[solved]researching remaster pclos 2012

[houndhen]

I have been reading the posts here and here and some others before trying to remaster my system. I printed out and studied the help file for mylivecd. I multiboot and only I use my computer. I use autologin. I have a / partition and a /home partition for pclos. However, my /home partition has folders for the other distros. That is why I used --nodir to exclude some of the folders in the /home folder. I created the isos folder to store the remaster. Here is the command that I have been working on to do the remaster:

Code: [Select]

mylivecd --nodir /home/hal-crunch,/home/hal-mepis,/home/hal-another distro,/home/isos --ufs unionfx --root / --tmp /home/hal-pclos/Desktop/temp/ --bootloader grub --bootmenu menu.lst --workdir /home/hal-pclos/isos --img /home/isos/pclos2012_jhw.isoOf course I didn't write 'another distro'.
Anyway, here are questions that I have:
1. --workdir says, "Specify a working directory which will not be cleaned." What exactly does this mean? I didn't want the isos folder to be cleaned since that is where the remaster iso will go. Is the way I have it what I need?
2. How do I make sure that I have grub and a menu.lst? (is what I have listed going to do the job)
3. How do I make the installation persistent if I want to install the iso on a dvd?

[AS]

mylivecd --nodir /home/hal-crunch,/home/hal-mepis,/home/hal-another distro,/home/isos --ufs unionfx --root / --tmp /home/hal-pclos/Desktop/temp/ --bootloader grub --bootmenu menu.lst --workdir /home/hal-pclos/isos --img /home/isos/pclos2012_jhw.iso

- You don't need to specify --ufs unionfs, it is the default.

- The --nodir option argument is better specified using "^/home/hal-pclos/Desktop/temp/"

- The --root option default is '/', you can omit this option

- The --tmp option will allow you to specify an alternate storage for temp files (temp files will require approx the same size of the final iso), useful when you don't have enough free space on the default /tmp.

- The --workdir is an alternate option to --tmp, it specify an alternate location and additionally the temp files will not be deleted automatically, useful when you want to use the temp files directly (as allowed from LiveUSB-Creator to mention one).

- The --img require as argument "a compressed image" to be used to build the final ISO image ..., to specify the desired ISO image name you simply need to add it as last argument on the command line: i.e. mylivecd --nodir ^/home image-file.iso

A final suggestion: start using a mylivecd command as simple as possible, (unmount the filesystem you don't want to be included), later add the option one at once, so that you can verify you are using it correctly.

Do not forget that actually the maximum allowed size for the final ISO is 4 GiB (approx 4300 MB).

You may find useful the use of --gzip compression option, because it is much faster than the default compression, good for testing 

Of course I didn't write 'another distro'.
Anyway, here are questions that I have:
1. --workdir says, "Specify a working directory which will not be cleaned." What exactly does this mean? I didn't want the isos folder to be cleaned since that is where the remaster iso will go. Is the way I have it what I need?

Hope to have clarified a bit.

2. How do I make sure that I have grub and a menu.lst? (is what I have listed going to do the job)

Really I never used such options, actually I'm unsure about their real meaning, however when your ISO will be ready, you can mount it and access it's content.

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mount  image.iso  /<somewhere>

3. How do I make the installation persistent if I want to install the iso on a dvd?

You mean burning a DVD ? simply use some burning application, like K3b, and choose "burn ISO Image" 

AS

[houndhen]

- You don't need to specify --ufs unionfs, it is the default.

- The --nodir option argument is better specified using "^/home/hal-pclos/Desktop/temp/"

- The --root option default is '/', you can omit this option

- The --tmp option will allow you to specify an alternate storage for temp files (temp files will require approx the same size of the final iso), useful when you don't have enough free space on the default /tmp.

- The --workdir is an alternate option to --tmp, it specify an alternate location and additionally the temp files will not be deleted automatically, useful when you want to use the temp files directly (as allowed from LiveUSB-Creator to mention one).

- The --img require as argument "a compressed image" to be used to build the final ISO image ..., to specify the desired ISO image name you simply need to add it as last argument on the command line: i.e. mylivecd --nodir ^/home image-file.iso

A final suggestion: start using a mylivecd command as simple as possible, (unmount the filesystem you don't want to be included), later add the option one at once, so that you can verify you are using it correctly.

Do not forget that actually the maximum allowed size for the final ISO is 4 GiB (approx 4300 MB).

