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| = LiveCDCustomizationHowTo = = How To Customize the New Ubuntu Live CD = Here we try to explain how to build a customized Ubuntu LiveCD based on the new Live CD infrastructure (first used in the HoaryHedgehog development cycle). The method will be to modify an already existing CD and re-build it. This way is less flexible, but avoids most of the (really unnecessary) complexity of building CDs from scratch. Why? Well, because some people want to create specialized Live CDs to show off a particular application or localized to a certain language. If you can think of anything else that can be done, put it on the wiki. == System Setup and Requirements == * About 3 gigabytes of available disk space * `cloop-utils` - tools to compress and decompress the filesystem image |
## content was copied from the /6.06 page ## page was renamed from LiveCDCustomization/6.10 ## page was renamed from LiveCDCustomization/Dapper ## page was renamed from LiveCDCustomizationHowToDapper ||<tablestyle="float:right; font-size: 0.9em; width:40%; background:#F1F1ED; margin: 0 0 1em 1em;" style="padding:0.5em; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: center center;">'''Contents'''<<BR>><<TableOfContents>>|| = How to Customize the Ubuntu Desktop CD = You may wish to customize the Ubuntu Desktop (live) CD to: * show off a particular application * localize to a certain language * remove software packages * add software packages * update software packages * change system defaults (theme, icons, desktop background, panels, browser homepage, etc) {{attachment:IconsPage/warning.png}} This guide is for the Desktop/Live CD; there is another page referrring to [[InstallCDCustomization| customization of the Alternative Install or Server Install CD]]. = System Requirements = * At least 3-5 GB of free space * At least 512 MB RAM and 1 GB swap (recommended) * `squashfs-tools` |
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| * An Ubuntu kernel, version `2.6.9-7` or later (for the `cloop` module) Copy and paste: {{{ $ sudo apt-get install cloop-utils mkisofs $ echo "Kernel version is" $(dpkg-query -W --showformat '${Version}' linux-image-$(uname -r)) }}} == The Process == First you will need to extract the loopback compressed file system image - [http://build.lnx-bbc.org/packages/kernel/cloop.html Cloop], so we would be able to customize it as we see fit - this could usually mean setting up packages and software we would like to have available from the LiveCD, presetting some of its configuration and more. After all our good work is done, we would put everything back, and a new LiveCD is born. Simple. === The Extraction Process === NOTE: Before starting make sure your locale is set to C (avoiding Unicode - but don't do this everywhere unless you know what you're doing), this just makes life easier: {{{ $ export LC_ALL=C }}} Grab a CD image from from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ and put it into an empty directory. Make sure it is a Hoary image (Warty uses a different system). 1. Mount the image() as a loop device: {{{ $ mkdir mnt $ sudo mount hoary-live-i386.iso mnt -o loop }}} 1. Extract everything except the compressed filesystem to a temporary directory: {{{ $ rsync --exclude=/casper/filesystem.cloop -a mnt/ extracted_cd }}} 1. Then we uncompress and extract the compressed filesystem: {{{ $ extract_compressed_fs mnt/casper/filesystem.cloop > extracted_fs }}} (Cup of tea time, because this takes a while) 1. After all this, we are done with the original CD and can unmount it (maybe also delete it if you are short of disk space): {{{ $ sudo umount mnt }}} === Customizations === To do the customizations we mount the now uncompressed filesystem image, use chroot to do our modifications and then start putting everything back together again. ==== Preparing the chroot ==== 1. So, to mount the uncompressed filesystem we do: {{{ $ sudo mount extracted_fs mnt -o loop }}} 1. Mounting proc and sysfs can also be a good idea: {{{ $ sudo mount -t proc proc mnt/proc $ sudo mount -t sysfs sysfs mnt/sys }}} 1. If you want to transfer data from your home directory, the easiest way is a bind mount: {{{ $ sudo mount -o bind /home mnt/home }}} NOTE: Obviously saving space on the compressed filesystem is a a good idea, so during these customizations some parts of the filesystem can be temporarily mounted with tmpfs and unmounted later. That way a lot of space can be saved. Some good targets for these mounts are var/log var/run var/cache/apt var/lib/apt tmp. Just remember to unmount them all before unmounting extracted_fs!!! ==== Language Localizations ==== To add support for a specific language to a liveCD, follow the 'Updating Specific Packages' section below to install the appropriate {{{language-support}}} and {{{language-pack}}} packages for the desired languages. You can pre-select a language at boot time with the following process: Edit {{{extracted_cd/isolinux/isolinux.cfg}}} to add {{{preseed/locale=foo_BAR}}} to the APPEND section. This will skip the language selection section in the installer, and presumes that you've installed the