Live-Build Steps for building a custom ISO, IMG or Netboot Tar Ball with a custom kernel

Live-Build is a Debian based infrastructure -> Debian Live-Build Manual

Build Host Requirements

ppc64el images are built on a ppc64el host

Setting up Live-Build with Patches

There are two patches needed to build and install ppc64el ISO's, IMG's and Netboot Tar Ball's.

As of March 23, 2017, you will need to clone and build grub2 on the build machine to include a patch for the ieee1275 chrp grub install

How To Build and Install Grub2

Install pre-req's

myuser@ppc64el:~ $ sudo apt-get install debootstrap debhelper kpartx gdisk devscripts dh-systemd live-build isolinux po4a

Clone the live-build tree

myuser@ppc64el:~ $ git clone git://anonscm.debian.org/git/debian-live/live-build.git
myuser@ppc64el:~ $ cd live-build

Apply the Patches

myuser@ppc64el:~/live-build $ git am 0001-live-build-binary_hdd-enablement-for-ppc64el.patch
myuser@ppc64el:~/live-build $ git am 0002-live-build-installer-enablement-for-ppc64el.patch

0001-live-build-binary_hdd-enablement-for-ppc64el.patch

0002-live-build-installer-enablement-for-ppc64el.patch

Build Live-Build

myuser@ppc64el:~/live-build $ sudo dpkg-buildpackage -b -uc -us
myuser@ppc64el:~/live-build $ sudo make install
myuser@ppc64el:~/live-build $ lb -v
1:20170920 <- This should reflect the current level of the git tree

Sample Live-Build Configuration

This tutorial is based on a pre-configured setup for ppc64el.

Be mindful that the sample config builds for the case of IMG an auto sized hard disk drive (which is a minimal size). If you are adding packages and need extra hard disk space, tweak the LB_HDD_SIZE in the config/binary. The patch file has a prologue which explains a little more detail on more advanced customizations and tweaks, 0001-live-build-binary_hdd-enablement-for-ppc64el.patch.

Download the tar file

latest-fwts-live-v5-ppc64el.tar.gz

Setup and Build

myuser@ppc64el:~ $ sudo mkdir lb-setup  <- lb-setup directory can be named anything you want

myuser@ppc64el:~ $ sudo cp latest-fwts-live-v5-ppc64el.tar.gz ~/lb-setup

myuser@ppc64el:~ $ cd lb-setup

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ sudo tar -xvf latest-fwts-live-v5-ppc64el.tar.gz

The sample configuration builds an ISO, if you want to build an IMG or Netboot Tar Ball

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ sudo vi config/build <=== Change "Type: iso-hybrid" or "Type: hdd" or "Type: netboot"

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ sudo lb clean --all

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ sudo lb build 2>&1 | tee /home/myuser/build.log

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ ls -al live-image-ppc64el.iso  <- This is the output file based on the Type you chose to build.

If you built an IMG or Netboot Tar Ball look for live-image-ppc64el.img or live-image-ppc64el.netboot.tar

Running the ISO

Install pre-req's

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ sudo apt-get install qemu-kvm qemu-utils

Run the Live Image and Optional Install

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ sudo kvm -cdrom live-image-ppc64el.iso -m 2G -nographic -nodefaults -serial stdio

Running the IMG

Install pre-req's

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ sudo apt-get install qemu-kvm qemu-utils

Run the Live Image and Optional Install

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ sudo kvm -hda live-image-ppc64el.img -m 2G -nographic -nodefaults -serial stdio

Running the Netboot Tar Ball

Install pre-req's

myuser@ppc64el:~/lb-setup $ sudo apt-get install qemu-kvm qemu-utils

Run the Live Image and Optional Install

When you expand the live-image-ppc64el.netboot.tar file it contains various piece parts of the live-build output.

Use the tftpboot/ubuntu-installer/ppc64el/vmlinux and tftpboot/ubuntu-installer/ppc64el/initrd.gz

To try this out on a VM, make a .IMG file to hold the installed OS you will create by using the kernel and initrd from the netboot tar file:

$ sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=mydrive.img bs=1G count=10

$ sudo kvm -m 2G -serial stdio -nographic -nodefaults -netdev user,id=net0 -device virtio-net-pci,netdev=net0 -device virtio-blk-pci,drive=drive0 -drive id=drive0,if=none,file=mydrive.img -kernel vmlinux -initrd initrd.gz

The initrd.gz embeds a completely automated preseed.cfg which asks NO questions and will install to the disk device detected.

If you do NOT wish to have this complete automation, you will need to re-build WITHOUT the preseed.cfg.

See the Advanced Customization section for how to remove the preseed.cfg.

Advanced Customizations

Add a proxy for APT during the live-build process

config/common -> LB_APT_HTTP_PROXY="http://proxy:3128" <=== Replace with your proxy server and port name

Remove the preseed.cfg

To remove the preseed.cfg to allow the install to ask all the guided questions, remove the preseed.cfg and re-build the IMG, ISO or Netboot Tar Ball.

config/includes.installer/preseed.cfg <=== Remove this file completely and re-build

Update the Custom Kernel used to build Live Images

You can either remove this custom kernel .deb file completely or replace with your custom built kernel to modify the kernel used for the Live Images.

config/packages.chroot/linux-image-4.8.0-41-generic_4.8.0-41.44_ppc64el.deb <== If you build your own kernel, be sure to use generic in the name so the kernel is automatically picked up when the grub.cfg file is pre-built (LB_LINUX_FLAVOURS).

