Buy Me A Coffee

How I construct my own Ubuntu LTS 12.04 Customization DVD

Created: January 29, 2013   Last Modified: October 05, 2020   Category: linux   Print this page   Back to Home

Summary

This post aims to record what I did to construct my own Ubuntu LTS 12.04 Customization DVD. You can still find the old configuration files at Google Code Archive, and the whole repository can be downloaded here. Even though the original instruction was deleted, you can still access a saved copy at the Internet Archive.

Prepare for configuring system

The system configurations were processed in Ubuntu Linux. For convenience, you should execute sudo without typing password. In order to do that, in terminal, type

sudo visudo

and add the following line to the end of the file

[username] ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL

where [username] is your username. The configuration required at least 15 - 20 GB of free disk space. The following packages are also needed

sudo apt-get install grub2 xorriso squashfs-tools debootstrap qemu subversion rar unrar zip unzip p7zip-full p7zip-rar

A good internet connection is highly recommended.

Create working directory

export WORK=~/work CD=~/cd FORMAT=squashfs FS_DIR=casper
sudo mkdir -p ${CD}/{${FS_DIR},boot/grub} ${WORK}/rootfs
sudo debootstrap precise ${WORK}/rootfs

Download required files to ${WORK}/rootfs/

Build my own custom system

Prepare the new system before chrooting it

sudo unzip ${WORK}/rootfs/apt.zip -d ${WORK}/rootfs/etc

Answer A (which means overwrite all) for the question. Next, in terminal, type

for i in /etc/resolv.conf /etc/hosts /etc/hostname; do sudo cp -pv $i ${WORK}/rootfs/etc/; done
sudo mount --bind /dev ${WORK}/rootfs/dev
sudo mount -t proc proc ${WORK}/rootfs/proc
sudo mount -t sysfs sysfs ${WORK}/rootfs/sys
sudo chroot ${WORK}/rootfs /bin/bash
apt-get update --allow-unauthenticated

Modify the new system

Install some basic packages.

  • Generic Linux Kernel

    apt-get install --yes wget linux-generic

    If you were asked for installing grub-pc, continue without installing it.

  • Other packages

    dpkg --get-selections < installed-software
apt-get -y update
apt-get dselect-upgrade

GNOME desktop

apt-get install aptitude dselect xorg lightdm faenza-icon-theme ambiance-blue-theme \
indicator-applet-complete gnome-tweak-tool compiz-gnome dconf-tools gconf-defaults-service gconf-editor

To set GNOME as the default desktop, use the command

/usr/lib/lightdm/lightdm-set-defaults -s gnome

Install packages for various archive formats

apt-get install unace unrar zip unzip p7zip-full p7zip-rar \
sharutils rar uudeview mpack lha arj cabextract file-roller

Complie and install Mplayer

  • Prepare…

    apt-get install build-essential subversion checkinstall yasm git-core docbook-xml \
docbook-xsl xsltproc libxml2-utils libaa1-dev libasound2-dev libcaca-dev \
libcdparanoia-dev libdca-dev \
libdirectfb-dev libggi-target-fbdev libenca-dev libesd0-dev libfontconfig1-dev libfreetype6-dev \
libfribidi-dev libgif-dev libreadline-gplv2-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libjack-jackd2-dev libopenal1 libpulse-dev \
libsdl1.2-dev libsvga1-dev libvdpau-dev libxinerama-dev libxv-dev libxvmc-dev libxxf86dga-dev \
libxxf86vm-dev librtmp-dev libsctp-dev libass-dev libfaac-dev libsmbclient-dev libtheora-dev \
libogg-dev libxvidcore-dev libspeex-dev libvpx-dev libschroedinger-dev libdirac-dev libdv4-dev \
libopencore-amrnb-dev libopencore-amrwb-dev libmp3lame-dev liblivemedia-dev libtwolame-dev \
libmad0-dev libgsm1-dev libbs2b-dev liblzo2-dev ladspa-sdk libopenjpeg-dev libfaad-dev 

