Topic: Custom ISO image

[Jaime Nebrera]

Hi all,

  I would like to make a custom ISO image of e-smith 4.1.2 with all updates applied.

  I have followed the instructions found in "Red Hat 7 CD mini-howto".

  I replace the updated packages, follow the howto instructions and burn a cd. I install from CD, the system boots, asks for accept BUT it stops with the message:

   Couldn't find kickstart file /tmp/ks.cfg

  What have I done wrong?

  Detailed procedure:

  1) Copy CD contents in /root/cd1
  2) chmod --recursive u+w /root/cd1/*
  3) updated the needed rpm files
  4) /usr/lib/anaconda-runtime/genhdlist --withnumbers --hdlist \
   /root/cd1/RedHat/base/hdlist /root/cd1
  5) Copied /root/cd1/images/* in /root/images and
   /root/cd1/RedHat/base/boot.cat in /boot/cat
  6) mkisofs -v esmith -b /root/images/boot.img \
   -c /root/boot.cat -J -r -T -o cd1.iso /root/cd1
  7) Burn and install

  Thanks for your help

[John Lewis]

Jaime,

Redhat uses a kickstart file, named ks.cfg, that details how and what should be installed.

Redhat has some good documentation online about it, how to configure the ks.cfg file, and what should go in it etc.

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.2-Manual/custom-guide/ch-kickstart2.html

I've used it to customize and automate regular RedHat installations for server farms etc.

I have not investigated what the e-smith ks.cfg file looks like, and the process that its installer uses for the install process.

-JL

[Stephan Burmeister]

Step 6: Use cdboot.img instead of boot.img

Stephan

[W.G.S]

Can someone put together a howto?

[Jaime Nebrera]

OK, once we try the cdboot.img suggestion and if all goes well we will make a simple howto of this topic.

  Regards.

[Jaime Nebrera]

We have achieved it !!! We will make a HOWTO as soon as we can. Thanks Stephan for your suggestion, it was the key

[John Danile]

I'm stuck on the part where I have to run:

mkisofs -v esmith -b /root/images/cdboot.img \
-c /root/boot.cat -J -r -T -o cd1.iso /root/cd1

Is there anything to modify for kickstart?

[W.G.S]

Any progress?

[Jaime Nebrera]

Yep,

  I have sent a howto document to Mitel. I expect to see it online soon so we call all share it

  Just be patient.

---
Regards

[Jaime Nebrera]

Here you have the instructions:

1) Install anaconda and anaconda-runtime rpms if you don't have them.
2) Copy e-smith in ~/cd1
3) chmod u+w~ /cd1/RedHat/base/hdlist
4) chmod u+w ~/cd1/RedHat/base/comps
5) REPLACE every rpm that you want to update, for example Apache
6) IF you want to ADD a package copy it in ~/cd1/RedHat/RPMS/
7)IF you have added some package, edit ~/cd1/RedHat/comps and add it's name in Customized Packages (or whatever you like best)
/usr/lib/anaconda-runtime/genhdlist --withnumbers --hdlist ~/cd1/RedHat/base/hdlist ~/cd1
9) cp ~/cd1/images/cdboot.img ~/images
10) mkisofs -V esmith -b ~/images/cdboot.img -c ~/boot.cat -r -T -o cd1.iso ~/cd1

Thats it, bur and enjoy

[Jaime Nebrera]

There is now a howto online:

 http://www.e-smith.org/docs/howto/contrib/e-smith-custom-iso.html

  See you

[Dean Mumby]

Jaime

Sorry to ask but I am now lost

where should the directory ~/cd1 be created an ibay ??
should it be the iso name eg essg custom ??


what about ~/images && ~/boot.cat ???

The only boot.cat I could find was in /RedHat/base/boot.cat

Any help would be appreciated

Regards
Dean

[Jaime Nebrera]

Hi Dean,

  It seems you are trying to make all this in your ESGS sytem. Don't do it. Use a RH 7.1 for development (or whatever RH you like most).

  The ~ states for your home directory. It shouldn't be an ibay as you are not doing this on ESGS.

  It doesn't need to have the same name as the iso image.

  If I remember right, you just need 1 of the images files and copy it to the ~/images directory. You don't need boot.cat as it is created in the process.

  Hope it helps.