How to Create a customized Ubuntu Live CD image

How to Create a customized Ubuntu Live CD image

Today, let's discuss how to create a customized image (ISO) for Ubuntu Live CD ). We can use Pinguy Builder to do this previously. However, it seems that maintenance has stopped. Recently, Pinguy Builder's official website does not seem to have any updates. Fortunately, I found another tool for creating Ubuntu Live CD images. Use Cubic (abbreviation of Custom Ubuntu ISO Creator), a GUI application used to create a customized and customizable Ubuntu Live CD (ISO) image.

Cubic is under development. It provides many options to easily create a customized Ubuntu Live CD. It has an integrated chroot command line environment (LCTT: chroot -- Change Root, that is, to change the root directory location referenced during program execution), where you can customize various aspects, such as installing new software packages, kernels, and adding more background wallpapers, add more files and folders. It has an intuitive GUI that allows you to easily navigate through the live image creation process (you can switch back and forth by clicking the mouse ). You can create a new custom image or modify an existing project. Because it can be used to create Ubuntu live images, I believe it can be used to create other Ubuntu distributions and derivative versions, such as Linux Mint.

 

Install Cubic

The Cubic developer has made a PPA to simplify the installation process. To install Cubic on Ubuntu, run the following command on your terminal:

1. sudo apt-add-repository ppa:cubic-wizard/release
2. sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 6494C6D6997C215E
3. sudo apt update
4. sudo apt install cubic

 

Use Cubic to create customized images for Ubuntu Live CD

After the installation is complete, start the Cubic from the application menu or the dock. This is what I look like in my Ubuntu 16.04 LTS desktop system.

Select a directory for the new project. It is the directory for saving the image file.

Note that Cubic is not used to create a Live CD image of your current system, but to create a custom Live CD using Ubuntu installation CD. Therefore, you should have a latest ISO image.

Select the path for storing the ISO image installed on Ubuntu. Cubic will automatically fill in all the details of your customized operating system. You can change the details if you want. Click Next to continue.

Next, the compressed Linux File System from the source installation medium will be extracted to the project directory (in our example, the directory location is/home/ostechnix/custom_ubuntu).

Once the file system is extracted, it is automatically loaded to the chroot environment. If you do not see a terminal prompt, press enter several times.

You can install any additional software packages, add background images, add a software source list, and add the latest Linux kernel and all other custom software to your Live CD.

For examplevimInstall it in my Live CD, so install it now.

We do not need to usesudoBecause we are already in an environment with the highest permissions (root.

Similarly, if needed, you can install more Linux kernels of any version.

1. apt install linux-image-extra-4.10.0-24-generic

You can also update the software source list (add or delete a software repository list ):

After modifying the source list, do not forget to runapt updateCommand to update the source list:

1. apt update

In addition, you can add files or folders to Live CD. Copy files or folders (right-click them and select copy or useCTRL+C), Right-click the terminal (in the Cubic window), select "Paste file (s)", and click "Copy" at the bottom of the Cubic wizard ".

Precautions for Ubuntu 17.10 users

In Ubuntu 17.10, DNS queries may not work in the chroot environment. If you are creating a customized Ubuntu 17.10 Live image, you need to point to the correctresolve.confConfiguration file:
 
 

  
  
ln-sr /run/systemd/resolve/resolv.conf /run/systemd/resolve/stub-resolv.conf
 
 
To verify DNS resolution, run:
 
 

  
  
cat/etc/resolv.conf
  
  
ping google.com
 
 

You can add your own wallpaper if you want. To do this, switch/usr/share/backgrounds/Directory,

1. cd/usr/share/backgrounds

Drag and Drop the image to the Cubic window. Or copy the image, right-click the Cubic terminal window, and select the "Paste file (s)" option. In addition, make sure that you are/usr/share/gnome-backpropertiesYou can right-click the newly added image on the Desktop and select "Change Desktop Background" for interaction. After all the changes are completed, click "Next" in the Cubic wizard ".

Next, select the Linux kernel version used to boot to the new Live ISO image. If other kernel versions have been installed, they will also be listed in this section. Then select the kernel you want to use in Live CD.

In the next section, select the software package to be deleted from your Live image. After the Ubuntu operating system is installed using a custom Live image, the selected software package is automatically deleted. When selecting a software package to be deleted, you must be extremely careful. You may have accidentally deleted a software package, which is the dependent package of another software package.

Next, the Live image creation process starts. The time required depends on your customized system specification.

After the image is created, click "Finish ". Cubic displays the details of the newly created custom image.

If you want to modify the custom Live image you just created in the future, do not select "Delete all project files, deleting t the generated disk image and the corresponding MD5 checksum file "(except for the generated disk image and the corresponding MD5 checksum file, delete all project files **), cubic retains custom images in the project's working directory, and you can make any changes in the future. Instead of starting from scratch.

To create a new Live image for different Ubuntu versions, it is best to use different project directories.

 

Use Cubic to modify customized images of Ubuntu Live CD

Start Cubic from the menu and select an existing project directory. Click "Next" and you will see the following three options:

1. Create a disk image from the existing project. (Create a disk image from an existing project .)
2. Continue customizing the existing project. (Continue to customize the existing project .)
3. Delete the existing project. (Delete the current project .)

The first option allows you to create a new Live ISO image from an existing project using the custom settings you have previously made. If you lose an ISO image, you can use the first option to create a new one.

The second option allows you to make any other changes in an existing project. If you select this option, you will enter the chroot environment again. You can add new files or folders, install any new software, delete any software, add other Linux kernels, and add desktop backgrounds.

The third option will delete the existing project, so you can start from scratch. Select this option to delete all files, including newly generated ISO image files.

I used Cubic to create a customized Ubuntu 16.04 LTS desktop Live CD. As described in this article. If you want to create a Ubuntu Live CD, Cubic may be a good choice.

That's all!

Via: https://www.ostechnix.com/create-custom-ubuntu-live-cd-image/

Author: SK Translator: Steven zdg988 Proofreader: wxy

This article was originally compiled by LCTT and launched with the honor of Linux in China