• create a bootable USB using an Ubuntu 18 image and Etcher. (Mac guide here)
• install Ubuntu 18 server using the bootable USB (Tips: erase partition of original disk, format one whole drive, provide enough swap)
• install Ubuntu 18 desktop (the server will double as workstation for library management purposes)

  apt install lightdm

• install Eprints using the deb approach from these instructions. This youtube video can help visualise the installation process.

Some crucial steps include:

• getting root access right by running mysql_secure_installation setting this up:

CREATE USER 'eprints'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED by 'changeme';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'eprints'@'localhost' WITH GRANT OPTION;

• running epadmin create, up to where it says:

Database Superuser Username [root] ?

where you'll input “eprints” (not “root”) as set above in your mysql setup.

• install a linux server/desktop (in this example, Ubuntu 14.04 or some LTS version is assumed)
• mod /etc/hosts to include your made-up domain (whatever.org) to point just to itself (127.0.0.1)
• use Eprints installation guide from Unimas. Skip the part on LDAP authentication, especially if you don't imagine hundreds of people logging in to upload materials. Ordinary users can download stuff even without authentication. Also skip the https part, unless you're dealing with sensitive information and you can imagine some of your users capable of doing a man-in-the-middle attack.
• mod your router's DHCP to provide for a static IP for the server (say, 192.168.254.101) that's within the area of your DHCP service