How I used to create a Debian template on Proxmox

[@JamesSmartt]

Quick question, does cloud-init somehow handle adding the created user to the sudo group? I know by default that the user added during standard debian install is not added to sudo. So if cloud-init does not handle that, and you have removed the root user, how does the created user get admin/root privileges if needed? Thanks!

[@hardwoodhomelab]

Yes. Cloud-init adds the created user to the sudo group. This method of disabling root is not perfect. I have had to enable the root shell for some tasks, sudo -i for example, but I haven't yet found a better way.

[@hardwoodhomelab]

If you are creating a template like this, the root user should be disabled by modifying the /etc/shadow file not the /etc/passwd. There is a password hash in there that should be replaced with !* and will disable root without inhibiting sudo privileges. I made an updated video but it's not worth watching if you have followed along with this. Sorry for not getting it right the first time.

[@kunzibus]

Ziemlich mühsam. Das halbe Video sieht man nicht was er tut. Nett gemeint aber mühsam

[@hardwoodhomelab]

It's true. I didn't realize my screen recording wasn't grabbing the whole screen. I'll try to do better.