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How To: Create a Custom Ubuntu Install CD - PERFECT

Posted: 16 Jan 2008, 22:51
by DAE_JA_VOO
How's it guys :D

A few weeks ago i discovered an absolutely fantastic app, called Remastersys.

It takes your current Ubuntu setup and builds a live, installable CD out of it, including your bookmarks, including the random files on your desktop, etc etc etc. It makes a REPLICA of your current install and builds it into an installable version, which is really fantastic.

So, i thought you guys might like a guide on how to use it :)

Step 1

The first thing you need to do is add the Linux Mint romeo repository to /etc/apt/sources.list and update the package database:

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echo "deb http://www.linuxmint.com/repository romeo/" >>/etc/apt/sources.list
apt-get update

Step 2

All you do now is install remastersys:

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apt-get install remastersys
Close the terminal when it's done.



Step 3

Now that it's installed, all you need to do is open up the terminal again, and type:

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sudo remastersys backup custom.iso
Obviously you'll replace "custom.iso" with whatever name you want for your iso.

Once you type that, it will start working, and soon it will ask you for your 7.10 disc. Once you've inserted the disc, it'll do some copying and whatnot, and then spit your CD out again. After some more work, it'll tell you where the iso is (home/rematersys/custom.iso).

Step 4

All you do now is burn that ISO to a DVD with whatever app you use (i use K3B) and install! I did it this afternoon for the first time and it was pretty fast too!



Step 5

Once you're done, just type

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sudo remastersys clean
That will delete the created directory.


Now, if you wanna do a REALLY custom build, you should reinstall Ubuntu, but not the normal way, do it via the "install a command line" method. That will install only what's absolutely NECESSARY for the OS to work. There will be no desktop environment, NOTHING, just the command line. That way, YOU will install each and every package on that PC yourself, so you won't have junk you never use. Once you're finished building your OS up, you remastersys it! I plan to do this soon :)

Enjoy!

Posted: 17 Jan 2008, 07:53
by WAJeff
Excellent Ett!! Im gonna do this when I get back from work today :D

Posted: 20 Jan 2008, 23:21
by WAJeff
Installed :D

I'll run the backup tonight while I sleep so I can burn the iso sometime tomorrow morning


This is awesome dude, its really usefull for "clean" installs. Now we wont have to add packages, configure displays etc etc



:notworthy:

Posted: 21 Jan 2008, 01:17
by DAE_JA_VOO
Hahaha Glad you like it man :D

I've got a problem with my current Ubuntu install so i'll just use the one i made when i started this thread to install my custom setup :D

By the way, the backup doesn't take too long. Maybe 20 minutes or so ;)

Posted: 21 Jan 2008, 07:03
by AlphA
Thanks DAE - this is an excellent tool. I've been looking for something like this for a while ......tried others .....didnt work too well.

I'll give this one a shot when I get back home.

Does it backup ALL filesystems on your disk or just the root filesystem?

Posted: 21 Jan 2008, 08:17
by DAE_JA_VOO
AlphA wrote:Does it backup ALL filesystems on your disk or just the root filesystem?
Hmmm... i'm not sure. But from what i can gather, it seems to backup your current install EXACTLY the way it is.

Posted: 21 Jan 2008, 09:47
by AlphA
DAE_JA_VOO wrote:
AlphA wrote:Does it backup ALL filesystems on your disk or just the root filesystem?
Hmmm... i'm not sure. But from what i can gather, it seems to backup your current install EXACTLY the way it is.
Dont worry abou ( . )....I'll play with it when I get home. Thanks again for sharing.

Posted: 21 Jan 2008, 09:52
by WAJeff
Im busy using my "clean" install at the moment, the only thing I had to do was reinstall my GFX drivers, and Im A for away :D

Themes are still here, icons, apps etc etc etc. Everything is back to normal, and I sorted out the mount issue I was having, thanks to OpenSUSE :twisted:

Posted: 21 Jan 2008, 09:54
by DAE_JA_VOO
Awesome :D