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[Matthew Ruffell <1772556@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As a final sanity check, I built a new debian-installer monolithic
netinstall ISO image, along with the usual vmlinuz / initrd.gz files.
When I built them, I enabled -proposed, and debootstrap-udeb
1.0.95ubuntu0.7 was included in the generated MANIFEST.udeb file.

The ISO images and initrd.gz files are here:
https://people.canonical.com/~mruffell/sf289200-proposed/

I did a test install with the mini.iso image, selecting [Advanced
Install] then [Command Line Expert Install]. When it asked for package
mirrors, I selected https, and used a local mirror that supports https,
mirror.fsmg.org.nz.

The install worked as expected with no errors. I checked /etc/apt/sources.list in the installed system, and all the apt sources pointed to
deb https://mirror.fsmg.org.nz/ubuntu/ bionic main

The package in -proposed fixes the problem, and works with https
mirrors.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1772556

Title:
  d-i netinstall fails due to missing apt-transport-https package

Status in debootstrap package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed
Status in debootstrap source package in Bionic:
  Fix Committed
Status in debootstrap source package in Eoan:
  Won't Fix
Status in debootstrap source package in Focal:
  Fix Committed
Status in debootstrap package in Debian:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  [Impact]

  When installing over the network using a netinstall image with pxe
  boot and with an https apt mirror, the installer fails with the error:

    Debootstrap error

    couldn't find these debs: apt-transport-https

    Check /var/log/syslog or see virtual console 4 for the details

  This happens due to apt-transport-https moving to universe from bionic
  onward, but still being required by debootstrap when it sees a https
  apt mirror, even though support for https mirrors is built into apt.

  [Testcase]

  With debootstrap alone:

    $ sudo debootstrap bionic output-dir https://<https-mirror>
    ...

    - Before: "E: Couldn't find these debs: apt-transport-https"
    - After: "I: Base system installed successfully."

  Or with the debian-installer:

  Use the 18.04.4 LTS netinstall ISO to PXE boot with a preseed that
  uses a custom https apt mirror. Something like:

  ```
  d-i mirror/country string manual
  d-i mirror/protocol string https
  d-i mirror/https/hostname string mirrors.ptisp.pt
  d-i mirror/https/directory string /ubuntu/
  d-i mirror/https/proxy string
  ```

  The installer will fail with the error in the impact section.

  There are test packages for debootstrap available in the following
  PPA, for both bionic and focal:

  https://launchpad.net/~mruffell/+archive/ubuntu/sf289200-test

  I have also built a test netinstall ISO with the test debootstrap
  packages, and is available here:

  https://people.canonical.com/~mruffell/sf289200/

  You probably want to use mini.iso for PXE boot, but vmlinuz and
  initrd.gz are provided as well.

  [Regression Potential]

  The fix adds checks for specific distribution releases, so if someone
  is trying to debootstrap a previous release where apt-transport-https
  is still required, it will still function.

  For users of newer releases, it simply omits the package. apt-
  transport-https will still be available in universe if anyone still
  needs it.

  If a regression did occur, users may not be able to access https apt
  mirrors when using debootstrap. In this case, users can use a plain
  http mirror until things are fixed.

  Due to apt-transport-https not being needed in bionic onward, due to
  being built into apt directly, I believe this change won't introduce
  any regressions.

  [Other info]

  The fix landed in upstream debootstrap in the following commit:

  commit 66cbaae642953beba8aec393f3eca076abd89a7d
  From: Hideki Yamane <henrich@xxxxxxxxxx>
  Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2020 00:10:25 +0900
  Subject: select codename for apt-transport-https (Closes: #920255, #879755)
  Link: https://salsa.debian.org/installer-team/debootstrap/-/commit/66cbaae642953beba8aec393f3eca076abd89a7d

  It adds a check for distro release name, and if they fall within Zesty
  and prior, then it requires apt-transport-https, and if Artful and
  later, then it is omitted.

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