Re: live cd/usb projects?

[T o n g <mlist4suntong@yahoo.com>]

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:

> . . . There are many conflicting sets of instructions floating
> around on wikis, etc.  It took me a long time to get this stuff figured
> out.

That's exactly what I felt, and why I gave up after several attempts. I 
think it is time for me to try it out again. So more questions followed:

> 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. 

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

http://live-developers.sourceforge.net/tools/persistent/
#Make_it_portable_and_fast

thanks

-- 
Tong (remove underscore(s) to reply)
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