Tutorials/Installation/Build Your Own Remix with Fedora

Build_Your_Own_Remix_with_Fedora

Will make a customized Live CD/DVD .iso file

• This example is done using an installed Fedora 18 TC2 gnome3-live-desktop in VirtualBox 4.2.4;

With the extensions installed - (required to save the remix.iso to USB stick)

(Use at least a 30 GB VirtualBox Hard Disk)

But similar procedures work with Earlier versions of fedora f7-f17

Install the necessary software

To create a live image, the livecd-creator tool is used. Super user privileges are needed. The tool is more or less self-documenting, use the --help option to see options. The livecd-creator tool is part of the livecd-tools package. If it is not installed on your system, add it with:

su -c 'yum install livecd-tools spin-kickstarts'

If you are interested in localized live cd files, install also l10n-kickstarts.

su -c 'yum install l10n-kickstarts'

Note the spin-kickstart files that download are specific for the version of fedora you are using

The version of sugar will also be different for each version of fedora:

f12 0.86.-

f13 0.88.-

f14 0.90.-

f15 0.92.-

f16 0.94.-

f17 0.96.-

f18 0.98.- works in TC2

• It is best if your install is all in the / directory (ext4 format) as the temporary files need a lot of room on /

Set up your environment

Now we'll set up the place you'll be building your remix's image file in. We assume you're running a recent version of Fedora.

We will use the /home/(user*)/ to do our builds

Note: If you use the Kickstart files in the default installed location in /usr/share/spin-kickstarts you will have permission problems editing the files.

• Set SELinux in permissive mode:

Builds will fail if this is not done

su -c ‘setenforce 0’

• Copy the kickstart files you've Downloaded to your Home user directory

(user*)= your user name

mkdir /home/(user*)/spin-kickstarts
cp /usr/share/spin-kickstarts/*.ks /home/(user*)/spin-kickstarts/
cd /home/(user*)/spin-kickstarts/

spin-kickstarts.git

• These are more up to date kickstart files-(used for builds)

Index: http://git.fedorahosted.org/cgit/spin-kickstarts.git/

Unzip this file : F18: http://git.fedorahosted.org/cgit/spin-kickstarts.git/snapshot/spin-kickstarts-f18.zip

Use these kick-start files as shown in the above example.

Be sure to not mix them with the files we added to /spin-kickstarts

• Suggest copying them to /home/(user)*/ to keep them apart.

• Edit one of these .ks files with the gedit Text Editor

see (section below for details of what you can do)

Example Terminal Command to Build .iso

You must be connected to a fast Internet connection for this to work

f18 build system using fedora-livecd-soas.ks

(This example also works with a f13 to f18 Build System)

• In root terminal /home/(user):

livecd-creator \
--config=/home/(user)/spin-kickstarts/fedora-livecd-soas.ks \
--fslabel=Soas-v8-Remix-20121215 --cache=/var/cache/live --verbose

be sure to leave a beginning space on lines 2 and 3

• KEY

--fslabel=Soas-v(2-3-4-5-6-7-8)-Remix-yearmmdd = (The name you specify for the CD remix)

• The Version built depends on the version of Fedora you are running.

Explanation of format for name: (preliminary layout pending approval by Soas)

v(2-3-4-5-6-7-8)= the sugar version v(2-3-4-5-6-7-8)

v2= Fedora 12 sugar 0.86-

v3= Fedora 13 sugar 0.88-

v4= Fedora 14 sugar 0.89-0.90

v5= Fedora 15 sugar 0.92

v6= Fedora 16 sugar 0.94.x

v7= Fedora 17 sugar 0.95.x

v8= Fedora 18 sugar 0.98.x

year/mm/dd= The Creation Date

Remix is REQUIRED for naming if Soas is used

--config=/home/(user*)/spin-kickstarts/ * (path to your /spin-kickstarts folder and .ks file)

Install Files

• Setup

 su -c 'yum install livecd-tools spin-kickstarts'

Prepare Files in gedit

• Open and edit the appropriate kickstart file in gedit:

This is using the fedora-live-desktop.ks

Note that many ,ks files call a 2nd .ks

Open inspect and edit both in gedit

• Write commands to gedit

Copy-Paste this entry to root terminal

Copy/Paste command from gedit into root terminal

Start of session in root terminal (this example uses fedora 18 gnome3)

• Begin to install

• Success is indicated by message:

   "Setting supported flag to 0" 

• Note it can take up to 60 minutes for the build to complete

Burn your custom.iso to a CD

• Find your custom live.iso in your home directory with files application

Right Click on it Burn to CD

Or save .iso for use in VirtualBox

Resources

More Customizing Tips

• Different ways to customize your kickstart Remix

Anaconda Kickstart

• Fedora's Detailed instructions on how to use a kickstart file in Fedora 18

Software Raid

• Information on software raid

Red_Hat_Enterprise Guide

Build a DVD.iso

1. Activate a shell inside the mock chroot
2. Next, create a DVD (this may take a while)
3. Before proceeding, validate the ISO images using the sha256sum command
4. Exit the mock shell, and copy the ISO image out of the chroot and have fun ...