creating custmized Debian CD

[refracta]

Refracta includes a tool called remixer but it is specifically made for lenny 5.0.4 with 2.6.26 kernel, it requires rsync, mkiso tools, squash tools,sudo and so forth. It is drop dead easy to use, click on remixer in the menu or run remixer, gui pops up and you click apply, thats it. It will copy your system and spit out an iso in your home directory. It is how I make refracta actually.

I can't see live-helper ever having a good useful frontend since what is 'good' and 'useful' varies greatly. Although it could be better and I thought I heard something about it being worked on....and I am sure they could use more help. (hint hint) It would be cool to integrate synaptic into it, so you could (optionally) pick a desktop, then next you would pick packages to add, then you picked installer or not, then maybe persistance options, then build. I would like to see if have the 'clone system' option and a chance to add packages to that. But more important to have a great backend than a great frontend...nothing wrong with having a great set of headlights and junk in da trunk too...

[linuxopjemac]

Don't forget that I am working in a powerpc arch. So remastersys will not work for example.

[refracta]

Thats why I was pretty hesitant to suggest anything....unsure about powerpc arch in general

here is the command to 'copy' your system....and include the live installer.....haven't played with in a while though and it may have changed
lh_config --bootstrap copy --debian-installer live

[dzz]

There is a (mainly) gui for remastering including (optionally) a live cd installer :

http://geekconnection.org/remastersys/

On that page are also generic instructions for doing so using standard Debian cli tools and methods. It is even possible to build from a base debootstrap and add what you want. You would however need some understanding of the processes involved.

Many good reviews are to be found and I have successfully used it numerous times.

I tried it a couple of years ago and found it sadly lacking. It was determined to use Ubuntu libraries which often clash with clean Debian. Did you read the instructions for Debian?

Remastersys was originally for Ubuntu, yes, but now officially supports Debian also (lenny and squeeze, with grub-legacy). I run only Debian, no Ubuntu libraries are installed here but remastersys works.

[linuxopjemac]

Ok, I tried to run a test with lh_config and lh_build

I tried a simple one:

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lh_config -d lenny -a powerpc -p lxde --debian-installer=enabled

Let it do its job then I ran

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sudo lh_build

At the end I get an error:
P: Deconfiguring file /bin/hostname
mv: cannot stat `chroot/bin/hostname.orig': No such file or directory
P: Begin unmounting filesystems...

[linuxopjemac]

ok, did a

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lh_clean && lh_build

now it's going again....keep you updated...

[linuxopjemac]

Now I got a lot further, it made a filesystem.squashfs after that it started installing the installer I saw, now it stopped again

can't HFS create file binary/pool/main/a/attr/libattr1_1%3a2.4.43-2_powerpc.deb
genisoimage: No such file or directory. <no error message given>

I had this one before, it seems to always stop here.

[linuxopjemac]

If I give another sudo lh_build command I always get this error:

P: Begin building binary iso image...
mv: cannot stat `binary': No such file or directory
P: Begin unmounting filesystems...

[nadir]

Troubleshooting live-helper is no big fun (to be honest: i seldom had success, either it works or it doesn't).


1) Try the most simple command:

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lh_config
lh_build

If that fails too i would give up (waste of time, no result in the end)

2)What branch are you building on: lenny or squeeze/sid. If you don't use lenny try it on lenny.

3) Try what refracta has suggested above:

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lh_config --bootstrap copy --debian-installer live

It will copy everything. So: if you got a very huge collection of data you need to move it out of the way.
To move that problem out of the way in another way: Nowadays i do an installation in VirtualBox, configure it and run the command. Once i got my live-cd i delete the installation (or just let it sleep there)

4)Mix the lh_config command; try xfce instead of lxde, try squeeze or sid instead of lenny, try leaving out the installer, and so on....

I know nada bout powerpc.
But i do know that live-helper might become a real pain in the butt (without doing anything wrong).

[linuxopjemac]

I am on Lenny. I will try to use the easiest:

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lh_config
lh_build

I will let you know if that works. If it doesn't, I will try my luck in Squeeze.

BTW I really need the installer. I am trying to make an installable Debian Mint LXDE PPC version. I presume/hope that the installer makes the same system as the live system...

[linuxopjemac]

some update:

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lh_config && lh_build

gave me a binary.iso in Lenny. Now I try with the installer...

[Bulkley]

Something that might be causing you trouble is that when you do #lh config it creates a /config/ directory and stuffs it full. This can interfere with your next attempt which is the point of lh clean. However, I often find that it helps to remove the /config/ directory and all its contents.

[linuxopjemac]

Thanks for your advise Every new attempt I delete everything. Let's see what the problem is, after this one I can tell you more.

[linuxopjemac]

It's the debian installer which creates the problem. I will try without the installer and chroot into the system I created, add the installer and things I want and then I try to see if I can make it into an iso.

[linuxopjemac]

as a user
binary.iso is on the Desktop
open terminal
su to root

cd Desktop
mkdir iso
mkdir temp
mount binary.iso -o loop temp/
cp -a temp/* iso/
umount temp/

mount -t squashfs -o loop iso/live/filesystem.squashfs temp/

The last command gives me this:
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/loop0,
missing codepage or helper program, or other error
In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
dmesg | tail or so

dmesg | tail gives
[37495.213219] SQUASHFS error: Can't find a SQUASHFS superblock on loop0

Anyone who can help me on this one ?

PS squashfs-tools are installed. squashfs kernel module is loaded

[refracta]

what is the output of...

dpkg --list | grep squash

uname -a

[linuxopjemac]

jeroen@debian ~ $ dpkg --list | grep squash
ii squashfs-tools 1:3.3-7 Tool to create and append to squashfs filesy

jeroen@debian ~ $ uname -a
Linux debian 2.6.32-bpo.2-powerpc #1 Tue Feb 16 04:35:47 UTC 2010 ppc GNU/Linux

Should I be working in the same kernel as the one I use in the live environment ? I use a kernel from the backport repository to solve my sleep problem.

[linuxopjemac]

Went back to kernel 2.6.26-2 and installed squashfs-modules-2.6.26-2-powerpc and modprobed it.

It works now. Thanks for your help.

[linuxopjemac]

Not bad, I am in my chrooted environment now and I have it like I want it. The only thing I like to add is the debian-installer, as I could not add it with live-helper. Does anyone know how to add di manually? I want to have a link to it on the desktop, like all the live installers.

[refracta]

I don't think you can add the actual debian installer manually to the system that gets installed.

I am guessing but I would suspect that the installer is in the initrd that boots the live system. So instead of starting over you could save the work you have now. Try again to build an image with the installer. If successful use the initrd/vmlinuz files from the live folder in the iso in your live folder for the iso you are building.

If you just want an installer to add to the live image then you might want to look at
http://packages.linuxmint.com/pool/main ... installer/
or
http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/dis ... installer/