Live CD project
- Step one
Set a virtual machine and load the live CD “livedvd-amd64-multilib-20160704.iso”
Get the gentoo live cd from
# cd ~
# wget https://mirrors.kernel.org/gentoo//releases/amd64/20160704/livedvd-amd64-multilib-20160704.iso
Characteristics of my Virtual Machine are below. You can modify those setting according to your host machine resources
Load the Virtual Machine using the default option
Once you are inside of the VM, there are three things that you have to change
- Active the sshd
sudo /etc/init.d/sshd start
- Change the roort password
sudo passwd root
- Get your ip
ifconfig
emerge -av squashfs-tools <---- help to create the Filesystem later
*From now, you can access the virtual machine from your favorite terminal (I’m using Debian), if you are in windows, use putty.
Once you get inside of your live cd, you can type
# lsblk
As you can see, I created a 40G HD
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
fd0 2:0 1 4K 0 disk
sda 8:0 0 40G 0 disk <------Here!
sr0 11:0 1 2.8G 0 rom /mnt/cdrom
loop0 7:0 0 2.6G 1 loop /mnt/livecd
Well, in order to access those 40G and build our customized LiveCD, we have to create a partition and give it format.
I’m going to use cfdisk in order to create the partition
cfdisk /dev/sda
Give format to the new partition sda1
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1
Create a new folder and mount the partition
# mkdir -p /mnt/liveCD
# mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/liveCD
# mount
vartmp on /var/tmp type tmpfs (rw)
tmp on /tmp type tmpfs (rw)
distfiles on /usr/portage/distfiles type tmpfs (rw)
/dev/sda1 on /mnt/liveCD type ext4 (rw) <----here!
Get into the work folder
# cd /mnt/liveCD/
We need to use a linux template in order to create our linux. We could use the gentoo LiveCD that we have downloaded but it is to big (almost 3Gs). So lets get something smaller (430M).
# wget http://sourceforge.net/projects/systemrescuecd/files/sysresccd-x86/4.5.3/systemrescuecd-x86-4.5.3.iso
Note: This ISO suppose to be a hybrid version of linux (32bit/64bits). However, it is not. It has a bunch of kernels for different platforms included the 64bits kernel but the squash.img was created from the stage3/32bits. So if you try to compile something for 64 bits, it will not work. Don’t worry, we are going to download our stage3/64bits and our own kernel.
Let’s have fun!
Create a new directory. This is going to be actually our new livecd, everything we put inside of this directory is going to be wrapped into the final ISO
# mkdir -p /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd
# mkdir -p /mnt/liveCD/iso
Mount the systemrescuecd iso to /mnt/liveCD/iso
mount -o loop systemrescuecd-x86-4.5.2.iso iso/
mount: /dev/loop1 is write-protected, mounting read-only
Access to the “iso/” folder and copy all the files/folders to the new folder “newlivecd/”
# cd /mnt/liveCD/iso
# cp -R boot/ ../newlivecd
# cp -R efi/ ../newlivecd
# cp -R isolinux/ ../newlivecd
Now, get access to the “newlivecd/”
# cd /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd
The purpose of this tutorial is understand how cdlives works, so I’m going to delete a bunch of stuff from the systemrescuecd. Lets start with something simple but functional. ( I eliminated the hash tags so you can copy the following lines and paste it into your terminal)
Get into the folder isolinux/
# cd /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd/isolinux
Delete the following file/folders
rm altker32
rm altker64
rm chain.c32
rm f1boot.msg
rm f2images.msg
rm f3params.msg
rm f4arun.msg
rm f5troubl.msg
rm f6pxe.msg
rm f7net.msg
rm ifcpu64.c32
rm initram.igz
rm kbdmap.c32
rm -rf maps
rm memdisk
rm menu.c32
rm netboot
rm pxelinux.0
rm reboot.c32
rm rescue32
rm rescue64
rm isolinux.old
rm isolinux.cfg
