Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

damo · 2014-12-19 03:02:42

Crunchmaster Create a LiveCD/DVD/USB from a Crunchbang installation. Use it for a backup, or a distributable iso

This HowTo is out of date, and the download links may not be operational
--------------------------
Following on from HowTo: Make your own iso, with Remastersys I have played around with the "Remastersys" scripts and sorted out a lot of the code and repackaged it as "Crunchmaster". This isn't as generic as Remastersys because I have some Openbox/Crunchbang-specific stuff in it, but it will probably work with other Debian set-ups.

The gui has been polished some, several bugs have been sorted, and I've added a grub restore script option to the Live menu, so the Live disc can be used as a sort of rescue disc if you have messed up grub and your machine doesn't boot up.

"INSTALL DISTRO" and "RESTORE GRUB" menu items are automatically added to the Live menu, and removed from the installed menu.xml.

--------------------------

There are 2 versions at the moment - one for wheezy/sysvinit users, and one for jessie/systemd users (Remastersys will remove systemd, unless you do this fix)

If you don't like systemd for some reason, then jessie/sid users can still use the wheezy version, but you will have to apt-get syslinux-utils manually to provide /usr/bin/isohybrid because it is no longer in syslinux. (Or if you already have a copy of the isohybrid executable then I have found it still works to make the iso bootable for usb pendrives)

yad is used for the dialogs, which needs installing separately.
It is available from the Remastersys repo; or build it from yad sourceforge; or I found a deb package you can try: yad_0.26.1-1_amd64.deb

I have added various image file checks to the gui boot splash options, which need ImageMagick installed. The script will still run without IM, but you will have to manually do the image size/type checks beforehand.

You can build an iso from the commandline, but yad is still needed for the gui dialogs to install from the Live session. (A commandline install script is a work-in-progress)

NB When installing, the partition needs to be formatted first. You can do this when gparted starts during the install process.

---------------------------

So I could carry on fiddling with the packages forever or....I can upload them and get some feedback from willing victims testers.

The tars contain a README and a deb package, which you can install with dpkg or gdebi

crunchmaster_1.2-wheezy.tar

crunchmaster_1.2-jessie.tar

crunchmaster_1.1_all.deb

---------------------------

What would be great is for feedback on eg

The interface and usability (remembering that it isn't fancy gtk/qt, just a simple dialog utility)
Any bugginess
jessie/non-systemd users - does it install OK?
Does it work with other Debian distros?
Suggestions for improvements
Does the Live iso need a commandline installation option?
Does it need a HowTo?

Last edited by damo (2016-04-19 16:05:27)

Alad · 2014-12-19 08:56:44

That's some impressive work mate, I think we can all agree on that. Especially those who are too lazy lack the time to go through your remastersys guide. O:)

olegabrielz · 2014-12-19 10:47:23

This looks possible to try out even for a nOOb like me :8 I will try it out this weekend

vic · 2014-12-19 21:13:33

Great work damo!

biffster · 2014-12-23 18:38:12

Hi Damo,

I will do some testing on this on another debian distro. I am the maintainer for wattOS linux. and the next version is being built on Jessie which I am actively testing with the live build scripts and installers for debian now. So this is timely and I have used remastersys in the past quite a bit and have talked to Tony (the remastersys creator) directly in the past.

I will let you know how it goes

biff

common-sense · 2014-12-28 13:51:25

Will try your new scripts when I get back from my inlaws

CBizgreat! · 2015-01-03 13:08:40

I say DAYUM, look who's become a friggin uber l33t hacker type nix ninja ! For real ... just some really interesting and thanks for doing it feedback. Cool az hell looking stuff Damo. Must've taken quite a bit of time and buttpains fellow nixer.

Sighs ... yep, long babbling way of saying KEWL.

Great example of someone using all the freely avail opensource awesomeness floating around and using it intelligently and creatively to advance the cause of nixy kickbuttness everywhere ! Though having said all this, I am NOT joining the Damo fanboi club dude.

Last edited by CBizgreat! (2015-01-03 13:41:55)

damo · 2015-01-03 13:55:15

:8

Give the kudos to Fragadelic though - he worked it all out and scripted it. (I mainly did some tidying, crunchbangified it and played with the GUI)

CBizgreat! · 2015-01-03 14:05:55

^ Not just possessing of some degree of nixy l33tness also showing a tendency towards realism and humility too !?!? Dammit ... ok, might consider joining the Damo fanboi-club afterall. LMAO.