appropriate language/locale packages. For example, to support greek, install {{{language-pack-el}}}, {{{language-support-el}}}, and add {{{preseed/locale=el_GR}}} to the isolinux.cfg. Note that the installed files generally require only the language (en, es, el, etc.) while the isolinux.cfg requires the full locale (en_US, en_GB, etc.) TODO - * Helping to translate with Rosetta * How to set chose a default keyboard ==== Updating Specific Packages ==== 1. If you need to test an additional package on a live CD, it's this easy: {{{ $ sudo chroot mnt/ /bin/sh # cd dir-holding-all-packages/ # dpkg -BOGiE *.deb }}} This will only update packages that are already installed on the live CD, but have newer versions available. ==== Installing Additional Packages ==== A common use for a LiveCD is to show off an application, normally not already installed on the CD. NOTE: The default user is created on startup, so if you want to copy a file to the default users home directory, you could place the file in `mnt/etc/skel`. 1. Copy in `resolv.conf`: {{{ $ sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf mnt/etc }}} 1. If the packages you wish to add are not available with the default `sources.list`, you may modify it, or copy in your own: {{{ $ sudo vi mnt/etc/apt/sources.list }}} 1. Finally, we chroot into the chroot and install some packages, updating the apt cache along the way, and making sure to purge instead of just remove anything we want to get rid of: {{{ $ sudo chroot mnt /bin/bash # apt-get update # apt-get install banana deadly-weapon # apt-get clean # dpkg --purge foobaz # exit }}} 1. Re-generate the manifest to reflect any changes you have made: {{{ $ sudo chroot mnt dpkg-query -W --showformat='${Package} ${Version}\n' > extracted_cd/casper/filesystem.manifest }}} TODO : * Help removing stuff. How to remove extra languages and everything that takes a lot of space so you can put your own apps on the CD. ==== GNOME Customizations ==== A list of GNOME-specific customizations (changing gconf keys, making GDM colors match, etc.) is at [http://live.gnome.org/GnomeLiveCd_2fHowTo the GNOME Wiki.] ==== Closing up the chroot ==== 1. Make sure to unmount everything mounted when setting up the chroot (tmp?? var/log??): {{{ $ sudo umount mnt/proc $ sudo umount mnt }}} ==== Customizing the bootsplash ==== To create a custom splash screen: 1. Create an image that is 640 pixels wide by somewhere between 200 and 300 pixels high, with 16 colors. (You can convert to 16 colors in GIMP with the Image->Mode->Indexed... menu item. Unselect "dithering" while converting, for a better result.). As a starting point, you may use [http://www.inkscape.com Inkscape] and this [http://planet.hellug.gr/misc/gnome-greek-logo.svg example file]. 1. Save the image as BMP, or if that is not possible, save to .png and run {{{convert splash.png splash.bmp}}} 1. Convert the BMP to RLE format: {{{bmptoppm < splash.bmp | ppmtolss16 > splash.rle}}} If you're missing these tools, {{{bmptoppm}}} is in the {{{netpbm}}} package, and ppmtolss16 is in the {{{syslinux}}} package. 1. copy the output ({{{splash.rle}}}) into {{{extracted_cd/isolinux/}}} === Putting the CD back together === OK, almost done. We only have to pack up the CD. 1. First compress the compressed filesystem and put it back on the CD (Another cup of tea required here): {{{ $ sudo create_compressed_fs extracted_fs 65536 > extracted_cd/casper/filesystem.cloop }}} 1. Then generate md5sum.txt file: {{{ $ (cd extracted_cd && find . -type f -print0 | xargs -0 md5sum > md5sum.txt) }}} 1. Then we re-build the cd. '''NOTE: ''' This procedure is specific to the Intel x86 (i386) and x86_64 (amd64) live CDs. Other architectures, such as PowerPC and IA64, will require different command line options. {{{ $ sudo mkisofs -r -V "Custom Ubuntu Live CD" \ -cache-inodes \ -J -l -b isolinux/isolinux.bin \ -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot \ -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table \ -o custom-hoary-live-i386.iso extracted_cd }}} On PowerPC, download [http://people.ubuntu.com/~cjwatson/hfs.map], then use the following command: {{{ $ sudo mkisofs -r -V "Custom Ubuntu Live CD" \ --netatalk -hfs -probe -map hfs.map \ -part -no-desktop \ -hfs-bless extracted_cd/install \ -hfs-volid Ubuntu/PowerPC_hoary \ -o custom-hoary-live-powerpc.iso extracted_cd }}} And we are done! == More information == The LiveCD is based on the Ubuntu installer and uses its infrastructure to bootstrap the system. An additional installer component (`casper`) is used to load the live environment after bootstrap is complete. Perhaps you can find more information here: LiveCDDesign, LiveCD. Or look at the code by downloading casper and the debian installer (apt-get source casper debian-installer). NOTE: no source code modifications of any kind are necessary in order to customize live environment (for example, installing additional packages). This is purely informational. From GrantEmsley Tue Apr 12 17:31:58 +0100 2005 From: Grant Emsley Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 17:31:58 +0100 Subject: Live DVD Message-ID: <20050412173158+0100@www.ubuntulinux.org> Would I do the same thing to make a Live DVD? I assume some steps (esp. the mkisofs command) would be different for a DVD. From unknown Sun May 8 05:34:13 +0100 2005 From: Date: Sun, 08 May 2005 05:34:13 +0100 Subject: Message-ID: <20050508053413+0100@www.ubuntulinux.org> This page belongs in Releases >> HoaryHedgehog >> LiveCD >> not in Releases >> WartyWarthog >> LiveCD >> From unknown Sun May 8 05:37:34 +0100 2005 From: Date: Sun, 08 May 2005 05:37:34 +0100 Subject: InstallCDCustomizationHowTo InstallDVDCustomizationHowTo liveDVDCustomizationHowTo Message-ID: <20050508053734+0100@www.ubuntulinux.org> are the InstallCDCustomizationHowTo, InstallDVDCustomizationHowTo, liveDVDCustomizationHowTo available,.. planned? |