    apt-get build-dep mplayer

  • Codecs

    mkdir mplayer_build && cd /mplayer_build && \
mkdir -pv /usr/local/lib/codecs && \
if [ "$(uname -m)" = "x86_64" ]; then
 wget http://www.mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/releases/codecs/essential-amd64-20071007.tar.bz2
 tar xjvf essential-amd64-20071007.tar.bz2
 cp -v essential-amd64-20071007/* /usr/local/lib/codecs
else
 wget http://www.mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/releases/codecs/all-20110131.tar.bz2
 tar xjvf all-20110131.tar.bz2
 cp -v all-20110131/* /usr/local/lib/codecs
fi

  • x264…

    if [ "$(uname -m)" = "x86_64" ]; then
  ARCHOPTS="--enable-pic"
 else
  ARCHOPTS=""
fi && \
cd /mplayer_build && \
git clone git://git.videolan.org/x264.git --depth 1 && \
cd x264 && \
./configure --prefix=/mplayer_build/mplayer_deps/usr \
            --enable-static --disable-cli $ARCHOPTS && \
make && make install

  • Bluray Playback…

    For libbluray

    cd /mplayer_build && \
wget ftp://ftp.videolan.org/pub/videolan/libbluray/0.2.2/libbluray-0.2.2.tar.bz2 && \
tar xjvf libbluray-0.2.2.tar.bz2 && cd libbluray-0.2.2 && \
./configure && make && \
checkinstall --pakdir "/mplayer_build" --backup=no --deldoc=yes \
                  --pkgname libbluray --pkgversion "2:0.2.2" --fstrans=no \
                  --deldesc=yes --delspec=yes --default && \
make distclean

    For libaacs

    cd /mplayer_build && \
apt-get -y install libgcrypt11-dev bison flex && \
wget ftp://ftp.videolan.org/pub/videolan/libaacs/0.4.0/libaacs-0.4.0.tar.bz2 && \
tar xjvf libaacs-0.4.0.tar.bz2 && cd libaacs-0.4.0 && \
./configure && make && \
checkinstall --pakdir "/mplayer_build" --backup=no --deldoc=yes \
                  --pkgname libaacs --pkgversion "2:0.4.0" --fstrans=no \
                  --deldesc=yes --delspec=yes --default && \
make distclean

  • Installing mpg123…

    apt-get -y remove mpg123 libmpg123-dev && \
cd /mplayer_build && mkdir mpg123 && \
cd mpg123 && \
wget http://www.mpg123.de/download/mpg123-1.14.4.tar.bz2 && \
tar xjvf mpg123-1.14.4.tar.bz2 && cd mpg123-1.14.4 && \
./configure && make && \
checkinstall --pakdir "/mplayer_build" --backup=no --deldoc=yes \
                  --pkgname mpg123 --pkgversion "1.14.4" --fstrans=no \
                  --deldesc=yes --delspec=yes --default && \
make distclean

  • Installing libopus…

    cd /mplayer_build && \
wget http://downloads.xiph.org/releases/opus/opus-1.0.1-rc.tar.gz && \
tar xvf opus-1.0.1-rc.tar.gz && cd opus-1.0.1-rc && \
./configure && make && \
mkdir -vp doc-pak && \
cp -v AUTHORS README doc-pak && \
 checkinstall -D --install=yes --fstrans=no --pakdir "/mplayer_build" \
   --pkgname libopus --backup=no --deldoc=yes --deldesc=yes --delspec=yes \
   --default --pkgversion "1.0.1"  && \
make distclean && ldconfig

