. Place the Ubuntu 5.10 Install CD in the CD-ROM Drive and power on the computer.
2.At boot:, type oem and press Enter.
3.The Ubuntu 5.10 installer will run. Follow the on-screen instructions to start the installation.
4.Once the installation is complete, you will be informed that Ubuntu 5.10 has been fully installed and the computer is ready for shipping.
5.You can also run a system test to check if the installation of Ubuntu 5.10 OEM mode went smoothly. The system test will run the Ubuntu Hardware Database and will check if the hardware is configured correctly.
6.Sell the Computer…Profit! =) (The next step is for the potential buyer…)
7. Power on your new Ubuntu-powered computer (or laptop!). You will be asked to select your language, keyboard layout, time zone configuration, and create your first user account. The first user account created has administrative rights via sudo. Since Ubuntu 5.10 is a multi-user system, you can create more user accounts as needed.
From Jerome.
For users like you and me, who are used to installing their own OS on their machines, this means little, but this might be good to promote the adoption of Ubuntu. Expect to see a lot more computers with Ubuntu pre-installed for sale on ebay, for one!
Ubuntu Blog 
Just out of curosity, is multimedia support (ie MP3, flash, quicktime, etc) come with the OEM version. I’m guessing no since it seems like there would be copyright issues with some of the non-free formats. If I’m right, I don’t think that there will be a high demand from manufacturers because its going to be hard for them to sell folks (except for linux enthusiats who would probably just download Ubuntu anyways) a computer without multimedia support. Maybe, I’m wrong though, which would be very cool.
~Andrew S.
[…] Dos dies abans de la publicació de la versió estable d’Ubuntu 5.10, m’assabento via Ubuntu Blog que han incorporat una nou procés d’instal·lació a la distribució. […]
I suppose not, seeing as it is against their policy, and also illegal (to distribute it for free without paying license/royalty fees).
But the oem distributors would be free to add these…
[…] instalador para OEMs, sobre o qual já tinha lido neste artigo do Ubuntu Blog; um bom passo no caminho da resolução do bug #1 do Ubuntu. […]
Problem is the OEM thing crashes at it’s first run in Kubuntu. It seems this was not tested at all, as this bug will show the first time you try it.
[…] Via: Ubuntu Blog […]
I think this feature would be better if you could be able to do a full cycle reboot without it throwing you out of OEM mode… i.e. in shutdown or logout, there is an option to reenter OEM mode on the next boot. Sometimes, you need to be able to restart the system to see if the settings take root. As of right now, a reboot sends me to end-user mode.
OEM is usally prefered on pc’s that are sent out by vendors. Think about it, when OEM mode is installed, the hardware in your pc will usually get attempted to be supported with out taking the time to get it working. For example, wireless drivers. It would probably ask you for the files, then boom, your done. Then you gotta do all the wi-fi stuff, and so on.
[…] Artigos em português sobre o modo de instalção com arquivo de auto-resposta são poucos. Saiba também que o ubuntu agora tem um modo de instalação OEM que pode gerar uma pré instalação do Sistema Operacional veja: https://ubuntu.wordpress.com/2005/10/11/ubuntu-oem-mode/ […]
I have used OEM mode – it ran successfully to completion.
I tried to run temporarily with the eom user to set up the user accounts and it asked me for a password.
During OEM install, I was not asked to input a password – I tried to skip giving a username and was forced to go around again – but I was not asked to input a password.
Is there a default password or what do I do???
HELP!!!!
have used OEM mode – it ran successfully to completion.
I tried to run temporarily with the eom user to set up the user accounts and it asked me for a password.
During OEM install, I was not asked to input a password – I tried to skip giving a username and was forced to go around again – but I was not asked to input a password.
Is there a default password or what do I do???
HELP!!!!
UPDATE ON LATER PROGRESS:
I later put in the username I had entered during oem install and, as I was getting desperate, I might have entered the password I entered on a previous Ubuntu installation attempt (automatic – which failed) and then UBUNTU let me in as oem!! YIPPEE!!!
a) What do I have to do to set up the real user and password?
Note: For all that I used this username to get into oem – only the oem temporary user is shown under users.
b) What is wrong with continuing to use oem permanently??
Also, I typed password into help and about fifteen types of passwords came up.
c) Where do assign all these, please??
OBSERVATION: Really, I think a little bit of paperwork or briefing notes could make all this a lot simpler. If I was not an experienced Windows user and prepared to dable, I would not have got this far.
The Good thing about Windows, I have decided, is that it was made user friendly.
The Good thing about Linux is it is not Windows and a laud its ethic.
The Bad thing about Linux is the clever way everything is presented.
If I was an expert at Linux it might be fine, but I don’t know how it differs from Windows etc. etc. because no one ever bothers to tell the basics in plain english.
[…] Ubuntu tem uma instalação em modo “OEM” desde a versão 5.10, justamente para facilitar sua adoção por fabricantes de hardware. Agora, […]
I did not introduce any password while installation of my oem dell XPS ubuntu distro and I need it to upgrade, update, create new users etc.
What can I do?
you can fix that in single user mode. even recover root.
hjfejirqgxxvdqtawell, hi admin adn people nice forum indeed. how’s life? hope it’s introduce branch 😉
This is all very well and good, But those of us who need OEM for OEM, given that most messages here I have read, simply don’t imply that anyone here is doing anything more than playing with OEM. I need to be able to duplicate the hard drives for the mass production of computers preloaded with Ubuntu. So any ideas as to how to do this? I am a realy OEM who manufaturer 10 000 Fedora Systems a month. (hint) 🙂
Hmm…I’m not sure if this works for me. It would appreat the script is executed when I shut down, not when I log in.
Also another question: the script I want to roon requires root access. Do I need to do anything sepcial?
I suppose not, seeing as it is against their policy, and also illegal (to distribute it for free without paying license/royalty fees).
Дамы и господа, приглашаю Вас посетить этот удивительный сайт. Ведь именно тут Вы увидите:
Вагонка Москва. Наконец-то нашлось что-то стоящее.
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