You may find useful the use of --gzip compression option, because it is much faster than the default compression, good for testing 

Good info above. Thanks for the clarification.

3. How do I make the installation persistent if I want to install the iso on a dvd?

You mean burning a DVD ? simply use some burning application, like K3b, and choose "burn ISO Image" 

AS

What I meant to convey was -- when I burn the iso to a dvd, how do I make the livedvd persistent so that I can add things to it if I want to and they will be saved.

[AS]

3. How do I make the installation persistent if I want to install the iso on a dvd?

You mean burning a DVD ? simply use some burning application, like K3b, and choose "burn ISO Image" 

AS

What I meant to convey was -- when I burn the iso to a dvd, how do I make the livedvd persistent so that I can add things to it if I want to and they will be saved.

Surely you can't add anything to the DVD itself, either you cannot add anything to the ISO file. The ISO9960 filesystem is a read-only filesystem, any modification will require a complete rebuild of the ISO image.

You can use the 'persistence' feature on USB sticks, which will be also faster than a DVD, and possibly larger than 4 GiB.

Search the forum for LiveUSB-Creator 

[houndhen]

Gotcha, Thanks. I was a little confused between the dvd and usb.

[Neal ManBear]

Just as a point of info, the "--bootloader grub --bootmenu menu.lst" is not needed. Grub is the default bootloader and a new menu list will be created on installation by default. If you are trying to carry your grub menu list over from one install to another, you will cause yourself problems. The UUIDs of the partitions will not be the same on every computer, and the entries for the origin computer will fail on the destination computer(s).     

[houndhen]

I almost marked this thread solved but decided that I might should wait.

Here is what I ran from konsole with the results.

Code: [Select]

[root@localhost ~]# mylivecd --nodir "^/home/hal-crunch,/home/hal-mepis,/home/hal-another distro,/home/isos,/home/hal-pclos/Desktop/temp/" --gzip pclos2012_jhw.iso
mylivecd, version 0.9.4, http://pclinuxos.com/
Copyright (C) 2010, Texstar <texstar at gmail.com>

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

Disabling Services not needed on the LiveCD

running: /sbin/chkconfig --list
running: chkconfig --del atd
running: /sbin/chkconfig --list
running: chkconfig --del crond
running: /sbin/chkconfig --list
running: chkconfig --del syslog
Warning: syslog is needed by script(s) in runlevel 2: messagebus(start) messagebus(stop)
Warning: syslog is needed by script(s) in runlevel 3: messagebus(start) messagebus(stop) nscd(start)
Warning: syslog is needed by script(s) in runlevel 4: messagebus(start) messagebus(stop) nscd(start)
Warning: syslog is needed by script(s) in runlevel 5: messagebus(start) messagebus(stop) nscd(start)
Warning: syslog is needed by script(s) in runlevel 7: messagebus(start) messagebus(stop)
running: /sbin/chkconfig --list
running: chkconfig --del kheader
running: /sbin/chkconfig --list
running: chkconfig --del xinetd


Creating initrd:                                   [100.00% 00:00:03/00:00:03]
Setting filesystem parameters:                     [100.00% 00:00:14/00:00:14]
Creating compressed image:                         [100.00% 00:10:49/00:10:57]chmod: cannot access `/tmp/mylivecd.15062/livecd/livecd.sqfs': No such file or directory
DIE========================================================================= ]
FATAL: Execution of 'chmod 644 /tmp/mylivecd.15062/livecd/livecd.sqfs' failedI checked the /root/tmp folder and there is a folder 'mylivecd.15062' that has these folders and files:

Code: [Select]

excludes.list
initrd.dir/
initrd.mnt/
kwrite
livecd/
sort.list
Not sure what to do from here. This is the second time I ran the mylivecd script and I didn't find a remastered iso file then either. The first time I ran it I didn't save the output. That time I tried to use --tmp with and argument to a temp folder on the desktop. It had a folder in it and I deleted it. Seems like I am making a mess of this. I will keep trying.

[Just17]

excludes.list
initrd.dir/
initrd.mnt/
kwrite
livecd/
sort.list

Check the files under   livecd/   ....  if the livecd.sgfs  file is >4GB then the ISO will not build.

You can use the files if you wish on a Live USB device.

[AS]

I almost marked this thread solved but decided that I might should wait.

Here is what I ran from konsole with the results.

