Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[fenex2004]

Hey,

Ok, so this probably makes me ook like the newbi i am, but I 'm having a hard time understanding how to create the iso from my hard drive files.

I've searched the postings for a tutorial on creating a live cd, the i-net, and asked some ppl, but noone can tell me the how. As I understand, you make a copy of you HDD in a file on your HDD (and you do this how?). Then use a program to create the iso fromthat file (simple enough). Problem is after creating the iso - where do i get the boot information from? (the boot directory maybe? possible the vmlinux file?)

Anywho, if someone can please advise me, step-by-step as if i were a complete idot and 3 years old, how to do accomplish this I would be most appreciative. Thanks!

[Shep]

I believe you're after:
MENU -> Setup -> Remaster Puppy Live-CD

[DPUP5520]

I believe fenex is trying to manually create the .iso without using the Remaster Live-CD program. I can see where you would be frustrated as I wondered about this too since remastering your system using the Remaster Live-CD program burns a lot of files from the CD that you may have already modified and have to change or delete again however I don't have enough experience to help you here but maybe someone else will.

[fenex2004]

Hey Dpup,

Yea, I'm trying basically to take my harddrive and create a live cd. The remaster Live CD program wont do it - tried putting the .sfs file in "/initrd/pup_ro2" and in "mnt/initrd/pup_ro2" but it kept giving the same result.

Making the iso isn't hard, i just need to know what files to leave out - like maybe the boot file as I am currently booting from the HDD? - and how to make the CD bootable.

UPDATE:
I found some info on isolinux - downloaded it - tried it. The instructions were either way off or I don't have the correct version of mkisofs - can't extract the contents of the syslinux file(the archiver wants to crete a new file with the original syslinux.tar.gz in it).

Any direction at this point would be welcome. Its been a long time (over 30 yrs) since i've done any command line work, although I remember some of it. This type of thing, however, is completely new to me. I can understand the "whereof"s - I just need some help in the "how-to"s.

Thanks!

[rjbrewer]

Basically, you want to use remaster in order to create either
a new bootable cd or an iso that can be used to do the same.

If you have a frugal install it's fairly easy if you have the live cd
to get the basic files from.

Full install would work the same if you had the remaster files
for full install: (dougals remaster).

Fluppy, (and Pupeee?) is the only version that has those files right
now.

Some time ago I was able to install those (3 or 4) files on a Lucid
5.1.1 full install and do a succsessful remaster from full.

[DPUP5520]

Hmm this might or might not be the same thing that rjbrewer said but why don't you do a live-cd remaster and use an origional unedited cd let it run the program and then when it asks to make any final changes before burning the cd switch out the LUPU.SFS with your custom one inside the temp directory. i'm assuming that would do the trick.

[fenex2004]

Ok, maybe i'm going about this thing backwasrds....

I know how to get the iso created from the hdd (basically a back-up copy of the hdd). I was under the impression that I could use that in a "program" which would combine a boot path & files, the iso, and the rest of the data, then burn it all to the cd - thus making it a bootable cd.

Looking over this post, I now assume that a little more "compilation" needs to be done in order to accomplish my means.

Upon comparrison, I assume I will need to combine my sfs files from the hdd (don't know where to find those); create/edit a vmLinuz, initrd.gz, logo.16, and help .msg files; then create the iso; place all this in a file; run isolinux (if i can get it to un-archive); and that SHOULD create the bootable live cd. Yes?

You know, maybe I wasn't so far off when I posted above..."advise me, step-by-step as if i were a complete idot and 3 years old"

Is there a posting, website, or some tutorial out there somewhere that can direct me, step-by-step, as to the process? Before I look even MORE stupid Would especially like one oriented just for Puppy (hint hint)

The "douglas remaster" rjbrewer mentioned - isn't that mostly or specifically ubuntu oriented or can it be used/adapted for puppy?

What about Woof? I know its used to develop Lupu and Wary. Would I be better off trying it? The main idea here is to take and make a bootable back-up of my HDD - basically - in the case I need to re-install it again somewhere without having to make all the modificationsd again. Of course, if I can learn and make my own disrto - all the better

Thanks for having the patience with me guys - as you can tell - I really need some help here. I do appreciate all the effort in this. Maybe i'll even get it right before long, who knows? LOL

Thanks again!
.

[rjbrewer]

Dougals remaster was made for Puppy full installs....nothing to
do with other linux.

What do you have, frugal or full?

