Happy New Year ALL!

Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr
Mele Kalikimaka!

Merry Christmas and  Happy New Year!

I've created a live-build development environment for those interested in how to make there own distro using Debian/Devuan Live-Build.

Live-Build 4.x has been used, which supports Debian/Devuan Jessie.

The first place to start is with the manual and the manpages. I suggest that the manpages lb_config.1.txt and lb_clean.1.txt, should be looked at first, after reading the manual.

I've also used live-boot.7.txt if using -bootappend-live in lb config.

https://debian-live.alioth.debian.org/live-manual/html/live-manual.en.html
http://manpages.debian.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=live-config
http://manpages.debian.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=live-boot
http://manpages.debian.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=live-tools

http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/oneiric/lb_clean.1..html

Overview

This Debian/Devuan Live-Build demonstration will endeavor to provide the reader with the basics of Live-Build and some essential commands necessary to use it to create an installable/live iso.

For the purposes of this demonstration and to keep it simple, the target desktop environment will be:

• both graphical and text installers
• installable from live session
• Jwm - Joe's Window Manager http://www.joewing.net/projects/jwm/
• 64 bit
• small set of applications

Requirements

This example uses Debian/Devuan Jessie as the build environment

Step 1. Install live-build on Star or Debian/Devuan Jessie


sudo apt-get install live-build live-manual

/usr/share/doc/live-manual/


Step 2. Setup

Open a terminal window in your home directory and run the following commands:


wget -c "http://sourceforge.net/projects/linnix/files/diy-debian.tar.gz"
tar -zxvf diy-debian.tar.gz
cd diy-distro
sudo ./menu

or

wget -c "http://sourceforge.net/projects/linnix/files/diy-devuan.tar.gz"
tar -zxvf diy-devuan.tar.gz
cd diy-distro
sudo ./menu


Main directory structure

Quote
diy-distro
├── diy-build
└── diy-source

Sub-directories

Quote
diy-build
├── auto
├── config
└── local

Quote
diy-source
├── auto <--------- build, clean, config scripts
└── config
    ├── apt
    ├── archives
    ├── bootloaders
    │   └── isolinux
    ├── hooks
    ├── includes.binary
    ├── includes.chroot
    │   ├── etc
    │   │   ├── dpkg
    │   │   ├── lightdm
    │   │   ├── live     <--------- live user setup
    │   │   └── skel     <--------- skeleton /home directory
    │   └── usr
    │       ├── bin
    │       ├── lib
    │       ├── local
    │       └── share
    ├── includes.installer <--------- installer preseed.cfg file and logo/theme update for the graphical installer
    └── package-lists <--------- lists of packages to be installed
    └── packages.chroot <--------- packages to be installed

Quotepackages.chroot: Packages that are inside this
directory will be automatically installed into the live system during
build - you do not need to specify them elsewhere.

DIY Menu

Quote

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    M A I N - M E N U
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~      Build version [8.2]

   s. Setup
   r. Remove
   u. Update
   b. Build
   p. Purge

   q. Quit

Enter choice or q :

Build version [8.2]:
   This the current Debian/Devuan version number. See Update below.

Setup:
   creates a clean diy-build directory and all the directories required for live-build.
   Copies the default: build, clean and config files into the auto directory.

   WARNING: diy-build directory is deleted in the process, if it exists

   NOTE : The diy-build diectory is owned by root.  If the permissions in the build folder
         aren't root the build will fail or be corrupt.

Remove:
   Removes the diy-build directory.

   N.B. if Build has been run, then Purge should be done before Remove.

Update:
   Copies contents of diy-source into diy-build, and updates the files with version number inside
   that are in /config/includes.chroot/etc/
   
   See _VERSION=8.2 in the menu script, change this to suit.
   
   I find it easier to work with files/directories I own, which are in the diy-source directory.
   It's up to you whether you do it my way or not.

Build:
   Runs the build script in diy-build, which runs lb clean, lb config and lb build.

   The build can be run in a separate terminal window, see build() in the script.

Purge:
   removes everything, including all caches. The config directory is kept.

   sudo lb clean --purge

   lb clean, is responsible for cleaning up after a system is built. It
   removes the build directories, and removes some other files including
   stage files, and any detritus left behind by other live-build commands.


Important
   It is important to check the build log after the build, which can be found in diy-build.
   This will help in resolving any build errors.

