XY Problem (WAS Re: Some of the parameters used in my genisoimage command don't produce a bootable ISO image)
On Tue, Oct 11, 2022 at 06:36:26PM +0200, Mario Marietto wrote:
> You entered in a kind of analysis that I'm not able to do without the help
> of someone else more skilled than me. I've tried to add the preseed file
> even on the initrd file located on the live folder,but it didn't work. I
> don't know what to do further,but you gave me more material to post another
> question,this time more oriented to programming,so I know which is the
> right place to ask and what to ask.
>
>
Hi Mario,
I think you have hit on a problem which is a combination of problems: that's
quite common on this list :)
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XY_problem
Preseeding
==========
Although this list is fairly knowledgeable about many things, there are a few
things that need specialist experience. Preseeding is one of those things - it
is documented in, for example, the Debian handbook (the Debian package is
debian-handbook) or https://debian-handbook.info/browse/stable/sect.automated-installation.html#sect.d-i-preseeding which refers on to resources like
http://preseed.einval.com
Preseeding is a very easy concept to explain - provide the answers to
the questions in the installer - but it's not so straightforward to
get it right first time. That's the reason behind someone suggesting setting
up the file on a local webserver where you can change it, reload and see the
results immediately. Break the problem down and make one change at a time
until you're sure it's OK?
Debian-live and live images
===========================
Debian-live is its own animal - the installer is different and you have the
complexities of making the image bootable as you've seen.
There aren't many experts on this, unfortunately, on this list or anywhere else.
Remastering .iso images
=======================
Thomas has given you much of the help you need, I think - he's the expert
on the tools here.
The intersection of all of these gives you a smaller and smaller group
of potential experts. What do you want to do, _exactly_ ?
If you explain the end goal well to yourself and to us, we can help you
break it down into stages.
For example "I want to make a Debian Live CD
to show my family my collection of model trains and give instructions
to others on how I built it"
* Make a Live CD
* Customise it
* Set up a webserver inside the iso
* Write custom scripts to run the demonstrations and put them into the .iso
As you explain each stage, and point out what resources you have found / where
things are missing, we can probably find people to tackle one piece at a time.
"I wanted to do X, thought I could do it by doing Y - and I can't remember
exactly what I did or how I did it - and now I have to fix situation Z"
is really, really common - we can all be guilty of it - but breaking down
the problem into small pieces may really help here - and that may be by
explaining what you want.
There are alternatives, sometimes - several webservers are available - and
people may have a favourite application but if you specify simple requirements
we may be better able to help.
Happy to help in any way I can, as ever,
With every good wish,
Andy Cater.
>
>
> Il giorno mar 11 ott 2022 alle ore 17:24 Thomas Schmitt <scdbackup@gmx.net>
> ha scritto:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Mario Marietto wrote:
> > > Can you suggest some other nice places where I can post the
> > > question again ?
> >
> > No. This list here and debian-live are the best places to ask.
> > At least i know of no better ones.
> >
> >
> > If i were in your situation i would try to find out how the software
> > in the initrd is supposed to deal with preseed.cfg.
> > We already know how to get the uncompressed cpio archive "initrd".
> > Curiously i put it into some playground directory and do:
> >
> > mkdir unpacked_initrd
> > cd unpacked_initrd
> > cpio -id <../initrd
> > fgrep -r preseed.cfg . | less
> >
> > which yields various file paths. (I tried with the /d-i/initrd.gz of
> > debian-live-11.1.0-amd64-xfce.iso)
> >
> > lib/debian-installer-startup.d/S30initrd-preseed looks interesting.
> > It calls preseed_location() in lib/preseed/preseed.sh with the URL
> > file:///preseed.cfg .
> > So i'd begin to study what it does and insert messages which tell at
> > run time what's going on. Then i'd pack it up again by (i guess):
> >
> > find | cpio -H newc -o | gzip > new_initrd.gz
> >
> > and put it into the new ISO.
> >
> > In preseed.sh i see at the start:
> > logfile=/var/lib/preseed/log
> > I'd try to find out how to assess that file after the modified ISO has
> > booted. (Is the initrd ramdisk filesystem the same as the Live filesystem ?
> > Does the log get copied from one to the other ?)
> >
> > But of course this is an open ended adventure with lots of wrong ways
> > to follow and lots of things to learn.
> >
> > Also consider the mind set of those who possibly could help you:
> > Would it be fun for them, or at least interesting and bringing progress ?
> > A first step in their direction would be to show patience and appreciation
> > for the work which they do while you are waiting for them to show up.
> >
> >
> > Have a nice day :)
> >
> > Thomas
> >
> >
>
> --
> Mario.
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