* An Ubuntu kernel with `squashfs` support (present in Ubuntu 6.06 and later) * QEMU, VirtualBox or VMware for testing (optional) = The Process = First, make sure that you have installed the needed tools {{{ sudo apt-get install squashfs-tools mkisofs qemu }}} Load the squashfs module {{{ sudo modprobe squashfs }}} You need to download an official Desktop CD from http://releases.ubuntu.com/ Note: the example shown here uses the ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386.iso Desktop CD Move or copy it into an empty directory {{{ mkdir ~/live mv ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386.iso ~/live cd ~/live }}} == Extracting the CD contents == Mount the Desktop .iso {{{ mkdir mnt sudo mount -o loop ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386.iso mnt }}} Extract .iso contents into dir 'extract-cd' {{{ mkdir extract-cd rsync --exclude=/casper/filesystem.squashfs -a mnt/ extract-cd }}} == Extracting the Desktop system == Mount the squashfs filesystem {{{ mkdir squashfs sudo mount -t squashfs -o loop mnt/casper/filesystem.squashfs squashfs }}} Extract squashfs contents into dir 'edit' {{{ mkdir edit sudo cp -a squashfs/* edit/ }}} == Prepare and chroot == If you need the network connection within chroot {{{ sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf edit/etc/ }}} Depending on your configuration, you ''may'' also need to copy the '''hosts''' file {{{ sudo cp /etc/hosts edit/etc/ }}} {{{ sudo mount --bind /dev/ edit/dev sudo chroot edit mount -t proc none /proc mount -t sysfs none /sys }}} To avoid locale issues and in order to import GPG keys {{{ export HOME=/root export LC_ALL=C }}} == Customizations == === Apt-get === To view installed packages by size {{{ dpkg-query -W --showformat='${Installed-Size} ${Package}\n' | sort -nr | less }}} When you want to remove packages remember to use purge {{{ apt-get remove --purge package name }}} === Custom Background for GNOME === Generally background files are located in '''/usr/share/backgrounds'''. Copy your png file there, adjust owner and file access, and edit the files: 1. '''/usr/share/gnome-background-properties/ubuntu-wallpapers.xml''' and 2. '''/usr/share/gconf/defaults/16_ubuntu-artwork''' or other files in the same directory. by changing the string '''/usr/share/backgrounds/warty-final-ubuntu.png''' to point to your file Eventually change or add attributes to other configuration files such as: '''/var/lib/gconf/debian.defaults/%gconf-tree.xml''' or '''/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults/%gconf-tree.xml'''). Historical: [[http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=462810&highlight=warty-final-ubuntu.png|More for Dapper...]] === Change gconf values (fonts, panels etc.) === To make any change on the gconf attributes you must add the value that you want in the file '''/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults/%gconf-tree.xml'''. Adding a value in that file will change the default values of Gnome or other applications, so you can change fonts, backgrounds, themes, cursors etc. Instead of editing the file with '''gedit''' or another text editor, you can use the '''gconftool-2''', under the chroot environment, running the following line: {{{ gconftool-2 --direct --config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --type string --set yourkey "yourvalue" }}} where ''string'', ''yourkey'' and ''yourvalue'' must be the type, key and value that you want to change... === Change default language of gfxboot === This customization must be done outside the chroot. {{{ sudo -s apt-get install dpkg-dev apt-get source gfxboot-theme-ubuntu gfxboot cd gfxboot-theme-ubuntu*/ make DEFAULT_LANG=fi sudo cp -af boot/* ../extract-cd/isolinux/ exit }}} Change "fi" to your preferred locale. Note that this does not change which languages are available in the F2 menu. For more info about gfxboot customization, see [[http://uck.sourceforge.net/|Ubuntu Customization Kit]]. * A other way to change the default language of gfxboot without rebuild the packages is to create a file name '''lang''' in the isolinux directory containing your locale's name. === Customization limits === After customization make sure that there are no users with an UID >= 1000. Otherwise your image won't boot because no initial user is available (see /usr/lib/user-setup/functions.sh and /usr/lib/user-setup/user-setup-apply). While in chroot: {{{ grep '^[^:]*:[^:]*:[1-9][0-9][0-9][0-9]:' /etc/passwd grep '^[^:]*:[^:]*:[12][0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9]:' /etc/passwd }}} If you get any hits, try changing the uid: {{{ usermod -u 500 $hit }}} == Advanced Customizations == === Live CD Kernel === If you want to customize further the boot process, you can change the livecd kernel, by copying the vmlinuz and initrd you want in place of the ones you find in extract-cd/casper (don't forget to apt-get the right kernel, the one that matches the livecd one, once chrooted into edit). i.e. {{{ sudo cp /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-k7 extract-cd/casper/vmlinuz sudo cp /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-26-k7 extract-cd/casper/initrd.gz }}} === Boot init === You have to edit the files in edit/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper-bottom/* For example you can change the hostname or the livecd user. i.e. {{{ sudo nano edit/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper }}} and edit the username or hostname {{{ sudo nano edit/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper-bottom/10adduser }}} to edit even the livecd user's password. P.S. in order to obtain an encrypted password, you have to use the mkpasswd program that's shipped with whois package! === Rebuilding initrd === After you've modified the kernel, init scripts or added new kernel modules, you need to rebuild the initrd.gz file and substitute it into the casper directory. {{{ sudo chroot edit mkinitramfs -o /initrd.gz 2.6.15-26-k7 }}} (replace the kernel version with the one that the CD will boot with - this can be found in edit/lib/modules) Exit from the chroot jail and move this file to extract-cd/casper: {{{ exit mv edit/initrd.gz extract-cd/casper/ }}} == Cleanup == Be sure to remove any temporary files which are no longer needed, as space on a CD is limited. A classic example is downloaded package files, which can be cleaned out using: {{{ apt-get clean }}} Or delete temporary files {{{ rm -rf /tmp/* }}} Or nameserver settings {{{ rm /etc/resolv.conf }}} now umount (unmount) special filesystems and exit chroot {{{ umount /proc umount /sys exit sudo umount edit/dev }}} == Putting the CD together == Regenerate manifest {{{ chmod +w extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest sudo chroot edit dpkg-query -W --showformat='${Package} ${Version}\n' > extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest sudo cp extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktop sudo sed -i '/ubiquity/d' extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktop }}} Compress filesystem {{{ sudo rm extract-cd/casper/filesystem.squashfs sudo mksquashfs edit extract-cd/casper/filesystem.squashfs -nolzma }}} Note: The -nolzma option is only available from Hardy. Set an image name in extract-cd/README.diskdefines {{{ sudo vim extract-cd/README.diskdefines }}} Remove old md5sum.txt and calculate new md5 sums {{{ sudo -s rm extract-cd/md5sum.txt (cd extract-cd && find . -type f -print0 | xargs -0 md5sum > md5sum.txt) exit }}} Create Iso {{{ cd extract-cd sudo mkisofs -r -V "$IMAGE_NAME" -cache-inodes -J -l -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -o ../ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386-custom.iso . }}} == Testing the CD == Test using qemu emulator {{{ qemu -cdrom ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386-custom.iso -boot d }}} You can also test with virtualbox-ose, which is free software and available in the Ubuntu universe repository. == Burning the image to CD == Simple! Just do {{{ cdrecord dev=/dev/cdrom ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386-custom.iso }}} = Comments = If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to add them here. I have created an small Customization Example (named Firebird Live CD) by adding an firebird-super-server and flamerobin packages (this apply to ubuntu dapper drake) http://flamerobin.blogspot.com/2006/05/creating-flamerobinfirebird-live-cd.html I created an updated guide with Ubuntu Festy Fawn also with an iso download for the Firebird/Flamerobin live cd http://flamerobin.blogspot.com/2007/09/creating-flamerobinfirebird-livecd-with.html ---- I have created tool for automatic remastering of live CD images. See http://uck.sourceforge.net/ . Features: * GUI for simple creation of localized CDs (including changing gfxboot and installing language packs) * Script for customization of ISO, SquashFS and initrd on live CD. ---- http://www.atworkonline.it/~bibe/ubuntu/custom-livecd.htm seems to have some nice info. no license that I can see so we would need to ask permission from the author to us its material. ---- If you want to make the CD boot faster, you might try sorting the files so that they are in the CD in the order that they are accessed: http://lichota.net/%7Ekrzysiek/projects/kubuntu/dapper-livecd-optimization/ ---- Great How To. I am having one issue however. I would like to use custom xorg.conf and sources.list files. Any tips on doing this? Thanks. * Simply, copy the files to edit/etc/ in the same way (and at the same time) that you copy in the resolv.conf and hosts