Squashfs - better compression

   NOTE: Already included in Devuan Live-Build

   http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/html_single/SquashFS-HOWTO/#whatis
   http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/html_single/SquashFS-HOWTO/#mksqoverview
   
   auto/build
   Add this line before the lb build in the build script.
   
   export MKSQUASHFS_OPTIONS=" -no-recovery -always-use-fragments -b 1048576"
   
   
   auto/config
   Add --chroot-filesystem squashfs to lb config
   
   
   /usr/lib/live/build/binary_rootfs
   I changed the live containg -comp xz to -comp xz -Xbcj x86 -Xdict-size 75%
   about line 357

   from
   MKSQUASHFS_OPTIONS="${MKSQUASHFS_OPTIONS} -comp xz"

   to
   MKSQUASHFS_OPTIONS="${MKSQUASHFS_OPTIONS} -comp xz -Xbcj x86 -Xdict-size 75%"

Debian/Devuan differences

• Currently Devuan doesn't include non-free OOTB. Non-fee can be installed from the Welcome script.

diy-debian/devuan

Disclaimer: This is not intended as a clone of VSIDO and is only intended as an example of Debian Live-Build.

Tips:

• These hooks: 990-cleanup.chroot, 300-localepurge.chroot, are used to remove and resize files to make the image smaller.
• Setup-user script is run on login from /etc/light/lightdm.conf - session-setup-script=/usr/share/diy/setup-user
• installer preseed used to pre-answer install questions is in /config/includes.installer. The update script copies preseed.cfg to /config/includes.binary/install so the live install can use it. Also see live-build config --bootappend-live.
• Setup session-manager, there is a hook session-manager_alternative.chroot and 2 files in /config/includes.chroot/usr/share/xsessions jwm.desktop, lightdm-xsession.desktop.

References:
25-06-2015 : LightDM Default Session and x-session-manager setup

Star website
Zephyr Linux

The Debian Administrator's Handbook
Installing, Step by Step

Last updated : 9 February 2016

Interesting move.

What's happened to the site favicon ? 

I noticed it was gone a couple of days ago, I think. Maybe it was gone before that and I didn't notice.

Is anyone noticing slow boot times because of this?

All my sid boxes are now taking 50secs at this point.


Ozi

Seem good so far, even the wifi is good!

Just updated and I'm happy so far, everything seem to be working OOTB!

Just upgraded looks good ootb, wifi and all!

Automatically locate and install required firmware packages on Debian (Isenkram 0.4)
http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Automatically_locate_and_install_required_firmware_packages_on_Debian__Isenkram_0_4_.html
http://packages.qa.debian.org/i/isenkram.html

I shoud give it a try it's in sid.

Hi

I've not tried dual boot with grub2 yet, so I'm wondering whether there are any issues? I want to dual boot with Debian Wheezy.

My live-build environment is wheezy in a vm. which is now borked. It was going so nicely too.  At least I have a backup, so no damage.

Has anyone done this? Are there any tricks to get this to work?

Cheers
Ozi

Hi All

Alas this is not a HowTo, I'm wonder what everyone/anyone is doing in the way of customising SpaceFM?

The one option I miss is "Paste into folder". I have found a plugin but SpaceFM doesn't like it, can't be that hard to fix it.

https://github.com/IgnorantGuru/spacefm/wiki/plugins

http://alphaos.freeforums.org/spacefm-for-thunar-junkies-t58.html


Cheers

Ozi

Install went well, but no wifi, will have to re-apply drivers.

Just installed and all looks good so far!

http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20130429#news

Among the developers of many Debian-based Linux distribution the Remastersys utility is a well-known tool that facilitates the creation of customised live CD and DVD images. Following the recent unexpected announcement about the developer's decision to stop all work on Remastersys (without giving any concrete reason), OS4's Roberto Dohnert brings us some good news. He has decided to fork Remastersys and to continue developing the tool under the name of "System Imager": "OK guys, as many of you know Fragadelic who created Remastersys has decided to quit. Myself and Tony (aka Fragadelic) have decided that we here at OS4 will continue to develop and use the great tool that is Remastersys. We are changing the name to System Imager as per his request. To do this it's going to take some financial backing so any donations you guys can make, $5 to $10 to as much as you want to make will be appreciated and helpful. We also need some developers for System Imager. If you guys wish to help drop me an e-mail." On a separate note, the founder of OS4 also announced that future versions of the distributions would no longer be based on Ubuntu, but on Debian GNU/Linux.

Just works! Smokin'

I've noticed that when bootup manager is launched from the menu it doesn't have the same authentication dialog as synaptic. To be consistent they probably should be.

Just a thought on smoothing.

I'm just wondering whether anyone has any experience with LVM? I don't know much about it but it looks like something I should be using. I have an SSD and a HDD and I have just done a clean build, so before I go too far now would be a time to change. Can I just have /home setup on LVM? Are there any downsides?

Cheers
Ozi

I'm setting up a test VM for VSIDO. I read the install instructions. I have a freshly created vm. I can select a partition to install into but then don't get gparted at all. And then I get asked to select a partition for swap.

I should be creating partitions prior to attempting installing then?

Has anyone setup VSIDO in VB?

Cheers
Ozi

I have a new box with a truckload of ram and this is a learning experience for me.

Has anyone done this? Pros/Cons? Load the whole thing or only some of it? What give the best performance? What effect on boot speed?