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@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ |
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<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" link="#0000EF" vlink="#51188E" |
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alink="#FF0000"> |
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<center>$Id: index.html,v 1.32 2001/12/05 19:13:05 freesource Exp $</center> |
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<center>$Id: index.html,v 1.33 2001/12/05 20:27:25 freesource Exp $</center> |
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<p> |
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@ -361,19 +361,21 @@ $HOME/.gbootroot/yard/.</p> |
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was the original program, but I decided that a GUI approach |
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provided the user much more versatility and power in creating |
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distributions. Since the first gBootRoot, |
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bOOTrOOT has become a full blown distribution creation program. |
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It may be used for the creation of root filesystems used in every |
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bOOTrOOT has become a full blown distribution creation program which may |
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be used by a normal user. |
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It may be used for the creation of root filesystems in every |
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imaginable application from Embedded Systems to Mini Distributions to |
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Macro distributions to Full sized Distributions.  The root |
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and boot filesystems may |
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be tested long before implemenation by using user-mode-linux. |
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be tested long before implementation by using user-mode-linux. |
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Boot Methods are provided to allow root filesystems to run from different types |
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of media. |
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Historically, developers have written scripts |
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which have focused on providing a particular type of root |
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filesystem and booting method. Observation, reveals that all these |
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approaches share many commonalities. gBootRoot has been designed to embrace |
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all these approaches, and to allow developers to create drop-in replacements |
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filesystem and booting method. Observation, reveals that all these |
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approaches share many commonalities. gBootRoot has been |
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designed to embrace |
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these similiarities, and to allow developers to create drop-in methods |
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via modules or easy to understand templates. |
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gBootroot is the GIMP of distribution creation!</P> |
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@ -562,9 +564,10 @@ new replacements and then creates symlink from the |
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$HOME/.gbootroot/yard/Replacements directory to the |
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replacements repository. |
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In general the repository for replacements is owned by root, so normal |
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users can't make changes to these files anyways; however, root should makes |
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it a policy always to make changes from her local directory by using an editor |
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which respects versioned files (i.e. Emacs). Then she will not be able to |
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users can't make changes to these files anyways; however, root should make |
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it a policy always to make changes from the $HOME location while using |
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an editor which respects versioned files (i.e. Emacs). Then the |
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administrator will not be able to |
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make any changes to the replacements repository because the CVS directories |
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keep date information which prevents the editing of these |
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files. It is highly recommended to follow this procedure, and |
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@ -576,13 +579,43 @@ for data which shouldn't be modified |
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<p> |
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<b>What is make_debian, and how do I use it?</b></p> |
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Binaries are auto-magically checked to discover whether they require libc6 or |
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uClibc. If they are found to require uClibc |
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/usr/i386-linux-uclibc/bin/ldd |
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is used to discover shared library dependencies, otherwise ldd is |
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called without any path.</p> |
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<b>What do you mean by macro distribution?</b></p> |
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<p> |
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A macro distribution is a term I coined. It implies a software |
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distribution larger than a mini distribution usually |
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associated with 1.44 to 1.722 sized floppy disks, but smaller than a |
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base distribution which provides the foundation to create a full size |
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distribution. It is usually pruned, and provides the |
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absolute minimum needed to provide all the functionality usually |
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associated with a full sized distribution, yet it still uses the same |
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libraries and binaries. Because it can be made quickly, it is |
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useful for creating a current snapshot of ones own host systems, and can be |
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used to run experiments safely without fear of corrupting the host system |
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via user-mode-linux.</p> |
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<b>How am I able to create root filesystems as a normal user?</b></p> |
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<p> |
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Genext2fs is used. This progam allows a normal user to create an ext2 |
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filesystem with all uids and gids belonging to 0 (root) without the need for |
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a loop or ram device. Device nodes are created from a device table |
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file written to by gbootroot.  This program is authored by |
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Xavier Bestel, but the version used by gbootroot has |
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modifications from Erik Andersen (BusyBox) to allow a device table |
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to be used rather than a device listing. The maximum allowable size |
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for a filesystem is 8192k. User and group information |
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can be changed when the filesystem is run from a kernel. |
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<p> |
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@ -591,6 +624,56 @@ for data which shouldn't be modified |
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<p> |
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<b>What is make_debian, and how do I use it?</b></p> |
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<p> |
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Make_debian is a script which takes information from |
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a Debian installation and creates a template which can be used to make a |
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macro distribution using gBootRoot's yard method. |
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It creates replacements for important configuration files to represent |
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the actual packaging state it will be providing. |
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In order to use this script you need to be running a Debian-like |
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distribution, anotherwards, one which uses dpkg, apt and file-rc to maintain |
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its packaging and boot hierarchy. Dswim is used to collect |
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information used in making the template. You will need to build the |
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filesystem as root because it exceeds the 8192k limit provided by genext2fs.</p> |
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<p> |
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Run make_debian from the command-line. The script first finds all |
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required packages on your host system, then it checks to see if any of |
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the extra packages mentioned in its configuration are missing. |
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As a rule, even if extra packages |
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are missing, a working distribution will still be created. |
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The script will then ask you a few questions, |
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and then proceed to make Debian-`uname -n`.yard in your template |
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directory. |
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<p> |
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<em>Extra Packages and static template data:</em> |
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<br> |
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You can resolve missing packages by installing them on your system, or you can |
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edit the script and replace these packages with a suitable replacement, |
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since you may be using a different version of Debian then the author |
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used when putting together make_debian. Make a copy of make_debian, |
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and then edit the part under EDIT HERE between qw(). |
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You may edit the static data in the template from |
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within the script below where it is clearly marked as editable. |
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While on the subject the <b>make-debian-x11 add-on</b> is actually the |
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result of |
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making these modifications. First, extra packages were |
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added, second, extra replacements were provided and the static information |
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in the template was modified to reflect these replacements. |
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</p> |
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<b>My root filesystem doesn't start in single mode when started like |
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this:  "bootdisk 1?"</b></P> |
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freesource
23 years ago