Making a distro

[jbennet]

How would I go about maing my own linux distro for me and my friends (students)? Are there any good tutorials?

[alc6379]

This is how to create your own bare-bones Linux distribution from scratch:

http://gok.customer.netspace.net.au/power2bash/buildMin/buildMin.html

There are also things like BYOLinux and Linux from Scratch that guide you, too. But, don't think for a second that building your own distro is not a big undertaking. You will have to make all of the init scripts, all of the packages, everything that the system needs to be installed, bootable, and functional. I usually recommend folks just stick with a distro they like, and customize it to their needs. There are ways with many distros to install additional packages at install time, or you can hack out the installer scripts to do it yourself.

[njzillest]

This is how to create your own bare-bones Linux distribution from scratch:

http://gok.customer.netspace.net.au/power2bash/buildMin/buildMin.html

here are ways with many distros to install additional packages at install time, or you can hack out the installer scripts to do it yourself.

knoppix is very good for that. Also there is many ubuntu based break offs, such as nubuntu.

Knoppix allows you to cut down its "fat" easily

[jbennet]

I HAVE MADE IT!

Me and some schoolfriends got together and i now my own system. Our goal is to make it newb friendly :) so it only has, for example 1 of everything whereas usually there are many programs bundled with disstros that are very similar and quite unnccary.

We are now working on an HDD installer (have a lived made)
However, the downside is that as of yet, all packages must be configured from source and no nice GUI tools.

I have been using mainly LFS kit packages and some extrass but is it possible to get the source code for e.g YaST and modify it?

[Oddlot1902]

Another option is rPath. (www.rpath.com). They provide an online service which lets you piece together your own distribution pretty easily. rPath is a Fedora dervative.

I've used it to create a hardened appliance OS for my employer.

[TheNSS]

rpath doesn't make sense though. at least not to me.

[jbennet]

Doesnt make sense to me either. What does it do and how do you use it?

[TheNSS]

so, what's your distro called, is it something cool like proliant linux? you sould call it Microlinux or Pear Linux

[jbennet]

Lol no "proliant linux" would imply it would run on a compaq prolinat server which is kinda hard to configure and hates linux.

We have now made the system into a livecd using SquashFS and there is a simple scrpit to partition and extract it all. However everything is still alpha.

[TheNSS]

where can i get that script? i'm also trying to get my own distro

[jbennet]

Made it.

Here is basically steps to distro making:

Make an LFS system

Use tutorials such as "customising knoppix" and "making a livecd" to make a livecd of your system

On the livecd make a small python script (we got this off the net, cant remember where but it is VERY similar to a UNIX sysinstall) on the desktop of the root user

The only issue is it wont work on machines of different spec to the deelopment one as theres no kudzu etc....

[TheNSS]

sorry i'm a stupid idiot, how to you make an lfs system, you have to use the lfs live cd from inuxfromscratch.org? i tried that and it's stupid. and don't give this link for an answear: linuxfromscratch.org

[jbennet]

All LFS livecd is is packages for everything (gcc, kernel, x etc....), some tools and the book which explains how to compile all the packages.

We built all the packages as per the book but got our own copies and compiled from suse

You could remaster the PCLinuxOS CD to your liking...since there are about every single window managers in the synaptic repository...you can configure your entire install and then export it into a burnable .iso file.

I've never found an easier way of rolling your own distro. http://www.nothickmanuals.info/doku.php/pclinuxoslivecd?DokuWiki=bcb19cccfae46b90b320466f1a66613c

[jbennet]

I have always liked PCLinux OS, will try this as a development fork.
We like our current system as it is "clean" (no bloat) nd very up to date. We just now need a package manager and we are trying to get rid of the python script and develop a GUI installer (we have decided this will be a desktop system)

[markdean]

"Lol no "proliant linux" would imply it would run on a compaq prolinat server which is kinda hard to configure and hates linux."

