Howto create lightweight Linux distr with specific apps installed

I'm developing a thin client system and was going to use Red Hat's SPICE technology.

The only Linux distros which include the SPICE client are Fedora 14 and 15 but these are too big - they require more than 5GB of free space which is unworkable for me since I can only use up to 1GB.

How can I create my own Linux Live CD with specific programs preinstalled? (I am going to install the SPICE client and use it)

Any help would be highly appreciated.

bakytn

Posted 2011-07-07T08:23:08.893

Reputation: 1 537

Answers

Have a look at the Open Build Service. It lets you build your own custom distributions as well as the packaging features. While the project had it's beginnings in openSUSE, it fully covers other major linux flavors now as well.

There is an excellent wiki including a series of tutorials here.

bitslave

Posted 2011-07-07T08:23:08.893

Reputation: 1 063

thank you very much. I found JeOS from the link you sent! I think that's exactly what I need. – bakytn – 2011-07-08T02:25:25.193

I have done it a few times - it can be done with LinuxFromScratch I believe. However this article may be able to help you further:

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7246

RossDoughty

Posted 2011-07-07T08:23:08.893

Reputation: 101

thanks for the tip, LFS would be the best but I need it immediately I just don't have enough skills on LFS to do it fast. – bakytn – 2011-07-07T09:45:43.767

Okay yeah It does take some time, hope the site helps. :). – RossDoughty – 2011-07-07T09:51:22.677

1+1000000. LFS is amazing – n0pe – 2011-07-07T13:37:47.167

Your best bet is SliTaz. It's 30MB and once you're done with installing and removing all the apps, you can package it up as a LiveCD! Best thing ever! Click Here to Get SliTaz

SliTaz comes with Tazlito by default, try it, you'll love the ease of access! :)

Tazlito is a small utility to extract a LiveCD, rebuild the ISO image and regenerate the root filesystem of the LiveCD. Tazlito can also generate a distribution from a list of packages previously downloaded. To run, Tazlito uses the configuration file /etc/tazlito/tazlito.conf or an easily generated tazlito.conf found in the current directory. It specifies the name of the ISO, volume, maintainer and the paths of the packages to distribute and the generated ISO. Tazlito can also set up a directory containing additional files which will be copied to the LiveCD when generating the distribution.

Tazlito is distributed under the free GNU licence GPL V3, installed by default on SliTaz and installed/sucessfully tested on Debian GNU/Linux. You will find additional information about creating a LiveCD in the Handbook.

adeelx

Posted 2011-07-07T08:23:08.893

Reputation: 1 248

yeah I was just going to play with it. – bakytn – 2011-07-07T09:31:53.403

I did this once on Ubuntu LiveCD. I copied the CD contents to the hard drive, opened casper to a directory, chrooted and used apt-get to install software.

After this it was only a matter of closing up.

Some further reading:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCDCustomization

Antti Rytsölä

Posted 2011-07-07T08:23:08.893

Reputation: 329

elegant approach but I also need to reduce it to 300 or 400 mb to be finally consume 1gb when installed (at the very max). I suppose I can't apt-get remove etc.? – bakytn – 2011-07-07T09:19:49.110

dpkg -P removes packages. Should be no problem to remove stuff, but live CDs are often quite tight already. – Antti Rytsölä – 2011-07-07T09:23:44.130

I found this: Bootstrap JeOS. It seems like a nice approach. Some day I will find time for LFS!

bakytn

Posted 2011-07-07T08:23:08.893

Reputation: 1 537