Create a new file
# vi isolinux.cfg
Paste the following code into the file and save it
UI vesamenu.c32
MENU TITLE Gentoo Linux - Mrwhitebp EDITION
MENU BACKGROUND back.png
MENU RESOLUTION 800 600
MENU WIDTH 77
MENU MARGIN 10
MENU ROWS 12
MENU HSHIFT 10
MENU VSHIFT 5
menu color title 1;36;44 #b5b3ff #00000000 std
menu color sel 7;37;40 #e0ffffff #311f39 all
menu color tabmsg 31;40 #90ffffff #311f39 std
menu color timeout 1;37;40 #ff0000 #00000000 std
menu color help 37;40 #c0ffffff #00000000 std
menu color msg07 37;40
default gentoo-x86_64
timeout 150
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
label gentoo-x86_64
MENU LABEL Gentoo x86_64(Mrwhite)
kernel /isolinux/gentoo
append root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc aufs looptype=squashfs loop=/image.squashfs cdroot initrd=/isolinux/gentoo.igz nomodeset
TEXT HELP
Boot Gentoo x86_64
ENDTEXT
Now create the file “livecd” required to mount the filesystem (legacy and Efi)
# cd /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd
# touch livecd
# cd /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd/boot
# touch livecd
Now, it is time to download the stage3 from the Gentoo website
# cd /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd
The stage3 is published every day so do not follow the link below. Basically, go to the Gentoo website and download the stage3 64 bits. here is the link
https://www.gentoo.org/downloads/
Now, we are going to create our squashfs that represents the linux filesystem.
# mkdir -p /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd/squashfs
Decompress the stage3 file into the squashfs folder
# tar -axvpf stage3-amd64-[].tar.bz2 -C squashfs/
Get into the folder squashfs
# cd /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd/squashfs
Now , we have to mount a few things for compilation purposes (be careful with the slashes, they are meaning a lot)
# mount --rbind /proc/ proc/
# mount --rbind /dev dev/
# mount --rbind /sys sys/
# cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd/squashfs/etc/
# cp /proc/config.gz .
It is time to Chroot our new system
# chroot . /bin/bash
# source /etc/profile
# export PS1="(chroot) $PS1"
# ping www.yahoo.com
Make sure that your Internet is working and run the following command in order to get portage
# emerge-webrsync
# emerge -avuDN --with-bdeps y --keep-going world
Install vim ( personal preferences)
# emerge -av vim
Now, install the kernel sources (personal preferences)
# emerge -av aufs-sources
# update-env
There are some requirements for the kernel so make sure to add the following packages and then install the kernel again
# echo "=sys-fs/aufs-headers-4.0_p20150420 ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
# echo "=sys-kernel/aufs-sources-4.0.5 ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
# echo "=sys-fs/aufs-util-4.0_p20150420 ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
# emerge -av aufs-sources
Now let’s copy the configuration file from our livecd, it is going to save us a lot of time of kernel tuning.
# cd /
# zcat config.gz > usr/src/linux/.config
# cd /usr/src/linux
# make olddefconfig
In case you want to add extra functionality edit the kernel
# make menuconfig
# make
# make modules
# make modules_install
# make install
# emerge -av genkernel
# genkernel intramfs
Ok, We have built our modules and kernel. We will back later!
Now, lets install software into it. In order to avoid errors during the compilation, we have to edit the make.conf file
# vi /etc/portage/make.conf
add the following line at the end of the file
MAKEOPTS="-j1"
Let’s try LVM2
# emerge -av lvm2
After finish the install Linux volume manager, you can comment the previous line into the make.conf. Otherwise you will be compiling software with only one processor.
