I'd like to make changes to an antiX Linux ISO file to create special editions of antiX Linux (analagous to creating Hannah Montana Linux from Kubuntu Linux). How do I do this?

Though I haven't used it.


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might suit your needs. Look in Synaptic package Manager first for it. Should be there.

Happy Trails, Rok

antiX comes with a remaster script in /usr/local/bin


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I tried the remaster.sh script at /usr/local/bin, but the ISO created didn't include ANY of my settings. In fact, the result seemed to be just like the original antiX Linux ISO.

I did find it strange that the program asked me to mount a CD. Why is a CD necessary for remastering a script? Since I was working in VirtualBox, I didn't have access to a real CD drive.

Can someone please walk me through the process?

Does the remaster shell script invoke the remastersys application, anti?

I think you an I have 'similar' aims jhsu, as I want to create a 'freeze state' of my current install (inc. config files!). I did have a go with remastersys, getting some way through its instuctions, but i'd not enough disk space to continue, and some complaint was made by squashfs so chose to abandon it for a time.

Following a guide, I did some time ago create a custom app iso (not inc. config files!) in Mandriva, which principally, ought work in Antix:


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This method is a little cumbersome however, and requires some adaption, so best stick with the above script if you can find a way factor in those troublesome config files. I never bothered to write configuration files when I tried the above, but imagine it'd be tricky given you are dealing with a 'live boot' structure here and it's respective /home directory.

Has anyone SUCCESSFULLY completed what I'm trying to do? I'm looking for a step-by-step example of something that worked.

How do I find remastersys in Synaptic? I tried enabling ALL repositories in Synaptic (including sid/unstable), and I STILL do not see remastersys anywhere.

It's here:

jhsu wrote:Has anyone SUCCESSFULLY completed what I'm trying to do? I'm looking for a step-by-step example of something that worked.

I have made a remastered version of antiX using the remaster.sh script found in /usr/local/bin seemed to work out just fine for me. Was able to change to what I have as a desktop setup, and in turn was able to hand out a few live dvd's to my friends.

jhsu wrote:I tried the remaster.sh script at /usr/local/bin, but the ISO created didn't include ANY of my settings. In fact, the result seemed to be just like the original antiX Linux ISO.

I did find it strange that the program asked me to mount a CD. Why is a CD necessary for remastering a script? Since I was working in VirtualBox, I didn't have access to a real CD drive.

Can someone please walk me through the process?

first off all the changes you would like must be done as if you were configuring a new computer and mostly in terminal (installing anyway)

Basic steps that I took to do this were
1. made a desktop system the way I liked it
2. started the remaster.sh script and pointed it to the iso file ( CD is not needed, just the starting ISO file )
3. when at the prompt I ran apt-get update and apt-get -f install to install all the apps / desktop environment just as if I was configuring the desktop again
4. used pcmanfm as root user to copy the config files in my home directory to the ~/remaster/new-squashfs/etc/skel folder so they would be the same in the live cd version as there is no gui to make the changes the way I like it.
5. like wise to the previous step all the changed config files from my desktop I copied to the ~/remaster/new-squashfs/ in the appropriate folder
6. once I had all the config files in the proper place just as I had to set up my desktop I pressed control-d to start building the iso
7. entered all the info to build the iso, made a live usb using the new iso, and rebooted in the live usb and seen if it was as I liked it.

once I had it the way I liked it burned it to cd's and put it on my server, and handed it to my friends

Download link to my remastered so you can see

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Thanks. I've been able to get remastersys to work. (I couldn't figure out how to install it wih Synaptic, so I just downloaded it, entered"dpkg -i *.deb" to install, and went to Synaptic to fix the resulting broken package.)

Unfortunately, the resulting ISO file isn't working. When I boot up with it in VirtualBox, I get an error message saying"usplash: no usable theme" and"screen init failed". Then it keeps repeating"/init: line 1: lib udev cdrom_id: not found". Then i end up in an initramfs shell and a request to file a bug against the initramfs package.

Which of the squashfs modules and aufs modules do I need to properly run remastersys? There are so many different versions, and I cannot pinpoint the correct one.

An excerpt from
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:

There are some pre-requisites for the debian version that aren't there for the Ubuntu version.

You should install squashfs-modules for your kernel and either aufs-modules or unionfs-modules before you install remastersys. On initial testing from a net-inst lenny cd I had not installed these prior and something very bad happened to my install - it was unable to boot and the livecd created was also unusable. I feel it had something to do with building the initramfs. As another safeguard, its recommended to reboot your system after the modules are installed just to ensure it boots properly. If all that goes well, you are fully prepared to install and run remastersys for debian.

If your kernel doesn't have the squashfs-modules and either the aufs-modules or unionfs-modules, you MUST use a different kernel. No ifs ands or buts about it.

What kernel and architecture are you using?
Does it match the any of the packages listed by this output? (unionfs-modules wasn't found)
A DKMS *fs-modules package type would be handy, and preferable to whole business of matching kernel to pre-built modules, as the modules can be built against your system kernel - not sure whether there is one in existance however? Anybody know?

p.s. i'd nothing to add other than what's been said here, so didn't bother to reply to your message.

Addendum:


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I only skim read this, but it seems like you can use a module assistant (m-a) to build modules from source; bit of a last resort though. See if you can't find matching binaries first...

Thanks, Dave. I finally got the remastering process to work. I booted up with the new ISO and have the ROX desktop, and other configuration settings.

Now I understand the remastering script better. The ISO image is the default and copied into the new-squashfs directory. I have to copy the files in my /home/<username> directory into the new-squashfs/etc/skel directory to override the original settings. For some reason, I had error messages when I tried to copy the ROX directory even though I had no difficulty copying the other contents of the /home/<username> directory. Why is this so? Is there something I'm supposed to do to make this happen?

Unfortunately, the changes I made in IceApe and Synaptic didn't make it into the remastered version. Why is this so? Is there something special I'm supposed to do in order to make this happen?

What other essential steps in the remastering process have I missed? It's VERY important that I get it right, because it takes so long to see the results.

most changes for iceape are made in the /usr/share/iceape/defaults folder for the default browser configuration, and for synaptic I would say that it is in /usr/share/synaptic/glade, but this i am unsure of have never done it myself. As to the conflicts to copying the rox directory, I would delete the /etc/skel/ one first then copy your modified one.

PS. would like to see yours when your done.