Findings while working on alternative install DVD...

[pigdog]

Hi,

I tried to build a LiveDVD but no matter what option I try ...

live, install, etc.

...it gives me a logging in as custom message and

A critical error occurred.  Please look at KDM's logfile(s) for more information or contact your system administrator.

The system wants me to log in as custom.

I also get authentication errors on tty's

Sorry.

p.s.  I built the 10.04 Personal variant.

[l3mce]

Hi,

I tried to build a LiveDVD but no matter what option I try ...

live, install, etc.

...it gives me a logging in as custom message and

A critical error occurred.  Please look at KDM's logfile(s) for more information or contact your system administrator.

The system wants me to log in as custom.

I also get authentication errors on tty's

Sorry.

That should have been fixed. This comes from moving too much information from user dir into skel. Are you sure you used the most recent version of both scripts in trac? I will get back to this project very soon.

[pigdog]

Hi,

I used master_lmce.26.sh & postmaster.14.sh

I was wondering if it had something to do customizing a LiveCD with creating a new initrd.gz file with no auto login.

I spent some time trying to figure out if I did something wrong - which I probably did.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

Cheers

p.s. A note about remastersys that I read...

You can log into the livecd/dvd with any valid user that was on the system on the hard drive but it is recommended to log into the first one created during the initial installation as that is the user that can sudo.  When you come to install this back to a hard drive, the user setup portion of ubiquity (the install program) is just a placeholder other than the system name.  The username and password set here will not be used but must be created in order to continue with the installation.  Part of the reason for this is that your users are already created so you don't need to create them again,  but more importantly because user setup is an integral part of the install program and cannot be removed or bypassed easily.  If you were using proprietary video drivers like the nvidia or ati ones, you will need to reinstall them.  The Ubuntu livecd scripts prevent these from running properly but reinstalling them after installation will make them work again.

On another thread I read that you only need the username and that the password is blank.

I've tried my username, root, etc password & no password - no go.

[locutus]

just thought that i would add if l3mce picks this back up, mceinstall.sh has had a slight change that he may want to incorporate

http://svn.linuxmce.org/trac.cgi/changeset/23868

[l3mce]

Am still toying with this. I have a problem in that I don't think the powers that be will ever produce a snap using it, and I have some definite database issues to address in order to make this work. I have been trying to get a builder up in 1004 for the last week or so... and experimenting with other distracting things. Sorry for the lack of attention.

Thank you very much for the kernel spot locutus_.

With my successful 1004 installs becoming less and less successful I have sort of put this on hold, as I see the death of 0810 impending in short order. That being said, these are the things I am working on to make this more successful.
1. Munging the DB to use liberation fonts instead of msttcorefonts.
2. Also changing over video types in video-wizard-videos in the DB to use my .avi's, which drop about 340Mb.
3. Exploring the DB call to launch AVSetupWizard, so I can script in an addition that prevents it from doing so unless running from a hard drive, and not the DVD.
4. Someplace to house a 4Gb file so people can test the snaps on the variety of hardware out there.

With those things solved, a snapshot can be produced by anyone with a working or tweaked system. If only as a "demo" to try rather than going through the drudgery of a normal install. The only thing on 1004 that needs to be ripped out is the video driver of whatever system is being used ATM... but will have the capability of ripping out future non-free additions.

Thank you all for helping.

[locutus]

i understand your apprehensiveness with continuing, but if you do ill be able to help much more as i now have a local mirror of the ubuntu sources so now every time i install its not going out the internet which will greatly decrease my install time.

[phenigma]

Instead of a completely different DVD creation process, why not work towards altering the system as it is now? 

The fonts and video changes could benefit everyone using/installing from the repo now.  A 340Mb drop in installation video size could benefit any user trying to install 0810 or 1004 and would reduce (by 340Mb) the bandwidth on the server for each and every installation attempt.  This could reduce server bandwidth by many gigabytes of transfer each month.

I also agree about 0810.  It appears to have been all but abandoned already.  0810 seems to have reverted to alpha stability as 1004 updates are applied without thought to 0810 consequences.  I would not label 0810 as beta with the lack of stability it has.

I also understand your frustration.  I once had created, and heavily tested, a nice ubiquity scripted installer setup which improved the dvd installation process significantly (the current makedvd.sh is designed for the 'alternate install dvd' not the 'livedvd' that is being used, so much of the makedvd.sh script is useless and ignored by the installer).  Under the beta designation I was told this was a feature and that features would not be added, so I dropped it.

