epeisach / iso-builder

Debian Live configuration and scripts for generating ubuntu based images, forked from elementary OS Terraform

ISO Builder

This ISO builder is fork of the good work from the elementary crew. Many thanks to the devs there https://github.com/elementary/os

Building Locally

As ubuntu cinnamon-remix is built with the Debian version of live-build, not the Ubuntu patched version, it's easiest to build an iso in a Debian VM or container. This prevents messing up your host system too.

The following example uses Docker and assumes you have Docker correctly installed and set up:

1. sudo apt install docker.io

2. sudo docker pull debian

3. Customise the docker image to have the ability to build eoan/focal

   sudo docker run --privileged -it debian:latest

   note the containerID in the root prompt i.e. /# means you are now in the container

   e.g. root@ea5126f14ac9:/#

   Now install debootstrap package and create an eoan (or focal script)

   apt update && apt install debootstrap -y

   cd /usr/share/debootstrap/scripts

   cp disco (distro your building)

   cd

   Install git and nano

   apt install git nano -y

   Clone the iso-builder

   mkdir /home/cinnamonremix

   cd /home/cinnamonremix

   git clone https://github.com/Ubuntu-Cinnamon-Remix/iso-builder -b cinnamonv2

   cd iso-builder

   at this point configure etc/terraform.conf for the build you wish to make e.g. 20.04 and focal - ensure you decide between unstable or all PPAs

   ./build.sh

   This will eventually complete - ignore any errors EXCEPT for 404 repository errors. If you get those then investigate why and once fixed exit and start the instructions again. This step will take 20-60 minutes depending on your internet speed and host OS CPU power

   exit the container and commit the results

   exit

   You will now be back on your host OS

   sudo docker commit containerID

   e.g. sudo docker commit ea5126f14ac9

   Stop the docker container (important step)

   sudo docker stop ea5126f14ac9

4. Run the build by starting a container:

   sudo docker start -i ea5126f14ac9

   You will now be back in the container i.e. with a /# prompt

   cd /home/cinnamonremix/iso-builder

   ./terraform.sh

   This will take approx 20-60 minutes but will depend on your host OS CPU power and internet speed

5. When done, your image will be in the builds folder.

   On your host, copy the build folder from your docker container

   sudo docker cp containerID:/home/cinnamonremix/iso-builder/builds/amd64 .

   Finish by shutting down the container

   sudo docker stop containerID

Docker hints

To see the list of docker containers

sudo docker ps -a

To remove a docker container using the Container ID listed with the above command

sudo docker rm containerid

To remove a docker image

sudo docker images

sudo docker rmi imageID

To stop a docker container when running

sudo docker stop containerid

Further Information

More information about the concepts behind live-build and the technical decisions made to arrive at this set of tools to build an .iso can be found on the wiki.