Not to give others the wrong impression about Proliant servers and Linux, I got a datacenter about 50 feet on the other side of ths wall that has over 150 Linux servers running on both older Compaq Proliant systems as well as newer HP Proliant and blade servers, inlcluding 20 that run ESX 2.5. It has been easy since at least 1998, boot SmartStart, specify Linux, next, next,... finish, boot Linux (RHEL or compatible in our case), or point to a Kickstart server...and achieve unbelievable uptime.

Have you had bad experiences with Proliant hardware and Linux or were you just being funny?

[TheNNS]

I think proliant servers work well with linux.

[jbennet]

they do its just smartstart is a pain in the ass

[jbennet]

and its old old old proliant i have so it has EISA cards, no apm and my model is not a 686 so some distros dont work

[jbennet]

Status report:

New distro name: SourceLinux

Originally was a standard LFS system but we rebuilt with all newest stable packages optimised for the i686. Has a livecd mode with an ncurses based installer.

Am currently using some of PCLOS / mandrivas GUI installer code as a work in progress and am attempting to get APT to work as the package manager

[John A]

attempting to get APT to work as the package manager

I think Portage is better, unless you're planning to use a lot of Debian binaries.

[markdean]

EISA...wow, I still have my old Prosigna and Proliant systems that are EISA based, but I haven't tried to install anything on them in several years so I feel for you but you don't *have* to use SmartStart, any drivers or utilities can be run by themselves and more modern Proliants have the utilities built into the ROM.

[jbennet]

yeah its 1/2 EISA and 1/2 PCI lol by the way u say u have servers?
I have a mystery card (looks like a big paralell port - longer) is it external scsi or remote insigh or what?

[jbennet]

and yeah we got apt kinda working now and GUI installer is in unstable/testing phase i like APT as never really used portage and i like the debian repos selection

[jbennet]

System specifics

SourceLinux Beta 1 Features

1 LiveCD ISO
Text instillation – Graphical Coming Soon
Default Desktop is GNOME
Package Management with APT (DEB)
Built for the i686

SourceLinux Beta 1 Packages

abiword
2.4.5
alsa-lib
1.0.12
amarok
1.4.2
bind
9.3.2
cdrtools
2.01
cups
1.2.2
db
4.4.20
dhcp
3.0.4
emacs
21.4a
evolution
2.6.3
firefox
1.5.0.6
gaim
1.5.0
gcc
4.1.1
gimp
2.2.12
glibc
2.4
gnumeric
1.6.3
gtk+
2.10.2
httpd
2.2.3
iptables
1.3.5
k3b
0.12.17
kdebase
3.5.4
kdewebdev
3.5.4
koffice
1.5.2
libgnome
2.14.1

linux
2.6.17.11
module-init-tools
3.2.2
mono
1.1.13.8
mysql
5.0.24
nautilus
2.14.3
OpenOffice.org
2.0.3
openssh
4.3p2
openssl
0.9.8b
perl
5.8.8
php
5.1.5
postfix
2.3.2
postgresql
8.1.4
Python
2.4.3
qt-x11
4.1.4
samba
3.0.23b
thunderbird
1.5.0.5
udev
098
vim
7.0
xine-lib
1.1.2
xinetd
2.3.14
xorg
7.1

[John A]

Default Desktop is GNOME
Package Management with APT (DEB)
Built for the i686

Looks good, but why build it only for i686? Older architectures are always backwards compatible with new computers.

[jbennet]

its designed to be noob friendly and fast which is why its 686 optimised. most people will have a p3 or above so its ok

[John A]

its designed to be noob friendly and fast which is why its 686 optimised. most people will have a p3 or above so its ok

You could always release 2 structures, ie. i586 and i686.... (for those who still have a PII)

[TheNNS]

so is it released? I think I want to try it out.

[jbennet]

i think we will make an i586 version as one of my friends and a co developer has a AMD K7 which it wont run on.

GUI installer is now done and so is apt and the system is now in a usable state. It is officially become a "release candidate" we expect it to be able to distribute it in about 6 weeks (docs need doing and we need a server)