Using DPKG To Install OpenVZ On Debian

To use the DPKG package manager to install OpenVZ, all you need to do is download the OpenVZ components, and let DPKG do the rest.

From your computer, open up a web browser, and go to this URL: http://download.openvz.org/debian/dists/etch/main/binary-i386/base/

Download the lastest kernel revision level, for your particular DEBIAN distro. For me, this was:

linux-image-2.6.18-openvz-k7_028.18.1-2.6.18-12-1_i386.deb  

Next,go to this URL: http://download.openvz.org/debian-systs/pool/openvz/v/

Download:

* vzctl
* vzprocps
* vzquota

and an OS template cache, from the "vzctl-ostemplate" directory. I chose DEBIAN 5.0.

vzctl-ostmpl-debian-5.0-i386-minimal_20090121_i386.deb

Open a terminal shell, and log in as "root".(use "SU" or "SUDO")

Create a "/vz" directory.

mkdir /vz

Copy or move the downloaded files to the "/vz" directory. For me, this is:

mv /home/maxhavoc/*.deb /vz

You should have five files moved from your download directory, to "/vz".

Now install OpenVZ.

dpkg -i *.deb

To give an example of what you should see, I have provided my output to screen, for you.

Selecting previously deselected package vzctl.
(Reading database ... 84346 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking vzctl (from vzctl_3.0.23-1dso1~etch0_i386.deb) ...
Add a symbolic link from /var/lib/vz to /vz/, for compatibility to OpenVZ
Selecting previously deselected package vzctl-ostmpl-debian-5.0-i386-minimal.
Unpacking vzctl-ostmpl-debian-5.0-i386-minimal (from vzctl-ostmpl-debian-5.0-i386-minimal_20090121_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package vzprocps.
Unpacking vzprocps (from vzprocps_2.0.11-1dso2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package vzquota.
Unpacking vzquota (from vzquota_3.0.12-1dso1~etch0_i386.deb) ...
Setting up vzprocps (2.0.11-1dso2) ...
Setting up vzquota (3.0.12-1dso1~etch0) ...
Setting up vzctl (3.0.23-1dso1~etch0) ...
Starting OpenVZ: ..done
Bringing up interface venet0: ..done
Configuring interface venet0: ..done
Set secure permissions to /var/lib/vz

Setting up vzctl-ostmpl-debian-5.0-i386-minimal (20090121) ...

That's it. You're done.

No adding kernel keys to "sysctl.conf", as that has already been done for you. Just reboot into your new OVZ kernel,and start creating your VPS.

** Please note that the example screen output from my PC, does not reflect the installation of an OVZ kernel. This is due to my having an OVZ kernel already installed, at the time of this writing. However, DPKG will build an OVZ kernel for you, from the "image" file, and automatically add this kernel entry into the GRUB menu. **