  • Compiling MPlayer

    cd /mplayer_build && \
svn checkout svn://svn.mplayerhq.hu/mplayer/trunk mplayer && \
cd mplayer && \
PKG_CONFIG_PATH="/mplayer_build/mplayer_deps/usr/lib/pkgconfig" \
./configure \
           --extra-cflags="-I/mplayer_build/mplayer_deps/usr/include" \
           --extra-ldflags="-L/mplayer_build/mplayer_deps/usr/lib" \
           --confdir=/etc/mplayer --enable-gui \
           --codecsdir=/usr/local/lib/codecs && \
make -j 2 && make html-chunked && \
mkdir -vp doc-pak && \
cp -v DOCS/HTML/*/* AUTHORS Changelog LICENSE README doc-pak && \
checkinstall -D --install=yes --fstrans=no --pakdir "/mplayer_build" \
   --pkgname mplayer --backup=no --deldoc=yes --deldesc=yes --delspec=yes --default \
   --pkgversion "2:1.0~svn$(LC_ALL=C svn info 2> /dev/null | \
     grep Revision | cut -d' ' -f2)" --provides "mplayer,mencoder" && \
make distclean && ldconfig

  • Extract MPlayer theme

    unzip default.zip -d /usr/local/share/mplayer/skins

Install office and media packages

apt-get install gedit gedit-plugins gedit-developer-plugins \
libreoffice-gnome libreoffice-pdfimport mozilla-libreoffice \
ubuntu-restricted-extras app-install-data-medibuntu apport-hooks-medibuntu evince \
non-free-codecs gxine mencoder flac faac faad sox libmpeg3-1 mpeg3-utils \
mpegdemux mpeg2dec mpg321 totem-mozilla tagtool easytag \
id3tool nautilus-script-audio-convert libjpeg-progs libdvdcss2 \
ibus-unikey scim-unikey ttf-abc-fonts ttf-bkunicode-fonts ttf-vni-fonts \
vlc mozilla-plugin-vlc audacity gimp \
pidgin pidgin-data \
skype bleachbit nuvolaplayer avidemux lives gtkpod sopcast-player \
gtk-recordmydesktop cheese

Install language packages

apt-get install language-pack-vi-base language-pack-en-base

Install some extra useful packages

apt-get install firefox nautilus-dropbox dropbox-share ubuntuone-client-gnome \
indicator-ubuntuone rhythmbox-ubuntuone goldendict artha fbreader \
galculator djview4 shotwell shutter wine1.4 tasksel

Install packages for utilities and configurations

apt-get install synaptic y-ppa-manager gdebi \
ubuntu-tweak super-boot-manager preload \
network-manager network-manager-gnome network-manager-openvpn openvpn \
unetbootin grub2 xorriso isomaster squashfs-tools debootstrap dkms virtualbox-4.1 \
samba smbfs system-config-samba ssh subversion git git-core mercurial mercurial-common \
filezilla transmission-gtk transmission-common nitroshare openjdk-7-jre gnome-terminal \
nautilus-open-terminal xfig gnome-power-manager hibernate remastersys \
python-dev python-mysqldb python-setuptools python-pip python-matplotlib libnetpbm10 libnetpbm10-dev

Install games

apt-get install gnugo uligo qgo gmchess

Install Fonts

  • Ubuntu Fonts Family

    wget http://launchpadlibrarian.net/98992843/ttf-ubuntu-font-family_0.80-0ubuntu2_all.deb
dpkg -i ttf-ubuntu-font-family_0.80-0ubuntu2_all.deb
rm ttf-ubuntu-font-family_0.80-0ubuntu2_all.deb

  • Other Fonts

    apt-get install fonts-cantarell lmodern ttf-aenigma ttf-georgewilliams \
ttf-bitstream-vera ttf-sjfonts ttf-tuffy tv-fonts \
ttf-dustin ttf-larabie-deco ttf-larabie-straight ttf-larabie-uncommon \
ttf-droid ttf-inconsolata xfonts-terminus console-terminus gsfonts-x11

Install packages for using in emergency situations

apt-get install boot-repair os-uninstaller gparted testdisk wipe \
partimage xfsprogs reiserfsprogs jfsutils ntfs-3g ntfsprogs dosfstools mtools winusb

