RE: Debian LIVE CD
I tried to get LiveCD working, but ran into too many problems, so I tried
bootcd. Bootcd is very simple. You simply create the server you want on an
actual computer and run bootcdwrite. It will create an iso file and place it
in /var/spool/bootcd. This iso can be used to burn a cd or used directly to
run a virtual machine (I used VMware)
There are several configuration bits that can be set, such as directories
that you do not really want as part of the iso. Once the cd has been created
it will boot to the same machine as it was created from. There is also a
package named bootcd-mkinitrd that will create a new initrd for you that
uses discover to find all the hardware at boot. Using this (I have not used
this yet, but plan to) the cd will have the ability to boot from almost any
other machine.
Good luck
Tony
-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Yorke [mailto:syorke@yorkes.net]
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 10:28 AM
To: Debian User
Subject: Debian LIVE CD
Hello all...
I am new to this group (just signed up today) but I am have two problems:
1. Creating a LIVE CD with Debian Testing
2. PXE/TFTP Boot server within a M$ DHCP Environment
I come from a M$ background (hey, had to get my start somewhere and it is
paying the bills) but frequent the *NIX environments but I am by no means as
comfortable with Debian as I am M$. Unlike a lot of M$ and/or *NIX folks I
do swing both ways and know there is a time and place for each NOS.
Although each can act on their own without any problems as well.
So...with that said here is my dilemma. I was tasked with creating a Live
CD for a company. The requirements are here:
1. LIVECD (totally new for me but I love to learn)
2. No interaction with the Hard Disk (memory driven like Knoppix/Morphix)
Possibly diskless systems.
3. Auto-Login
4. Only TSClient or Rdesktop (which will auto launch on boot)
5. Custom Desktop images and layout
6. Ability to boot from a PXE enabled TFTP server
So what do I do...I HATE RED HAT LINUX and will not EVER use it again. Not
since the licensing/pay-per came into play. If I was to do only console
work I would do FreeBSD but I need GUI and lightweight with access to a good
repository. Also, down the road there may be more architectures
involved...in walks, no, CRASHES, DEBIAN...I chose Debian for several
reasons but the main reasons are: many supported architectures, 10,000+
packages, ease of package management and IT IS NOT 'PAY HAT'.
Ok...let's start with the Debian build first.
:: Debian LIVECD ::
I have everything configured and it looks great...I have a base Debian
install, X, Fluxbox (custom menus, background, styles, etc), gdm, tsclient,
ETC...
First, I tried iBuild but when I try to build the system I keep getting
errors that files already exist...it is the 'proc' dir where the files
already exist and I can not delete this folder (How do I remove this
folder?). Ok...give up on iBuild.
Second, I have been playing with the Morphix Tools...it builds an image but
when I look at the ISO that I build it is empty. The size is about 130MB
but when you try to boot from it nothing happens and when I try to extract
it OR try to look in it using WinRAR nothing is there.
Does anyone know of a 'PROPER' guide that they can point me to for building
LIVECD's? I do not even mind building it fully manually. I love learing
new things and I think this would be a VERY valuble lesson to learn. I
would even write up a step by step doc on how to do it if I had the info on
how to do it properly. Like I said, I am new to the LIVE scene but am
liking it ALOT and have been to quite a few sites including the Debian LIVE
site.
Now the PXE/TFTP Boot stuff...
:: PXE/TFTP Boot ::
I currently have a M$ DHCP server. Options 66 & 67 are set.
I have a Debian basic build with SYSLINUX and TFTP-HPA installed
Configured the TFTPBOOT stuff.
I can NetBOOT and get to the Boot: prompt but I can not type anything at the
prompt nor does it seem to pick up the initrd.gz nor the linux files which
are in the main TFTPBOOT folder, the only thing I can get to happen is
create a 'default' file in the pxelinux.cfg folder and one level up a
default.txt file which is the menu to show up. It also seems like the
TIMEOUT option in the default file is not working. It just waits about 5
minutes all the time and then reboots the box. I have the default option as
LOCALBOOT but sometimes it doesn't even do that...it just fails. I have
downloaded the netboot.tar.gz (I think) from the Debian website and
everything that is there is pretty much everything I have on my system.
Also, I can not get the F* keys to work within my default file.
Two questions I guess...Is there a problem with syslinux running on Debian?
Should I be using PXELinux instead of syslinux?
Any help on these topics would be great. Suggestions are fine...I can
Google just a well as the next person.
I would like to have this completed by this weekend but I think that time is
coming too fast to get it done. The big thing is the LIVECD...if I can at
least get this working I can install a PXE server on my M$ DHCP Server and
get this working easy enough, I just wanted to be able to document both a
Debian only install as well as an integrated solution. Once I get all of
this done I will have no problem posting a link to my work so others can
comment and/or try it out.
Sorry for the long winded message and Thanks in advance to all,
Stephen Yorke
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