Own Rescue-CD with Knoppix - without "chroot"

[Werner P. Schulz]

Now I'm ready with the new version of my scripts. You no longer have to work in chroot jail.

Make a HD Installation of Knoppix, modify it as you like and test it as long as you need. If you want to create your own Knoppix-CD version, the contents of your HD Installation will be copied to the '../remaster' directory by the scripts and a new ISO is builded.

Attention! If you already used the older version of my scripts, all your modifications you did within the chroot jail will be wiped out.

I suggest to start with the step "Prepare enviroment within the Knoppix HD Installation" once more. In this case you get a new, untouched '--/remaster' directory.


Greetings Werner * http://www.wp-schulz.de/knoppix/summary.html
Own Rescue-CD with Knoppix (Knoppix V6.7.0 remaster)

[utu]

Greetings Werner

It looks like you really have something here.

If I understand your directions correctly, I think there is some ambiguity that would be
well to clear up. For example, when you say 'Make a HD Installation..' I'm pretty sure
you mean 'Make a Virtual HD Installation...'.

Also, when you do this, there are some scary warnings that show up, which I think may be
disregarded, since the operations will be occuring in VirtualBox (or equivalent) and not
on any real hard drive. If so, I think you should forewarn the novice, like myself, and offer
some encouragement to perservere.

Stop me if this is disruptive or not helpful.

[Werner P. Schulz]

Hello!
You can use a HD Installation of Knoppix within VirtualBox or on a real hard drive; there is nothing dangerous.

Only the step "Prepare enviroment .." writes something in the Knoppix Installation. The steps "Rsync.." and "Build new.." are one-way jobs; all is done in the directory '/opt/knx/' and doesn't alter the HD Installation.

My warning refer to '/opt/knx/remaster'. If you used my old script 'kn-chroot' and have done some modifications within '/opt/knx/remaster', then they gone away after "rsync"

[utu]

Greetings, Werner

Having built a Virtual HD Knoppix 6.7 and made a few additions & subtractions,
I downloaded your kn-knoppix scripts and proceeded to remaster.

Things came to a halt at the 'Build new iso' phase with the following terminal output:

ed: -e expression #1, char 0: no previous regular expression
sed: can't read /opt/knx/knoppix/boot/isolinux/graphics.conf: No such file or directory
sed: can't read /opt/knx/knoppix/boot/isolinux/graphics.conf: No such file or directory
sed: can't read /opt/knx/knoppix/boot/isolinux/graphics.conf: No such file or directory
sed: can't read /opt/knx/knoppix/boot/isolinux/graphics.conf: No such file or directory
/usr/sbin/kn-final: line 40: cd: /opt/knx/minirt_rd: No such file or directory
/usr/sbin/kn-final: line 41: /opt/knx/knoppix/boot/isolinux/minirt.gz: No such file or directory

There was no iso.
The size of remaster contents was 1.9 Gb.
The size of / was also 1.9 Gb.

1.9 Gb is about what I would expect for the un-compressed system.
The Virtual system did seem to be acting well.

The first phase 'preparing' gave no terminal response I'm aware of.
The 'resync' phase took around 14 minutes, which seemed about what I'd expect;
...I would have preferred a little progress indication along the way.

I seem to be able to return to the Virtual system at will with no ill effects.

So, have you any thoughts on what I should look-for to get the iso made?

Thanks.

[Werner P. Schulz]

Hello!
Thank you for testing the script. You've run in a problem I didn't described in detail.

The first phase 'preparing' gave no terminal response I'm aware of.

If there are no problems, you'll get the messages "Decompress filesystem. This will take a long time!" and "Finished. Used time:..."

If the script cannot find the Knoppix CD, you get the message "If Knoppix CD can't be mounted please mount it within pcmanfm-filemanager". I see, I have to supplement in the message "If Knoppix CD is mounted sucessful, begin with the step 'Prepare enviroment ..' once more."

Sometimes VirtualBox isn't able to mount a CD; in this case you have to unselect the CD within the menu of VirtualBox itself and then to select the CD. Now you can see the CD within pcmanfm and mount it.

...I would have preferred a little progress indication along the way.

I don't use a progress indication. It only waste CPU power, but you never get useful datas, how long the process will need. Watch the flickering LED, watch the little window of the ressource-monitor and be patient.

Greetings Werner * http://www.wp-schulz.de/knoppix/summary.html
Own Rescue-CD with Knoppix (Knoppix V6.7.0 remaster)

[utu]

Thanks, Werner.

I will try once again.