J.

[l3mce]

Hi phenigma,

I am absolutely trying to make these changes to benefit the current process. I became aware of them through this experiment, and had been confused about how to change them, thinking they were a billion Designer changes AND DB work. Make no mistake, I want small videos and msNOTHING for all. That is why I have abandoned this side project to focus on moving LMCE to those goals... however I HATE leaving things unfinished, and I do not know yet what else this backwards process might yield to that end. I do not care if it is implemented. It is all my way of figuring things out. I just hate unfinished work... it bothers me when I go to sleep... so I am building backwards and forwards.

I mentioned before that I have been making a builder, that is for forward progress on a leaner DL design. I am just a little cog, trying to find some purchase in the bigger wheels, and until LMCE had never used linux. All of my scripts are a learning exercise.

[pigdog]

Hi,

All I can say is KUDOS to you for trying things.

Best wishes.

Cheers.

[phenigma]

All I can say is KUDOS to you for trying things.

I agree!  Great stuff for digging in.  Glad to hear you're not abandoning it!  Keep plugging through.

J.

[l3mce]

*hold on this till update... is blowing up before complete now... not sure what I broke.

New stuff. 1004 only really atm.
http://svn.linuxmce.org/trac.cgi/attachment/ticket/1015/

Download the 3 new files into /root/new-installer/lmcemaster
One of the files is an image.
Install LMCE up to AVWizard.
tty2 and sudo su
/root/new-installer/lmcemaster/lmceremaster.sh

Choose P for personal or D for distribution when prompted.
Choosing D may well break your install. It is designed to fix itself... but is a work in progress.

It is bloody barbaric... but it is much closer.
Did away with remastersys. KDE installer still throws ndbX errors. Choose ignore and make sure you choose the correct HD to install to.

I recommend screwing around in virtual installs, and saving a snapshot when you are at avwizard.
When I get a clean one I will upload an .iso somewhere so you can just play with the install process.

[locutus]

did you see that a new version of remastersys is in the works.
http://www.remastersys.com/repository/ubuntu-testing/
i know you are making a custom script but just thought it might be helpful to look at the new code.

[l3mce]

My burner is not the problem. It is gently breaking LMCE enough to recover from. I have run in circles around this problem... forcing out every package even... but... it's a nightmare in there.

I have completely changed out the ubiquity installer to the correct 1004 installer... and I have been working today on a completely different scheme. I still have to break it a little to get rid of a couple of packages... it is just a huge web of dependencies surrounding a couple... I am now looking at backing up the databases to an excluded area and destroying them, removing all of the startup scripts... and replacing them if there is a break in the process or on completion.

Then doing a full new install, with almost all of the packages already installed. It is currently about 2.5 gb... burned. This does all of the detection and reinstalls the database. It looks slick...

Of course at the moment it is flashing up all of the normal startup messages over the installer lol... but I am very close. Hope to get a working version up tonight.

[l3mce]

***Update... I have a new method.

Ok... down to one script and an image file.

This MUST be named lmceremaster.sh it must also live in /root/new-installer/lmcemaster (yes I know they are similar and confusing names)


This image (or your own 640x480 .png) must ALSO live in /root/new-installer/lmcemaster as splash.png

Your mce-install.sh MUST live in /root/new-installer. (I have written in code to try and resolve this if you do not follow directions, but it is untested atm.)

*WARNING= This could very well break your working install (way to sell it eh?), but it is designed not to. Ideally it should be tested in a virtual box with a full blown install (minus mame... I doubt there is enough space), though running it at directly after the installer or at AVWizard might go smoother. Make a snapshot before running obviously.

[l3mce]

*****UPDATE*****

Things working
1004
Installer
Hybrid installs
DVD Burner/iso mover
"Fix what we broke"
Live Boot
Proper NIC configuration *nvidia requires a reboot, so attempting to force vesa drivers on live boot.
Proper VGA detect
Works on HW

Things definitely NOT working
Live boot
Proper NIC configuration (live)
sources.list country specific repositories

Things unknown
810
Proper VGA detect
Life outside of VM
Core only installs

Trying to force vesa over nvidia for live install. Live boot takes a bit of time. Press esc at the splash screen to see what is happening.