Update the Custom Kernel used to install a new OS with the Installer Images

You can either remove this custom kernel .deb file completely or replace with your custom built kernel to modify the kernel used for the Installer Images.

If you remove the file completely, be sure to remove related lines from the config/includes.installer/preseed.cfg

config/includes.installer/debs/linux-image-4.8.0-41-generic_4.8.0-41.44_ppc64el.deb <== If you build your own kernel, be sure to use generic in the name so the kernel is automatically picked up when the grub.cfg file is pre-built (LB_LINUX_FLAVOURS).

config/includes.installer/preseed.cfg <=== You will need to update the name of the linux custom kernel name in the bottom of the preseed.cfg file in various places

Update the Root or Default User ID used for Live Images

config/binary -> LB_BOOTAPPEND_LIVE="username=ubuntu" <=== You can change the default user id that is used during live-boot setup

config/includes.chroot/lib/live/config/0035-user-setup <=== This sets the Live default user password which is defined on the LB_BOOTAPPEND_LIVE parameter

(The file 0035-user-setup is NOT included, you will need to copy a template like config/hooks/live/0500-root-password.hook.chroot)

config/hooks/live/0500-root-password.hook.chroot <=== This sets the Live root password

Update the Root or Default User ID used for Installer Images

config/includes.installer/preseed.cfg <=== Update the passwd/username and passwd/user-password d-i parameters

Debian Preseeding

Add Packages for the Live Images

Create or edit the file with packages you want installed:

# cat ~/lb-setup/config/package-lists/live-list.chroot
openssh-client
openssh-server

Add Packages for the Installer Images

Create or edit the file with packages you want installed, sample d-i below:

# vi ~/lb-setup/config/includes.installer/preseed.cfg

d-i pkgsel/include string vim openssh-server build-essential

Debian Preseeding

INITRD Customizations

Embed SquashFS in INITRD

To alter the content of the initrd produced

# vi  config/chroot
LB_CHROOT_PAYLOAD_PATH="/live"  <--- Add this line, this is exploited in ~/live-build/scripts/build/binary_linux-image and the filesystem.squashfs is copied into the chroot, this works together with live-media-path option on kernel command line

# cat config/includes.chroot/initrd.files

/live/filesystem.squashfs   <=== Customize the list of files to pull into the initrd, you have to make sure the source files get put in the chroot somehow

# vi config/includes.chroot/usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/lb_initrd_hook  <=== This is the hook that gets called during the update-initramfs, customize this hook if desired

Be sure to use kernel command line parameter "live-media=initrd" to have live-boot pick up the embedded squashfs as the rootfs from the initrd produced above

# vi  config/includes.chroot/lib/live/boot/9990-misc-helpers.sh

Trim contents of CHROOT or INITRD

To perform custom edits on what gets built in the CHROOT or what is ultimately output for the INITRD

live-build produces an INITRD based on a custom CHROOT, this INITRD which is built from the CHROOT can also be customized post-CHROOT

CHROOT Alterations

These steps are exploiting the live-build post-chroot stage hook.

# vi config/hooks/live/list.hook.chroot   <=== Customize the logic if desired

Two input files:

#  vi  config/includes.chroot/keep.list   <=== Customize as desired, these files/directories are really saved off and then pulled back in

#  vi  config/includes.chroot/remove.list   <=== Customize as desired, these files/directories will be removed after the keep list is processed

The "list" files can have conditional logic.

#  cat  config/includes.chroot/keep.list   <=== The "list" files are pre-processed, so the example below will only output a keep list if LIVE_IMAGE_TYPE=netboot

#if ${LIVE_IMAGE_TYPE} netboot
overlay.ko
ipmi_powernv.ko
opal-prd.ko
ipmi_devintf.ko
ipmi_msghandler.ko
mtd.ko
powernv_flash.ko
ofpart.ko
cmdlinepart.ko
ibmpowernv.ko
powernv-rng.ko
#endif

#  cat  config/includes.chroot/remove.list   <=== The "list" files are pre-processed, so the example below will only output a remove list if LIVE_IMAGE_TYPE=netboot

#if ${LIVE_IMAGE_TYPE} netboot
/lib/modules/*/kernel
/lib/firmware
#endif

INITRD Alterations Post-CHROOT Phase

These steps are exploiting the live-build post-binary stage hook.

# vi config/hooks/live/list.hook.binary   <=== Customize the logic if desired

Two input files:

#  vi  config/includes.binary/keep.list   <=== Customize as desired, these files/directories are really saved off and then pulled back in

#  vi  config/includes.binary/remove.list   <=== Customize as desired, these files/directories will be removed after the keep list is processed

Custom Grub Menu for Kernels

Define which kernel flavours you want automatically created in the grub menu during the build.

The first one in the list will be used as the default kernel in building the grub menu items.

# vi config/chroot

LB_MENU_FLAVOURS="mydebug mycustom"   <=== Add the trailing tag, like from vmlinux-4.12.0-1-mydebug

If you want the normal linux kernel included while using the LB_MENU_FLAVOURS you must include that tag in the LB_MENU_FLAVOURS

LB_MENU_FLAVOURS="mydebug mycustom generic"  <=== Add the "generic" or whatever kernel tag you want automatically configured during the build