Findings while working on alternative install DVD...

[l3mce]

Ok. So I have been at this a bit, and have a pretty stable process now. I will upload a snapshot for people to download after SOMEONE tests the script that creates them. I have bee writing it to handle both 810 and 1004, but I only know it works in 1004. The snapshot I will upload is diskless ready. It is about 3.2 gb.


In the meantime here are some instructions.

Download this script
It is best to prep your host system by either starting with a fresh LinuxMCE install, OR deleting from an existing system your MD(s) in web admin, and your room(s), and user(s) in setup wizard, unless you are just making a backup (personal option). You can then either drop to tty2 (ctrl +f2), or choose the Start KDE option, open a terminal and type:

Code: [Select]

sudo su
mkdir -p /root/new-installer/lmcemaster
cd /root/new-installer/lmcemaster
wget http://svn.linuxmce.org/trac.cgi/raw-attachment/ticket/1015/lmceremaster.64.sh
mv lmceremaster.64.sh lmceremaster.sh
chmod +x lmceremaster.shYou can then either put your own 640x480 image in there named splash.png (transparency supported but will show black). Or download one of the ones I am playing with, and run the script. (I would love some more graphics help.)

Code: [Select]

wget http://svn.linuxmce.org/trac.cgi/raw-attachment/ticket/1015/splash.4.png
mv splash.4.png splash.png
/root/new-installer/lmcemaster/lmceremaster.sh
It will ask you some questions. The first is if you want to make a copy to be distributed over the internet (this means only with packages that are legal to distribute) or a personal copy (this is more like a backup of your system that should install on your machine, or others). Both options come with the Live! boot option. This is a live boot into a full blown LMCE installation, not Kubuntu.

The next question (after a bit of time) is whether or not you want to burn, or keep the iso. If you want to burn a DVD, stick one in at this point. If you choose keep, it will spit an .iso onto your desktop with an MD5.

Live boot distro option takes longer, obviously, as you have to download all of the non-free packages and install them. Due to the nature of the nVidia driver requiring a reboot, I have shoehorned an open source driver for live boot only. It works pretty well, but I would avoid alpha layering. It works, but... slowly. This may spit errors as it rolls. I am cleaning those up, they cause no harm... they are just attempting to manipulate files that may not exist.


Script produces an iso... which currently looks like this:


Which takes you to the ubiquity kde installer if you choose that option.



Which then dumps you at AVWizard... which we are all familiar with. Live boot takes you directly to AVWizard.
COMPLETE install takes less than an hour over a dialup connection (avwiz, setup wiz, with Diskless and all) and should work on pretty much any hardware lmce CAN run on. I am trying to stuff MAME on a different snapshot, but... it's BIG.

Again, this breaks the system it is made from, and then fixes itself. I have not run into any issues with a broken/repaired system... but I make no guarantees. You should create images from machines/virtual machines with 2 nics. It will properly detect and use the one nic config if you install on a machine with one nic, but going backwards does not detect the second nic correctly... at least it didn't. I have made a lot of changes to detection since then and it might... I just stopped testing.

I should also probably mention... this is in no way approved or supported by LMCE. They are kind to let me post my code, but don't go complaining to them if my code breaks something of yours. Complain to me. I am usually in IRC.

[Aviator]

This looks interesting, I'm running it now and I'll let you know what happens.  I think I have a spare computer here at the office I can test this with.

[Aviator]

My hard drive filled up while running the create script. Make sure your drive is half empty, not half full before running this...

[l3mce]

Yeah... should have mentioned that... this may more than double the size of your install before it is all said and done. I have to copy most of it into its own file structure prior to squashing it, and then the squash is big, and the .iso is big.

Make sure you have enough free space on your drive to hold it all.

[bongowongo]

Yeah... should have mentioned that... this may more than double the size of your install before it is all said and done. I have to copy most of it into its own file structure prior to squashing it, and then the squash is big, and the .iso is big.

Make sure you have enough free space on your drive to hold it all.

How big is big?

[l3mce]

about twice the size of your current install.

Basically it duplicates your file structure -debs zips logs etc... and then squashes it which is between 2.2 and 4.4 gb depending on what is installed/done already and makes an iso which is between 2.3 and 4.5 gb. I don't have hard numbers atm. I can't tear down my system right now and all of my vboxes are on machines with small HDs.

[DragonK]

The Live CD part works nicely. Especialy if you wanna show someone quickly how LMCE works and looks like.
Gonna test the install part shortly.

Thanx

[l3mce]

What's that?

Someone actually TESTED it? I have a new hero!

Please make a quick note as to the environment you created the DVD from (the specific hardware, or VM), and any environment(s) you test on (live or install, hardware, or VM). Also which options you chose (personal or distribution), and if you burned a physical DVD or kept the iso. I am not sure of the state of personal, as I spent most of my time focusing on distribution...

