# Live custom Ubuntu from scratch ## Prerequisites (GNU/Linux Debian/Ubuntu) Install applications we need to build the environment. ``` sudo apt-get install \ debootstrap \ squashfs-tools \ genisoimage \ syslinux \ isolinux ``` ``` mkdir $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch ``` ## Bootstrap and Configure Ubuntu ``` sudo debootstrap \ --arch=amd64 \ --variant=minbase \ bionic \ $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch/chroot \ http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ ``` ``` sudo mount --bind /dev $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch/chroot/dev sudo mount --bind /run $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch/chroot/run ``` ## Access chroot environment ``` sudo chroot $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch/chroot ``` 1. **Configure mount points** ``` mount none -t proc /proc mount none -t sysfs /sys mount none -t devpts /dev/pts export HOME=/root export LC_ALL=C ``` 2. **Set a custom hostname** ``` echo "ubuntu-live" > /etc/hostname ``` 3. **Configure apt sources.list** ``` cat < /etc/apt/sources.list deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic main restricted universe multiverse deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic main restricted universe multiverse deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-security main restricted universe multiverse deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-security main restricted universe multiverse deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-updates main restricted universe multiverse deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-updates main restricted universe multiverse EOF ``` 4. **Update indexes packages** ``` apt-get update ``` 5. **Install systemd** ``` apt-get install -y systemd-sysv ``` 5. **Configure machine-id and divert** ``` dbus-uuidgen > /var/lib/dbus/machine-id dpkg-divert --local --rename --add /sbin/initctl ln -s /bin/true /sbin/initctl ``` 6. **Install packages needed for Live System** ``` apt-get install -y \ ubuntu-standard \ casper \ lupin-casper \ discover \ laptop-detect \ os-prober \ network-manager \ resolvconf \ net-tools \ wireless-tools \ wpagui \ locales \ linux-generic ``` 7. **Graphical installer** ``` apt-get install -y \ ubiquity \ ubiquity-casper \ ubiquity-frontend-gtk \ ubiquity-slideshow-ubuntu \ ubiquity-ubuntu-artwork ``` 8. **Install window manager** ``` apt-get install -y \ plymouth-theme-ubuntu-logo \ ubuntu-gnome-desktop \ ubuntu-gnome-wallpapers ``` 9. **Install usefull applications** ``` apt-get install -y \ clamav-daemon \ terminator \ apt-transport-https \ curl \ vim \ nano ``` 10. **Install Visual Studio Code** 1. Download and install the key ``` curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > microsoft.gpg install -o root -g root -m 644 microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/ echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list rm microsoft.gpg ``` 2. Then update the package cache and install the package using: ``` apt-get update apt-get install -y code ``` 11. **Install Google Chrome** 1. Download and install the key ``` wget -q -O - https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo apt-key add - ``` 2. Add the key to the repository ``` echo "deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list ``` 3. Finally, Update repository and install Google Chrome. ``` apt-get update apt-get install google-chrome-stable ``` 12. **Install Java JDK 8** ``` apt-get install -y \ openjdk-8-jdk \ openjdk-8-jre ``` 13. **Remove unused applications** ``` apt-get purge -y \ transmission-gtk \ transmission-common \ gnome-mahjongg \ gnome-mines \ gnome-sudoku \ aisleriot \ hitori ``` 14. **Remove unused packages** ``` apt-get autoremove -y ``` 15. **Reconfigure packages** 1. **Generate locales** ``` dpkg-reconfigure locales ``` 2. **Reconfigure resolvconf** ``` dpkg-reconfigure resolvconf ``` 3. **Configure network-manager** ``` cat < /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf [main] rc-manager=resolvconf plugins=ifupdown,keyfile dns=dnsmasq [ifupdown] managed=false EOF ``` 4. **Reconfigure network-manager** ``` dpkg-reconfigure network-manager ``` 15. **Cleanup the chroot environment** 1. If you installed software, be sure to run ``` rm /var/lib/dbus/machine-id ``` 2. Remove the diversion ``` rm /sbin/initctl dpkg-divert --rename --remove /sbin/initctl ``` 3. Clean up ``` apt-get clean rm -rf /tmp/* ~/.bash_history umount /proc umount /sys umount /dev/pts export HISTSIZE=0 exit ``` ## Unbind mount points ``` sudo umount $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch/chroot/dev sudo umount $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch/chroot/run ``` ## Create the CD image directory and populate it 1. Access build directory ``` cd $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch ``` 2. Create directories ``` mkdir -p image/{casper,isolinux,install} ``` 2. Copy kernel images ``` sudo cp chroot/boot/vmlinuz-**-**-generic image/casper/vmlinuz sudo cp chroot/boot/initrd.img-**-**-generic image/casper/initrd ``` 3. Copy isolinux and memtest binaries ``` sudo cp /usr/lib/ISOLINUX/isolinux.bin image/isolinux/ sudo cp /usr/lib/syslinux/modules/bios/{chain,gfxboot,ldlinux,libutil,libcom32,vesamenu}.c32 image/isolinux/ sudo cp chroot/boot/memtest86+.bin image/install/memtest ``` ## Boot Instructions 1. **Splash screen** 1. Access build directory ``` cd $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch ``` 2. Create image 640x480 in png format (splash.png)


3. Copy image ``` sudo cp splash.png image/isolinux/ ``` 2. **Boot-loader configuration** 1. Access build directory ``` cd $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch ``` 2. Create image/isolinux/isolinux.cfg ``` cat < image/isolinux/isolinux.cfg path include menu.cfg default vesamenu.c32 prompt 0 timeout 50 EOF ``` 3. Create image/isolinux/menu.cfg ``` cat < image/isolinux/menu.cfg menu hshift 13 menu width 49 menu margin 8 menu title Installer boot menu include stdmenu.cfg include txt.cfg EOF ``` 4. Create image/isolinux/stdmenu.cfg ``` cat < image/isolinux/stdmenu.cfg menu background splash.png menu color title * #FFFFFFFF * menu color border * #00000000 #00000000 none menu color sel * #ffffffff #76a1d0ff * menu color hotsel 1;7;37;40 #ffffffff #76a1d0ff * menu color tabmsg * #ffffffff #00000000 * menu color help 37;40 #ffdddd00 #00000000 none menu vshift 12 menu rows 10 menu helpmsgrow 15 # The command line must be at least one line from the bottom. menu cmdlinerow 16 menu timeoutrow 16 menu tabmsgrow 18 menu tabmsg Press ENTER to boot or TAB to edit a menu entry EOF ``` 5. Create image/isolinux/txt.cfg ``` cat < image/isolinux/txt.cfg default live label live menu label ^Try Ubuntu without installing kernel /casper/vmlinuz append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd quiet splash --- label live-install menu label ^Install Ubuntu kernel /casper/vmlinuz append file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity initrd=/casper/initrd quiet splash --- label check menu label ^Check disc for defects kernel /casper/vmlinuz append boot=casper integrity-check initrd=/casper/initrd quiet splash --- label memtest menu label Test ^memory kernel /install/memtest EOF ``` ## Create manifest 1. Access build directory ``` cd $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch ``` 2. Generate manifest ``` sudo chroot chroot dpkg-query -W --showformat='${Package} ${Version}\n' | sudo tee image/casper/filesystem.manifest sudo cp -v image/casper/filesystem.manifest image/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktop sudo sed -i '/ubiquity/d' image/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktop sudo sed -i '/casper/d' image/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktop sudo sed -i '/discover/d' image/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktop sudo sed -i '/laptop-detect/d' image/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktop sudo sed -i '/os-prober/d' image/casper/filesystem.manifest-desktop ``` ## Compress the chroot 1. Access build directory ``` cd $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch ``` 2. Create squashfs ``` sudo mksquashfs chroot image/casper/filesystem.squashfs ``` 3. Write the filesystem.size ``` printf $(sudo du -sx --block-size=1 chroot | cut -f1) > image/casper/filesystem.size ``` ## Create diskdefines 1. Access build directory ``` cd $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch ``` 2. Create file image/README.diskdefines ``` cat < image/README.diskdefines #define DISKNAME Ubuntu from scratch #define TYPE binary #define TYPEbinary 1 #define ARCH amd64 #define ARCHamd64 1 #define DISKNUM 1 #define DISKNUM1 1 #define TOTALNUM 0 #define TOTALNUM0 1 EOF ``` ## Recognition as an Ubuntu from scratch 1. Access build directory ``` cd $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch ``` 2. Create an empty file named "ubuntu" and a hidden ".disk" folder. ``` touch image/ubuntu mkdir image/.disk ``` ## Calculate MD5 1. Access build directory ``` cd $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch ``` 2. Generate md5sum.txt ``` sudo /bin/bash -c "(cd image && find . -type f -print0 | xargs -0 md5sum | grep -v "\./md5sum.txt" > md5sum.txt)" ``` ## Create ISO Image for a LiveCD 1. Access image directory ``` cd $HOME/live-ubuntu-from-scratch/image ``` 2. Create iso from the image directory using the command-line ``` sudo genisoimage -D -r \ -V "Ubuntu from scratch" \ -cache-inodes -J -l \ -b isolinux/isolinux.bin \ -c isolinux/boot.cat \ -no-emul-boot \ -boot-load-size 4 \ -boot-info-table -o ../ubuntu-from-scratch.iso . ```