files. * I have found that copying xorg.conf doesn't work, as the boot-time scripts overwrite it. Besides, you can't guarantee that a particular xorg.conf will run on all hosts. I'm currently trying to get the binary NVIDIA drivers to work out of the box if an NVIDIA card is present. If I figure out how to fix the xorg.conf, I'll post it here. --JeremyVisser ---- I've managed to get Synaptic running from within the chroot environment, but it does hang when I try to apply packages. What you do is run "Xnest -ac :1" to get an Xnest server to run on display :1 without access control so anyone can connect to it. Then, in the chroot environment, run "export DISPLAY=:1" to get programs to use the display. Then, type "metacity &" to be able to move windows. Finally, run "synaptic". It works fine until you try to apply packages, where it hangs for me. --JeremyVisser ---- Shouldn't the mkinitramfs command use the casper scripts, like "mkinitramfs -o initrd.gz 2.6.15-23-386 -d /usr/share/initramfs-tools"? ---- There are tricks on how you can get to feel the GNOME system in your chroot environment. 1. Copy your xorg.conf in the chrooted "etc/X11/" directory. {{{ cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf edit/etc/X11/ }}} 2. Create generic devices on your chroot system using MAKEDEV {{{ cd /dev/ MAKEDEV generic }}} 3. Start X or restart gdm {{{ /etc/init.d/gdm start }}} Supposed you want to make modifications on the Desktop, that will be used by all the new users, just change your $HOME to /etc/skel/ and start gdm or X. {{{ export HOME=/etc/skel/ }}} If you want to load all the other stuff GNOME needs (i.e, dbus, avahi, network-manager), just boot as (single-user mode), and start dbus in your chrooted environment. {{{ /etc/init.d/dbus start }}} An example of the whole procedure. (under single-user mode) {{{ sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf edit/etc/ sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf edit/etc/X11/ sudo chroot edit mount -o none /proc mount -o none /sys export HOME=/etc/skel/ cd /dev/ MAKEDEV generic /etc/init.d/dbus start /etc/init.d/gdm start }}} --- [[joelbryan]] ---- Hello, I am about to build a new Livecd and have a question: When I change the username, hostname and the user's password the user login automatically during booting the livesystem. But this is not desired. Is it correct, that I have to enter a password under a Desktop LiveCD when I delet the encrypted password in /usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper-bottom/10adduser ? Thanks Changing username and password will not change login behaviour, because this is done in /usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper-bottom/15autologin --- [[Alexander Hosfeld]] ---- Having trouble starting a MySQL server from within the chroot jail. Any suggestions? - Dave Hey, I am trying to make a customized live cd of Kubuntu 6.06 that will be completly preconfigured, so that when the user clicks on the install icon on KDE the installer should do everything by itself, meaning that the installer should not ask any questions to the user. To do this I am trying to write a preseed file to tell the installer the information that it needs. The problem is that even with this preseed file I could only tell the installer what is the username that it should use, the rest of the information is simply ignored by the installer. I must be doing something wrong and would appreciate any and all help given me. Thanks, Komyg PS: Should I post my preseed file here? ---- If the livecd is not going to be used for the purposes of installing what files can be removed? Can the "pool" files containing the .debs be removed too? - Mike ---- If I want to put in my LiveCD applications that aren't in the sources.list (like ooffice 2.2 or perl audio converter), what cain I do? - Isoldanne ---- To get desired {{{/etc/X11/xorg.conf}}} one can modify the {{{/usr/bin/dexconf}}}. This script generates xorg.conf automatically in liveCD session according to the booted machine. For example: {{{ # diff ~/bin/dexconf /usr/bin/dexconf 268,269c268 < Option "XkbLayout" "us,il" < Option "XkbOptions" "grp:alt_shift_toggle,grp_led:scroll" --- > Option "XkbLayout" "$XKB_LAYOUT" }}} -- yotam ---- I cant do chroot. When i run it a get this error chroot: cannot run command `/bin/bash': No such file or directory Please help me out I had the same problem because the filesystem that I was working on was FAT32 instead of EXT2 or EXT3. Because of that, /bin/bash was not an executable I guess. If that is your case also, then please try again on a partition that is EXT2 or EXT3 (the Linux type of partition). Good luck, --[[vvim]] |
Contents |
How to Customize the Ubuntu Desktop CD
You may wish to customize the Ubuntu Desktop (live) CD to:
- show off a particular application
- localize to a certain language
- remove software packages
- add software packages
- update software packages
- change system defaults (theme, icons, desktop background, panels, browser homepage, etc)
This guide is for the Desktop/Live CD; there is another page referrring to customization of the Alternative Install or Server Install CD.