Also if you could keep a rough idea on time frames for generating, and live boots/installs in whichever mode you chose.

Thank you so much!

[DragonK]

Created the Image from a VM, Fresh install.
Live booted two units. The one didnt boot. "Failed to start X" it has some sort of Intel Chipset.
       The Other was a Friends Centrino Laptop. Live CD booted all the way to the Orbiter. BTW the AV-Wizard ran without problems.
I chose the personal option. And chose "Kept the Iso"

I created the Image before running CreateDisklesTBZ.sh. So Im gonna do that now on my VM, and then create the CD again.

Anything specific you want me to test.?

Karel

[l3mce]

Well... I would be curious as to whether or not the VM you created the iso from had one NIC or two. If it had one NIC, I would be curious if it would automagically work installing it on whatever with two NICs.

There are some changes just applied which may fix the intel chipset issue (of course you would have to create a new iso) which should be built shortly... just for your own knowledge.

I would be interested if you would try and boot live with your current LMCE system, to know if the nouveau driver worked (presuming you are using nvidia).

Other than that, it might be neat to have a distribution version you could upload someplace so others could test your snapshot on more equipment. Megaupload is gone now unfortunately but perhaps rapidshare or some other space you are aware of.

Honestly I have some pretty cool preconfigured snaps, but my upload threshold is 27kbps... yes... with a k. It would take a week to upload something, presuming there were no interruptions.

Thanks again for testing.

[DragonK]

Well... I would be curious as to whether or not the VM you created the iso from had one NIC or two. If it had one NIC, I would be curious if it would automagically work installing it on whatever with two NICs.

2 Nics

There are some changes just applied which may fix the intel chipset issue (of course you would have to create a new iso) which should be built shortly... just for your own knowledge.

If your talking about the AV-Wizard sript in the other thread. Im going to add it too the next image I create.

I would be interested if you would try and boot live with your current LMCE system, to know if the nouveau driver worked (presuming you are using nvidia).

I can test that with my Work laptop. Geforce GT335M ?

Other than that, it might be neat to have a distribution version you could upload someplace so others could test your snapshot on more equipment. Megaupload is gone now unfortunately but perhaps rapidshare or some other space you are aware of.

I'll see what I can find. Any suggestions anyone?

Karel

::EDIT:: The Personal Image is 3.4GB in size

[l3mce]

2 Nics

If your talking about the AV-Wizard sript in the other thread. Im going to add it too the next image I create.
 

I can test that with my Work laptop. Geforce GT335M ?

I'll see what I can find. Any suggestions anyone?

Karel

::EDIT:: The Personal Image is 3.4GB in size

Ok
Yes
Yes
Make sure you choose dist mode for whatever you upload. Size should be smaller that way as well. It is going to break the hell out of your current install, then when it is done making the image, it should fix itself before moving on. The install/live boot will take a little longer as well from that image because it has to download the non-free packages. If you could confirm that it did indeed fix the native install that would be helpful too. You can also remake snaps from installs made from the snaps. The idea was, you could tweak the hell out of an install, do specific package builds etc, and build new snaps from there, so it can sort of evolve... and at any point you can revert install or whatever.

I would love to get an approximate install time start to finish with any mode you test.

[DragonK]

     

My disklesscreate is failing on my VM!!!!!!
When I have it done I will create a Distribution Image and time it from start to finish.

Make sure you choose dist mode for whatever you upload. Size should be smaller that way as well. It is going to break the hell out of your current install, then when it is done making the image, it should fix itself before moving on.

I will make a backup of my Live working 1004 core, and then create a Dist image from there. Then we can see if everything works again afterwards. This will only happen over the weekend though, So I'll privide feedback on Monday.

Karel

[DragonK]

L3mce,

So I tried the Distrubution option. It didnt seem to remove w32-codecs or libdvdcss.
In the reinstall script w32-codecs is there to be reinstalled, but not libdvdcss. (Not that it matters right know, just observation)

Howerver the creation of the Distribution image didnt complete. The Log file doenst say much, just;
"Too big for DVD"

The console output was:
"The compressed filesystem is larger than the iso9660 specification allows for a single file. You must try to reduce the amount of data you are backing up and try again"

There is no media saved on the Vm. Must I remove the files created when I created the personal image, before attempting the Distribution image?

Karel

::EDIT::

Ok so now the both options complain that the image is too big.
Distribution and Personal.
Only that changed was the creation of the Diskless images for the MD's.
Maybe we can create a Dual layer DVD?
And w32codecs does get removed but not libdvdcss.

[DragonK]

L3mce,

Sorry man Im swamping you with replies.... 

The "Personal" disk I created earlier, the install option doesnt work.
Both Live Boot and Install options boot a live cd enviroment.

Let me know if there is any else you want me todo.

Karel