Get whatcha saying about credit = where do. Still don't doubt you put plenty of time into doing all that though. So still more than qualifies for KEWL share status fellow nixer. Vll! Was just doing some PM'ing n whatnot. Exit stage right. >

Vll!

subkhanberdin · 2015-01-04 22:21:13

Installed crunchmaster_1.2-wheezy on my Waldorf driven machine. Creating a distro .iso worked smoothly and without any problems. Used then the USB stick mode to create a bootable flash drive. Tried then to install from stick. Selected live version from the grub menu which resulted in a booting process that stopped at the startup of x-windows. Repeated the process of creating a distro three times ending every time with the same result.

Obviously a promising tool. Curious what the experiences of other users might be.

subkhanberdin · 2015-01-06 19:17:28

hi,

found the problem. as i use my crunchbang installation a hd music server and run this server in AP (access point) mode using also a bridge to eth0 sometimes the wifi doesn't work.then the boot process gets into trouble . so changed how the mpd server gets stared during boot process. The rebooted into recovery mode and chnaged root passwd and then restarted. now everything works excellent. produced now several dedicated distros. this is so cool.

thank you very much,

nestor subkhanberdin

Last edited by subkhanberdin (2015-01-06 19:34:24)

damo · 2015-01-06 19:46:19

Glad you found it useful

Kuno · 2015-01-06 22:50:08

A late thank you from me also. Was a pleasant christmas gift!
I'm on a relatively fresh crunchified sid-install and crunchmaster works fine here - at least in a virtualbox-VM. First cruchmastered iso lacked a few configuration goodies from my hd-install, after running the "DistroSkel", the next iso was already much better. When i get the time, i'll try to further tweak the skel configuration and try the IsoToUsb.

Regarding the questions:

The interface and usability is OK for me.

No bugginess so far

jessie/non-systemd users - does it install OK? : Don't know, but works with sid/systemd

Does it work with other Debian distros? Don't know, i just use CB-Sid

No Suggestions for improvements yet

Does the Live iso need a commandline installation option? Have still to try...

Does it need a HowTo? I think, the gui is self-explanatory enough - so: no!

Before i forget: a happy 2015!

damo · 2015-01-06 23:01:14

@Kuno - thanks a lot for the feedback

jalexander9 · 2015-01-07 20:06:49

Wow! This looks just fantastic! I will test this this next weekend.

Always, impressive and on point accurate insight ...damo...

Great work!

damo · 2015-01-07 20:08:06

jalexander9 wrote:

...
Great work!

Test it first!

Thanks though :8

jalexander9 · 2015-01-10 21:26:39

Kudos again...damo...! Sharing your knowledge and writing a concise how-to has really helped me through this weekend testing.

All is well, except, how far do we install multi-layered suggested packages? My new little distro worked, but the last two layers of suggested packages were not added before running the gui, and finishing the set-up. Anyway all smiles....

damo · 2015-01-10 21:40:10

jalexander9 wrote:

Kudos again...damo...! Sharing your knowledge and writing a concise how-to has really helped me through this weekend testing.
All is well, except, how far do we install multi-layered suggested packages? My new little distro worked, but the last two layers of suggested packages were not added before running the gui, and finishing the set-up. Anyway all smiles....

Glad you are finding it helpful

I never install "Suggests" unless I know I want them, and I usually use "--no-install-recommends"

ohyran · 2015-01-19 01:06:40

This is a horrific question. But I have massive issues with my laptop and Wheezy is not a nice mix with it (no wifi, no ethernet adapter etc)... aaaaand since you guys are all doing iso's... would anyone of you have a normal-except-for-jessie-based 64bit iso to throw at a stumped user?

Again - I am so sorry for even asking.

CrunchBang Linux

SEARCH

#1 2014-12-19 03:02:42

Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#2 2014-12-19 08:56:44

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#3 2014-12-19 10:47:23

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#4 2014-12-19 21:13:33

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#5 2014-12-23 18:38:12

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#6 2014-12-28 13:51:25

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#7 2015-01-03 13:08:40

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#8 2015-01-03 13:55:15

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#9 2015-01-03 14:05:55

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#10 2015-01-04 22:21:13

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#11 2015-01-06 19:17:28

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#12 2015-01-06 19:46:19

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#13 2015-01-06 22:50:08

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#14 2015-01-06 23:01:14

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#15 2015-01-07 20:06:49

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#16 2015-01-07 20:08:06

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#17 2015-01-10 21:26:39

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#18 2015-01-10 21:40:10

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

#19 2015-01-19 01:06:40

Re: Crunchmaster - for making a Live iso from your own Crunchbang install

Board footer