System Requirements
- At least 3-5 GB of free space
- At least 512 MB RAM and 1 GB swap (recommended)
squashfs-tools
mkisofs
An Ubuntu kernel with squashfs support (present in Ubuntu 6.06 and later)
QEMU, VirtualBox or VMware for testing (optional)
The Process
First, make sure that you have installed the needed tools
sudo apt-get install squashfs-tools mkisofs qemu
Load the squashfs module
sudo modprobe squashfs
You need to download an official Desktop CD from http://releases.ubuntu.com/
Note: the example shown here uses the ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386.iso Desktop CD
Move or copy it into an empty directory
mkdir ~/live mv ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386.iso ~/live cd ~/live
Extracting the CD contents
Mount the Desktop .iso
mkdir mnt sudo mount -o loop ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386.iso mnt
Extract .iso contents into dir 'extract-cd'
mkdir extract-cd rsync --exclude=/casper/filesystem.squashfs -a mnt/ extract-cd
Extracting the Desktop system
Mount the squashfs filesystem
mkdir squashfs sudo mount -t squashfs -o loop mnt/casper/filesystem.squashfs squashfs
Extract squashfs contents into dir 'edit'
mkdir edit sudo cp -a squashfs/* edit/
Prepare and chroot
If you need the network connection within chroot
sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf edit/etc/
Depending on your configuration, you may also need to copy the hosts file
sudo cp /etc/hosts edit/etc/
sudo mount --bind /dev/ edit/dev sudo chroot edit mount -t proc none /proc mount -t sysfs none /sys
To avoid locale issues and in order to import GPG keys
export HOME=/root export LC_ALL=C
Customizations
Apt-get
To view installed packages by size
dpkg-query -W --showformat='${Installed-Size} ${Package}\n' | sort -nr | lessWhen you want to remove packages remember to use purge
apt-get remove --purge package name
Custom Background for GNOME
Generally background files are located in /usr/share/backgrounds. Copy your png file there, adjust owner and file access, and edit the files:
/usr/share/gnome-background-properties/ubuntu-wallpapers.xml and
/usr/share/gconf/defaults/16_ubuntu-artwork or other files in the same directory. by changing the string /usr/share/backgrounds/warty-final-ubuntu.png to point to your file
Eventually change or add attributes to other configuration files such as: /var/lib/gconf/debian.defaults/%gconf-tree.xml or /etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults/%gconf-tree.xml).
Historical: More for Dapper...
Change gconf values (fonts, panels etc.)
To make any change on the gconf attributes you must add the value that you want in the file /etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults/%gconf-tree.xml. Adding a value in that file will change the default values of Gnome or other applications, so you can change fonts, backgrounds, themes, cursors etc.
Instead of editing the file with gedit or another text editor, you can use the gconftool-2, under the chroot environment, running the following line:
gconftool-2 --direct --config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --type string --set yourkey "yourvalue"
where string, yourkey and yourvalue must be the type, key and value that you want to change...
Change default language of gfxboot
This customization must be done outside the chroot.
sudo -s apt-get install dpkg-dev apt-get source gfxboot-theme-ubuntu gfxboot cd gfxboot-theme-ubuntu*/ make DEFAULT_LANG=fi sudo cp -af boot/* ../extract-cd/isolinux/ exit
Change "fi" to your preferred locale. Note that this does not change which languages are available in the F2 menu. For more info about gfxboot customization, see Ubuntu Customization Kit.
