On Thu, Dec 03, 2009 at 04:25:41AM +0000, T o n g wrote: > Thanks a lot Tzafrir & Rob for your explains. > Hope that my slow respond can still get the thread going. > > On Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:32:25 -0500, Rob Owens wrote: > > If you're concerned about adding packages w/o using "-p mylist", you can > > add "--interactive enabled" into the lh_config command. That'll give > > you a shell before the image is created (after you run lh_build). There > > you can add repositories, install software, etc. When you exit the > > shell, the build will continue. > > Any one know if I can break down this Ms-Windows-like, all-magic-happen- > within-a-single-click approach into finer steps? Say, get into the > interactive shell mode as many times as I want; or stops after > debootstrap? This way, I can make a backup with the smallest system and > trying playing with my various package lists. If I screwed, I can just > restore from backup and start over in no time, without going through the > lengthy procedure of another debootstrap session. > I don't really know the answer to that, but here are some suggestions:
1) Install apt-cacher-ng (or another caching proxy) on your LAN, and use it for your builds. This way you won't have to re-download packages on your second build. The easiest way I've found to get lh_build to use my proxy is to run this in the same shell that I will run lh_build in: export http_proxy="http://myproxy:3142";; (port 3142 is apt-cacher-ng's default port) 2) Build a basic system image, and then use the persistence feature to customize your installation, just as you would a regular hard-disk-installed system. > Maybe I've got used to the tools that I am using, but I found that grml- > debootstrap and grml-chroot give me the maximum freedom regarding playing > with the underlying live system in micro steps. E.g., I can install > packages step by step, which is a must if you use file-rc; I can do my > own customization to the live system before wrapping it up in > the .squashfs and/or .iso file. This will save me tremendous time in > learning/exploring period, comparing to go over the whole process for a > simple/minor fix/enhance. > > >> - is there any other way to install the content, say copy into a ext3 > >> partition? > > I think you should be able to mount binary.img as a loopback interface. > > You might need to specify "-t squashfs" in your mount command > > Ok, thanks. Just for the record, mounting with "-t squashfs" is actually > the 2nd step after loop mounting binary.img, to expose the underlying > compressed root file system in the .squashfs file. > > >> - how can I create an .iso file instea? > > Use "-b iso" instead of "-b usb-hdd" in the lh_config command. I'm not > > sure if/how persistence would work if you create a live CD. I've never > > tried it. > > Yes, it works exactly the same. Your step #11 creates a filesystem for > the peristence partition, which is all the magic it need for the > persistence, regardless whether the OS is booted from USB or ISO. > > But personally, I strongly recommend to create a peristence file instead > of peristence partition, on each computer that you want to boot the USB. > This reason is for maximum compatibility. For detailed explanation, > please check out the reason at > There's also a persistent snapshot feature, which I'm just experimenting with now. It keeps all persistence changes in RAM, until shutdown or reboot, when it does all its writes at once. There is a bug in live-initramfs right now, though, requiring a very minor edit to the live-snapshot script. See: http://lists.debian.org/debian-live/2009/11/msg00224.html The word "eval" needs to be added in 2 spots. -Rob -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [email protected] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [email protected]