[root@localhost ~]# mylivecd --nodir "^/home/hal-crunch,/home/hal-mepis,/home/hal-another distro,/home/isos,/home/hal-pclos/Desktop/temp/" --gzip pclos2012_jhw.iso

Why the double quotes ?
The way you used the double quotes, will be be interpreted as a single string .....  surely not what you want.

Not sure what to do from here. This is the second time I ran the mylivecd script and I didn't find a remastered iso file then either. The first time I ran it I didn't save the output. That time I tried to use --tmp with and argument to a temp folder on the desktop. It had a folder in it and I deleted it. Seems like I am making a mess of this. I will keep trying.

Did you unmounted the filesystems you don't want to include in your remaster ? 

[AS]

The meaning of the symbol '^' is "beginning with", it means that if you use:
--nodir  ^/home/dir
the directory /home/dir will be excluded, but and eventually present /somedir/home/dir will not.

using:
--nodir /home/dir
both /home/dir and /somedir/home/dir will be excluded from the remaster.

if you need to specificy multiple directories, you should specify the '^' for each directory, i.e.:
--nodir  ^home/dir  ^/somedir

mylivecd, while performing the selection will do something like, to say it in English words:
"for each directory that match the --nodir argument, exclude it from the remaster"

OK ?

[houndhen]

I almost marked this thread solved but decided that I might should wait.

Here is what I ran from konsole with the results.

[root@localhost ~]# mylivecd --nodir "^/home/hal-crunch,/home/hal-mepis,/home/hal-another distro,/home/isos,/home/hal-pclos/Desktop/temp/" --gzip pclos2012_jhw.iso

Why the double quotes ?
The way you used the double quotes, will be be interpreted as a single string .....  surely not what you want.

Not sure what to do from here. This is the second time I ran the mylivecd script and I didn't find a remastered iso file then either. The first time I ran it I didn't save the output. That time I tried to use --tmp with and argument to a temp folder on the desktop. It had a folder in it and I deleted it. Seems like I am making a mess of this. I will keep trying.

Did you unmounted the filesystems you don't want to include in your remaster ? 

Regarding the double quotes - I probably misinterpreted something that was posted.
In Konsole I ran the df command and the result only showed /sda9 (pclos) and sda7 (/home)
Will try again. Thanks for the gentle prodding in the right direction.

[houndhen]

The meaning of the symbol '^' is "beginning with", it means that if you use:
--nodir  ^/home/dir
the directory /home/dir will be excluded, but and eventually present /somedir/home/dir will not.

using:
--nodir /home/dir
both /home/dir and /somedir/home/dir will be excluded from the remaster.

if you need to specificy multiple directories, you should specify the '^' for each directory, i.e.:
--nodir  ^home/dir  ^/somedir

mylivecd, while performing the selection will do something like, to say it in English words:
"for each directory that match the --nodir argument, exclude it from the remaster"

OK ?

Got it AS. Thanks. Will post back after I have tried again.

[houndhen]

latest effort:

Code: [Select]

mylivecd --nodir ^/home/hal-crunch,^/home/hal-mepis,^/home/hal-ubuntu,^/home/isos --gzip pclos2012_jhw.iso
mylivecd, version 0.9.4, http://pclinuxos.com/
Copyright (C) 2010, Texstar <texstar at gmail.com>

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

Disabling Services not needed on the LiveCD

running: /sbin/chkconfig --list
running: /sbin/chkconfig --list
running: /sbin/chkconfig --list
running: /sbin/chkconfig --list
running: /sbin/chkconfig --list


Creating initrd:                                   [100.00% 00:00:04/00:00:04]
Setting filesystem parameters:                     [100.00% 00:00:48/00:00:48]
Creating compressed image:                         [100.00% 00:06:17/00:06:17]
Creating isolinux boot:                            [100.00% 00:00:00/00:00:00]
Creating final iso:                                [100.00% 00:00:00/00:00:00]

Restoring Services on the installed system

ls: cannot access pclos2012_jhw.iso: No such file or directory
Argument "" isn't numeric in division (/) at /usr/sbin/mylivecd line 244.

Created 'pclos2012_jhw.iso' (0,000 bytes) in 00:07:13
I did a search to find pclos2012_jhw.iso and the search didn't turn up anything. Curious about last two lines just prior to last line.

[Just17]

Did you check the size of the livecd.sqfs file ? .........

[houndhen]

Did you check the size of the livecd.sqfs file ? .........

Did a search for livecd.sqfs and none found.