BTW, I made my adds & removes with Synaptic; was that ok?
I realize you have add & purge lists that I might have used.

Also, the kn-material would not come in via Synaptic, so
I used apt-get install; was that ok?
Some distros warn against mixing apt-gets and Synaptic, I know.

I also anticipate a problem getting an iso out of VirtualBox;
I havent set up any shared-file arrangement yet.

[Werner P. Schulz]

You can use Synaptic. But sometimes you get trouble using Synaptic versus aptitude/apt-get. If you deinstall some packages with Synaptic, aptitude wants to reinstall them. I only use aptitude, with the CLI or with the commandline.

Also, the kn-material would not come in via Synaptic, so
I used apt-get install; was that ok?

To install my package, why don't you use "dpkg -i"?

Read in the VirtualBox Manual how to create shared folders.

The other way to get an ISO out VirtualBox is using an USB-Stick. If someone has VirtualBox within a Linux Host, he can use a ssh-connection between Host an Guest.

[utu]

Greetings, again, Werner.

I think your part of this experiment has probably gone all right.

There was, as you thought, a problem knowing whether or not the cd
was mounted on the virtual system. Once that was taken care of things
proceeded for about 14:13 in 'prepare', 1:28 in 'rsync' and 16:35 in
the 'finale', producing a 780 Mb iso and some checksums.

Flashes on the VB hdd and cd icons do give some re-assurance during
the 14- and 16-minute intervals of behind the scenes activity that
something useful may indeed be underway. Terminal entertainment
is not really necessary for the patient operator.

The only disconcerting thing I can mention is that after each phase
I seemed to need to re-locate the re-mastering menu to launch the next
phase. I can live with that, but it's strange.

My problem now is figuring how to get the iso out of VirtualBox, or how
to exercise it within VirtualBox. There is some problem with my PCLinuxOS
VB setup in regard to Shared Folders and VBGuest Additions which I have
to straighten out. I'll get back to you when I do.

Just now read your latest post:

I probably used dpkg -i, now that you mention it, just not Synaptic.
I'll study your VB suggestions as well.

I think you have a success on your hands here, Werner. Congratulations.

[utu]

Greetings, Werner

I have shifted gears here.
I have made an actual hd install ala 0wn and set up your process there.

My process times are now 6:18 for prepare; 0:16 for rsync;
5:14 for build new iso; and 0:01 for create boot-CD.

The 'new iso' is about the right size, but the 'boot iso' is not;
it says 11Mb. I am assuming the boot iso contains the 'new iso' and
will be somewhat larger as a result.

I have assumed we were NOT bound to stay within actual CD limits of around
700 Mb or so, and my current 'new iso' candidate itself is 798 Mb.
I had planned just to burn a DVD instead of a CD.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

[Werner P. Schulz]

Hello!

The only disconcerting thing I can mention is that after each phase
I seemed to need to re-locate the re-mastering menu to launch the next
phase. I can live with that, but it's strange.

The step "Prepare.." you have to do only once. The step "Rsync.." and "Build.." I will not connect to a single one step. Perhaps you have in your HD Installation a directory '../pictures' and you don't want it in the new ISO. Now you can either insert in the script "kn-rsync" a new "--exclude=.." for your own and after it run "Rsync.." or you first run "Rsync.." and then remove the directory '../pictures' within '/opt/knx/remaster' It is your decision how to do the job.

My process times are now 6:18 for prepare; 0:16 for rsync;
5:14 for build new iso; and 0:01 for create boot-CD.

The measured times are ok.

The 'new iso' is about the right size, but the 'boot iso' is not;
it says 11Mb. I am assuming the boot iso contains the 'new iso' and
will be somewhat larger as a result.

It is also ok. The Boot-CD only contains the Knoppix bootloader, nothing else; it is designed in case of you cannot boot a computer with a flash-disk installation like an USB-stick. The new ISO contains the bootloader and the compressed filesystem Image.

I have assumed we were NOT bound to stay within actual CD limits of around
700 Mb or so, and my current 'new iso' candidate itself is 798 Mb.
I had planned just to burn a DVD instead of a CD.

Of course, you can also remaster a Knoppix DVD. In this case I assume you need about 30GB free space on a partition for a) HD Installation b) '/opt/knx/remaster' and c) '/opt/knx/iso'. And you must change the value 'MIN_FREE=800000' to 'MIN_FREE=5000000' within the script "kn-final".

Greetings Werner * http://www.wp-schulz.de/knoppix/summary.html
Own Rescue-CD with Knoppix (Knoppix V6.7.0 remaster)