A other way to change the default language of gfxboot without rebuild the packages is to create a file name lang in the isolinux directory containing your locale's name.
Customization limits
After customization make sure that there are no users with an UID >= 1000. Otherwise your image won't boot because no initial user is available (see /usr/lib/user-setup/functions.sh and /usr/lib/user-setup/user-setup-apply). While in chroot:
grep '^[^:]*:[^:]*:[1-9][0-9][0-9][0-9]:' /etc/passwd grep '^[^:]*:[^:]*:[12][0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9]:' /etc/passwd
If you get any hits, try changing the uid:
usermod -u 500 $hit
Advanced Customizations
Live CD Kernel
If you want to customize further the boot process, you can change the livecd kernel, by copying the vmlinuz and initrd you want in place of the ones you find in extract-cd/casper (don't forget to apt-get the right kernel, the one that matches the livecd one, once chrooted into edit).
i.e.
sudo cp /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-k7 extract-cd/casper/vmlinuz sudo cp /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-26-k7 extract-cd/casper/initrd.gz
Boot init
You have to edit the files in edit/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper-bottom/* For example you can change the hostname or the livecd user.
i.e.
sudo nano edit/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper
and edit the username or hostname
sudo nano edit/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper-bottom/10adduser
to edit even the livecd user's password.
P.S. in order to obtain an encrypted password, you have to use the mkpasswd program that's shipped with whois package!
Rebuilding initrd
After you've modified the kernel, init scripts or added new kernel modules, you need to rebuild the initrd.gz file and substitute it into the casper directory.
sudo chroot edit mkinitramfs -o /initrd.gz 2.6.15-26-k7
(replace the kernel version with the one that the CD will boot with - this can be found in edit/lib/modules)
Exit from the chroot jail and move this file to extract-cd/casper:
exit mv edit/initrd.gz extract-cd/casper/
Cleanup
Be sure to remove any temporary files which are no longer needed, as space on a CD is limited. A classic example is downloaded package files, which can be cleaned out using:
apt-get clean
Or delete temporary files
rm -rf /tmp/*
Or nameserver settings
rm /etc/resolv.conf
now umount (unmount) special filesystems and exit chroot
umount /proc umount /sys exit sudo umount edit/dev
Putting the CD together
Regenerate manifest
chmod +w extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest
sudo chroot edit dpkg-query -W --showformat='${Package} ${Version}\n' > extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest
sudo cp extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktop
sudo sed -i '/ubiquity/d' extract-cd/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktopCompress filesystem
sudo rm extract-cd/casper/filesystem.squashfs sudo mksquashfs edit extract-cd/casper/filesystem.squashfs -nolzma
- Note: The -nolzma option is only available from Hardy.
Set an image name in extract-cd/README.diskdefines
sudo vim extract-cd/README.diskdefines
Remove old md5sum.txt and calculate new md5 sums
sudo -s rm extract-cd/md5sum.txt (cd extract-cd && find . -type f -print0 | xargs -0 md5sum > md5sum.txt) exit
Create Iso
cd extract-cd sudo mkisofs -r -V "$IMAGE_NAME" -cache-inodes -J -l -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -o ../ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386-custom.iso .
Testing the CD
Test using qemu emulator
qemu -cdrom ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386-custom.iso -boot d
You can also test with virtualbox-ose, which is free software and available in the Ubuntu universe repository.
Burning the image to CD
Simple! Just do
cdrecord dev=/dev/cdrom ubuntu-6.06.2-desktop-i386-custom.iso
Comments
If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to add them here.
I have created an small Customization Example (named Firebird Live CD) by adding an firebird-super-server and flamerobin packages (this apply to ubuntu dapper drake) http://flamerobin.blogspot.com/2006/05/creating-flamerobinfirebird-live-cd.html I created an updated guide with Ubuntu Festy Fawn also with an iso download for the Firebird/Flamerobin live cd http://flamerobin.blogspot.com/2007/09/creating-flamerobinfirebird-livecd-with.html
I have created tool for automatic remastering of live CD images. See http://uck.sourceforge.net/ .
Features:
- GUI for simple creation of localized CDs (including changing gfxboot and installing language packs)
- Script for customization of ISO, SquashFS and initrd on live CD.
http://www.atworkonline.it/~bibe/ubuntu/custom-livecd.htm seems to have some nice info. no license that I can see so we would need to ask permission from the author to us its material.
