When I did my first Knoppix remastering back in 2006, using chroot was in practice necessary. But returning to the kind of task a few years later, and following the methods outlined by other forum members here, I found that I didn't need it.
Chroot is important when a brand new OS version is created from scratch, for then there isn't anything to run yet. But I have found that as soon as I have a version able to run, it is much better working from that. And with easily configurable (in several parallel versions) persistent store, running the developing system in something like kvm is a very simple, robust and efficient way of applying and testing changes.
Working from Knoppix 7.6.1 (for example), I can run the ISO in kvm, use the flash installer to install Knoppix on the first partition of a USB SSD disk, and start creating alternatives by modifying the booting .cfg file there. When I then run (the external disk is identified as /dev/sdc)
I can use the booting alternatives in the syslinux file. I can even do remastering safely running from the image to be remastered, if I start without persistence. And after the first remastering, I will have all necessary tools in the cloop image, so it doesn't really matter for this use case whether I use persistence or not.Code:sudo kvm /dev/sdc -m 1024 &
Have I missed something important about chroot, as it doesn't seem to have much to offer for mye actual use?
I will need it for a knxbootstrap utility, but remastering is something quite different today.
Knoppix 9.1 Live Linux GNU Bootable USB Flash Drive USA
$19.99
Knoppix Live GNU Linux System 9.1 on Bootable CD / DVD / USB Flash Drive
$9.99
Linux Knoppix 4.0.2 Installation Disc
$29.99
KNOPPIX 9.1 LINUX INSTALL & LIVE DVD
$9.99
$6.40
Knoppix Linux Bootable OS v8.6 "Original Live Operating System" 32G USB Stick
$20.30
$8.00
Acer Aspire One 9 inch Netbook ZG5 512MB RAM 8GB SSD HD Knoppix Linux WiFi VGA
$79.99
Knoppix 3.4 Linux installation CD
$10.00
Knoppix Linux Bootable OS v8.6 "Original Live Operating System" 16G USB Stick
$19.95