Let’s try more software
# emerge -av cryptsetup
# emerge -av mdadm
# emerge -av squashfs-tools
# emerge -av efibootmgr
# emerge -av gptfdisk
# emerge -av cdrkit
# emerge -av dhcpcd
# rc-update add dhcpcd boot
# emerge -av sshd
# rc-update add sshd boot
# passwd root <-----change the root password
Now, it is time to install zfs. Copy the following line and paste the on the terminal
# echo "=sys-fs/zfs-kmod-0.6.4 ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
# echo "=sys-kernel/spl-0.6.4 ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
# echo "=sys-fs/zfs-0.6.4 ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
# emerge -av zfs
# touch /etc/mtab
# zpool status
You can continue adding more software…
Now, we are going to build our ISO
First, exit from the CHROOT
# exit
# cp boot/* ../isolinux/ <---copying the kernel and the initramfs
# umount -l proc/
# umount -l sys/
# umount -l dev/
# cd /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd/
# tar -zcvf squashfs_back.tar.gz squashfs/ <---- Backup your filesystem just in case
# cp -R squashfs_back.tar.gz ../ <---- move it out from our work directory
We have to install squashfs also in the gentoo cdlive
# rm stage3-amd64-20150604.tar.bz2 <-----delete the stage3 file
# mksquashfs squashfs/ image.squashfs -comp xz
# rm -rf squashfs/
So, we have our filesyetm ready and our folder should looks like this
# ls
boot efi image.squashfs isolinux livecd
We have to rename the kernel and the initramfs according to our isolinux.cfg file
# mv initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-4.0.5-aufs gentoo.igz
# mv vmlinuz-4.0.5-aufs gentoo
# mv System.map-4.0.5-aufs System.map-gentoo
# mv config-4.0.5-aufs config-gentoo
Now, we have to genereta our grub file for EFI boots
go to the directory
# cd /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd/boot/grub
# rm grub-452.cfg
Create the file grub.cfg and paste into the file the following code
# vi gru.cfg
Code below
# Global options
set timeout=90
set default=0
# Display settings
if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod gfxterm
insmod videotest
insmod videoinfo
terminal_output gfxterm
fi
menuentry "Gentoo zfs and efi (64bit, odin blanco)" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /isolinux/gentoo root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc aufs looptype=squashfs loop=/image.squashfs cdroot vconsole.keymap=$bootkeymap locale=$bootlang $modeset_opt $nox $acpi_opt console=tty1 nomodeset
initrd /isolinux/gentoo.igz
}
It is time to create the ISO and cross our fingers
The struture directory under /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd, should looks like this
boot/ efi/ image.squashfs isolinux/ livecd
Change to the folder
# /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd/boot/grub
# cp /mnt/cdrom/isolinux/efiboot.img /mnt/liveCD/newlivecd/isolinux/
# cd /mnt/liveCD
# mkisofs -o gentoo_light_zfs_mrwhitebp_64bits.iso -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -eltorito-alt-boot -b isolinux/efiboot.img -no-emul-boot -U -J -joliet-long -r -v -T newlivecd/
Let’s try the new iso.
I copied the ISO from the Virtual machine to my Debian machine
# scp gentoo_light_zfs_mrwhitebp_64bits.iso mrwbp@192.168.1.117:/home/mrwbp
I created another virtual machine in Vmware or virtuabox and I used the new ISO
We logged into the new ISO and we were able to test the connection
we are also able to test zfs, there are not pools available but the zfs support is already there.
Finally, we have to test EFI, so I’m going to make some changes on the virtual machine in order to boot with EFi BIOS.
edit the file *.vmx on your vmware (I don’t know about virtualbox sorry)
# vi gentoo-zfs-64.vmx
Add the following lines and save it
firmware = "efi"
bios.forceSetupOnce = "FALSE"
Run the virtual machine again, You will see diffent menu because Grub is responding now.
I’m going to burn this img to a USB and try to boot my laptop, someone at work told me that 64 iso should work on a 32 bits computers. Lets check it out.
I don’t have CD’s so I need to convert this ISO to a USB compatible. In order to do that I’m going to install some packages in Debian
# apt-get install syslinux-utils
# isohybrid path/to/image.iso <---converting the ISO
# dd if=path/to/image.iso of=/dev/sde <--writing to the the USB
