[SOLVED] sequence of tasks to modify root and home and create a respin?

[Moderator BobC]

Thus far I am successful at making the changes and running it on 3/4 of my machines from flashdrive.

What I can’t do is use the antiX installer to install it because it doesn’t ask for a user id for a primary user or the passwords for that user or root, so I end up with a system autologging in as demo. Basically I can’t give that to a kid and expect them to be able to install and then fix it.

I’m also unable to use wifi on one machine, my Dell D620, with the trouble prone BCM4311 adapter. But it works if installed from standard antiX (not from flashdrive though).

Anyway, I’m looking for a sequence of steps to follow to make minor changes and create a respin that can be installed normally (or almost normally).

Does anyone know of a site that has that? I looked in the FAQ.

• This topic was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by BobC.

[Member fatmac]

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I think the normal way is to install to a computer, make your changes, then make a snapshot .iso file of it.

(It’s been a while since I last did.)

Linux (& BSD) since 1999

[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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I’m experimenting with antiX-Base 19.1 from a USB. I believe that I created a snapshot onto the USB from a system previously installed on a hard drive, so the image now has the customized environment that I prefer.

So I would say step one (at least in the method I have chosen) is to install an image to disk.

Once installed on the hard drive, perform a formal USB, (doesn’t hurt to do it again if previously formatted). This way you know that the media is properly formatted, even if this step is unnecessary. (Omit this step if you are satisfied with the USB drive as is).

Next, run the Live USB maker. In antiX all of these commands are in the Applications —> antiX menu.

Reboot the system and either change the device boot order to boot from USB first (if present) or press the key that allows you to select the desired boot device. On my system when I reboot I press and hold down the F12 key. As the system starts a long bar appears during the initial system start up, then a choice of devices that are bootable appears. I select USB and press Enter. If you have a similar setup, perform similar steps (the key that you press and the visible information you see may differ, but you should be able to see the USB device to boot from if it is properly inserted into a USB slot and it contains a bootable image.

Once you’re successful booting your antiX USB image you can use it, or put it in your pocket until you need it somewhere else, but it’s always good to make sure that it’s working before trying it on the go.

You can update antiX on the USB then remaster it. You can install it on another device, you can create personal user persistence to save your files or your entire system can be remastered. There are lots of choices once you create a USB image.

Please question anything about this and correct anything I may have omitted, wrote in error or something that is unclear. I’m not the ultimate authority on any of this stuff but I have been having excellent results with everything I have tried so far.

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Brian Masinick

[Moderator BobC]

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Brian, thanks for taking the time to think it through and enter it all.

I am doing Ok adding packages, making minor changes, remastering, making an ISO and running it from flashdrive, but I can’t get it to install normally. It skips the user id/passwords prompt screen on the install.

What I am trying to end up with is an ISO that can be downloaded, burned to a flashdrive, booted, run from flashdrive as demo/root (with or without persistence) and then installed to a hard drive as your own user with your own user and root passwords. That way I can give someone the ISO to install.

I have been doing it as “personal” rather than “general” while on as demo. Maybe that is causing my problems…

[Forum Admin anticapitalista]

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If you want to make it available for others with username – demo, then you have to use ‘general’ snapshot.
However, this does not save your personal changes such as themes, wallpaper ie things that end up in /home.
You have to copy them to etc/skel before making the snapshot.

Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.

antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.

[Member ModdIt]

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For anyone playing with customisation or respins and as in our case not going toward the complete
standard live mechanism.

sudo -E /usr/sbin/minstall calls the installer.

That command as well as instructions on changing the password for user school, changing user
name, hints on adding second user, and some shortcuts considered essential are in a text on the
desktop background image of the stick we had been passing around.

Now video chat is support option, instructions come in an E Mail..
Cafe meets and expansion of user group are pretty much killed killed by a micro organism

[Moderator BobC]

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Thanks, anti, Using the general option worked, and I was able to make changes in /etc/skel save, remaster and reboot, and those changes come up when rebooting under demo as well as after installing. I am typing this from the old D620 that had problems with wifi.

[Moderator BobC]

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Once I get this done, does anyone know a place that will host it for free for a week or two just to get feedback if there is any interest?

I have one known bug left at the moment. Note that I said “known”, LOL.

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