If you want to make the CD boot faster, you might try sorting the files so that they are in the CD in the order that they are accessed: http://lichota.net/%7Ekrzysiek/projects/kubuntu/dapper-livecd-optimization/
Great How To. I am having one issue however. I would like to use custom xorg.conf and sources.list files. Any tips on doing this? Thanks.
- Simply, copy the files to edit/etc/ in the same way (and at the same time) that you copy in the resolv.conf and hosts files.
I have found that copying xorg.conf doesn't work, as the boot-time scripts overwrite it. Besides, you can't guarantee that a particular xorg.conf will run on all hosts. I'm currently trying to get the binary NVIDIA drivers to work out of the box if an NVIDIA card is present. If I figure out how to fix the xorg.conf, I'll post it here. --JeremyVisser
I've managed to get Synaptic running from within the chroot environment, but it does hang when I try to apply packages. What you do is run "Xnest -ac :1" to get an Xnest server to run on display :1 without access control so anyone can connect to it. Then, in the chroot environment, run "export DISPLAY=:1" to get programs to use the display. Then, type "metacity &" to be able to move windows. Finally, run "synaptic".
It works fine until you try to apply packages, where it hangs for me. --JeremyVisser
Shouldn't the mkinitramfs command use the casper scripts, like "mkinitramfs -o initrd.gz 2.6.15-23-386 -d /usr/share/initramfs-tools"?
There are tricks on how you can get to feel the GNOME system in your chroot environment.
1. Copy your xorg.conf in the chrooted "etc/X11/" directory.
cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf edit/etc/X11/
2. Create generic devices on your chroot system using MAKEDEV
cd /dev/ MAKEDEV generic
3. Start X or restart gdm
/etc/init.d/gdm start
Supposed you want to make modifications on the Desktop, that will be used by all the new users, just change your $HOME to /etc/skel/ and start gdm or X.
export HOME=/etc/skel/
If you want to load all the other stuff GNOME needs (i.e, dbus, avahi, network-manager), just boot as (single-user mode), and start dbus in your chrooted environment.
/etc/init.d/dbus start
An example of the whole procedure. (under single-user mode)
sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf edit/etc/ sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf edit/etc/X11/ sudo chroot edit mount -o none /proc mount -o none /sys export HOME=/etc/skel/ cd /dev/ MAKEDEV generic /etc/init.d/dbus start /etc/init.d/gdm start
--- joelbryan
Hello,
I am about to build a new Livecd and have a question: When I change the username, hostname and the user's password the user login automatically during booting the livesystem. But this is not desired. Is it correct, that I have to enter a password under a Desktop LiveCD when I delet the encrypted password in /usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper-bottom/10adduser ?
Thanks
Changing username and password will not change login behaviour, because this is done in /usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/casper-bottom/15autologin
Having trouble starting a MySQL server from within the chroot jail. Any suggestions?
- Dave
Hey,
I am trying to make a customized live cd of Kubuntu 6.06 that will be completly preconfigured, so that when the user clicks on the install icon on KDE the installer should do everything by itself, meaning that the installer should not ask any questions to the user.
To do this I am trying to write a preseed file to tell the installer the information that it needs.
The problem is that even with this preseed file I could only tell the installer what is the username that it should use, the rest of the information is simply ignored by the installer.
I must be doing something wrong and would appreciate any and all help given me.
Thanks, Komyg
PS: Should I post my preseed file here?
If the livecd is not going to be used for the purposes of installing what files can be removed? Can the "pool" files containing the .debs be removed too?
- Mike
If I want to put in my LiveCD applications that aren't in the sources.list (like ooffice 2.2 or perl audio converter), what cain I do?
- Isoldanne
To get desired /etc/X11/xorg.conf one can modify the /usr/bin/dexconf. This script generates xorg.conf automatically in liveCD session according to the booted machine.
For example:
# diff ~/bin/dexconf /usr/bin/dexconf 268,269c268 < Option "XkbLayout" "us,il" < Option "XkbOptions" "grp:alt_shift_toggle,grp_led:scroll" --- > Option "XkbLayout" "$XKB_LAYOUT"
-- yotam
I cant do chroot. When i run it a get this error
chroot: cannot run command `/bin/bash': No such file or directory
Please help me out
- I had the same problem because the filesystem that I was working on was FAT32 instead of EXT2 or EXT3. Because of that, /bin/bash was not an executable I guess. If that is your case also, then please try again on a partition that is EXT2 or EXT3 (the Linux type of partition). Good luck,
--vvim