Boot up your live cd; type "puppy pfix=ram" at boot screen.

Find remaster puppy live cd in the menu.
Run through it a few times, or until you understand it.

[GustavoYz]

[Crash]

I like to use ISOMaster to hack a CD. Use whatever .iso distribution of Puppy you choose as the source. You can replace or add any files you want, then save it as a new .iso. No recompiling necessary unless you want to. The boot loader remains intact. Pretty simple way to make a custom CD.

[fenex2004]

Hey, thanks guys!
I believe I'm beginning to get the hang of all this. Now, where do I get my sfs files? I am pretty sure I use the SFS-Combiner to compile them all into one sfs, but where are the files located on the hdd? I tried the combined sfs located at "/" on the hdd, it was apprently empty. Or am I overthinking this thing and just need to add my hdd "/" files either to the sfs_combiner or during the remaster where you view the "livecdbuild"?

I've been working with the remaster and apparently it only takes a snapshot of the active ram or cd, not the hdd. I can add files at one or two particular areas of the build, I just need to know which fies they are.

I know this is aggrevating to you guys, please be patient, and I thank you for all your help. I will understand and get it before long - i hope

oh, and GustavoYz, yea, i figured that one out a long time ago....been using almost nothing but rw since then for things like this
.

[postfs1]

Variant:

[fenex2004]

Thanks postfs1,

But as the man said...that looks a little complicated...

Again, Let me state the "what i'm trying to do" here - I've got and installation of lighthouse on my hdd; i've made a few minor modifications and just want to be able to burn it to a disc and boot up into it. Kinda like takig your computer with you when you travel sort of thing - but only in live cd.

I believe quite possible that frugal install would be the better method of accomplishing this (still the remaster only reads and recopies the disc if you don't know which files to exchange where), but as I have in full install and the re-make would be rather time consuming i was hoping to quicken the pace by just using the hdd image.

Ima keep at it - it dun made me mad now - so anyone who has an idea or has done it before - please share! I really appreciate all the help.

.

[fenex2004]

Hey all,

Ok, so i've been playing around and have finally gotten my first customized deriviant burnt. Was forced to do a frugal install, the HDD when booted by the cd kept running out of space (i assume in ram or personal storage) and would not complete.

rjbrewer , thanks - the remaster t&e helped me understand things a little better.

postfs1- thanks for the code bud, but apparently it's been too long since I coded anything - it's all worse than greek to me now LOL

I've been going back through hundereds of posts here in the forum, through pages and pages of other resources, and have exhausted myself trying to uncomplicate this thing. Most of what I find seems to be - at least as of Lupu 5.0 release or better - outdated. Only a small percentage of what I've read actually covers programs now being used. So...

For those who might benefit from it, here's what I did:

1. Frugal install of lupu520 on HDD - basic frugal, nothing fancy.
2. Customized desktop and added files - standard stuff
3. Began remaster cd
3a. at first stopping point, replaced collected files with files in my /root directory
3b. no other changes were made - none - throughout remaster process
4. At the point where you commit to the cd or save the files and create an iso, I chose to create the iso and not burn it.
4a. now have files and iso in /initrd/mnt/puppylivecd
5. used burniso2cd to burn iso
5a. All attempts to boot failed - would not post past initial computer bios
6. Used pburn to burn the iso
6a. Results same as with burniso2cd - would not post past bios
7. Used isoMaker to re-compile the files and re-make an iso
7a. with burniso2cd used to burn iso - 90% failed due to checksum error
7b. with pburn used, 90% failed for checksum
7c. Remaining 10% in both casess failed to initialize past bios as before
8. Re-remastred, burning iso at end of compilation
8a. This worked. boots fine. resets to default values, but my files/themes/etc are there, I just have to re-select them all

Here are my next questions:

A. When compiling the iso with isomaster, do I need to load a boot file? If so, where do I find it (get it off boot sector of cd or hdd?)

B. When iso is made and saved, why does it not contain boot info/file when burnt by burniso2cd or pburn? (vmlinuz and initrd.gz are present - maybe i should ask why bootloader isn't recognized?)

C. Which file do I need to edit to bring up my icons/desktop as default on the new cd?

And if I could get an answer to this I would really consider it a bonus - how do i add my variant name to the lupu-520-sfs filename and be able to have the bootloader find it at boot?

I'm still working with it here and trying desperately to understand. Anyone who can help please do so - I thank you!

.