Install some deb packages: Google Video and Voice Chat Plugin for Ubuntu, Foxit Reader, Google Chrome, Teamviewer, mail.ru agent for pidgin, Foobnix, Livestation, XvidCap

wget -i deb_links
dpkg -i google-talkplugin_current_i386.deb FoxitReader_1.1.0_i386.deb google-chrome-stable_current_i386.deb \
teamviewer_linux.deb mrim-prpl_0.1.28-2_i386.deb foobnix_2.5.36p_i386.deb xvidcap_1.1.7-0.2ubuntu12_i386.deb
rm google-talkplugin_current_i386.deb FoxitReader_1.1.0_i386.deb google-chrome-stable_current_i386.deb \
teamviewer_linux.deb mrim-prpl_0.1.28-2_i386.deb foobnix_2.5.36p_i386.deb xvidcap_1.1.7-0.2ubuntu12_i386.deb

Install Winetricks

wget http://winetricks.org/winetricks
chmod +x winetricks
mv winetricks /usr/local/bin

Install TeX Live 2012

  • Download the ISO file texlive2012-20120701.iso from http://ftp.ctex.org/mirrors/CTAN/systems/texlive/Images/ and put it in your host system $HOME folder.

  • Open a new terminal, and type

    export WORK=~/work
sudo mount -o loop $HOME/texlive2012-20120701.iso ${WORK}/rootfs/mnt

  • In the chroot terminal, i.e. the first terminal window that we opened from beginning

    cd mnt
./install-tl

    Respectively type O and L. After configuring the symbolic links, type respectively R and I.

  • After the install process finished, some informations will appear in the chroot terminal

    Add /usr/local/texlive/2012/texmf/doc/man to MANPATH, if not dynamically determined.
 Add /usr/local/texlive/2012/texmf/doc/info to INFOPATH.
  
 Most importantly, add /usr/local/texlive/2012/bin/i386-linux
 to your PATH for current and future sessions.

 Welcome to TeX Live!
Logfile: /usr/local/texlive/2012/install-tl.log

  • Now, open the file bash.bashrc

    nano /etc/bash.bashrc

    Then add following in the end

    PATH=/usr/local/texlive/2012/bin/i386-linux:$PATH; export PATH
MANPATH=/usr/local/texlive/2012/texmf/doc/man:$MANPATH; export MANPATH
INFOPATH=/usr/local/texlive/2012/texmf/doc/info:$INFOPATH; export INFOPATH

  • Open the file manpath.config

    nano /etc/manpath.config

    Under # set up PATH to MANPATH mapping, add the line

    MANPATH_MAP /usr/local/texlive/2012/bin/i386-linux /usr/local/texlive/2012/texmf/doc/man

  • Install and use getnonfreefonts script

    wget http://tug.org/fonts/getnonfreefonts/install-getnonfreefonts
texlua install-getnonfreefonts
cd /usr/local/bin
ln -s /usr/local/texlive/2012/bin/i386-linux/getnonfreefonts
ln -s /usr/local/texlive/2012/bin/i386-linux/getnonfreefonts-sys
getnonfreefonts-sys -a
cd /

  • Finally, in the new opened terminal, type

    sudo umount ${WORK}/rootfs/mnt
exit

Install Texmaker

wget http://www.xm1math.net/texmaker/texmaker_ubuntu_12.04_3.5_i386.deb
apt-get install libpoppler-qt4-3
dpkg -i texmaker_ubuntu_12.04_3.5_i386.deb
rm texmaker_ubuntu_12.04_3.5_i386.deb

Install Customizer

wget https://github.com/downloads/fluxer/Customizer/install.sh
chmod a+x install.sh
./install.sh -i
rm install.sh

Install Sphinx

easy_install -U Sphinx

Install Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 8th edition

  • Put file OALD8.iso (ISO image of the CD dictionary) in $HOME folder, just like the texlive2012-20120701.iso before.

  • Open a new terminal, type

    export WORK=~/work
sudo mount -o loop $HOME/OALD8.iso ${WORK}/rootfs/mnt

  • In the chroot terminal, type

    apt-get install flashplugin-installer
mkdir /usr/local/OALD8
export HOME=/usr/local/OALD8
cd /mnt/linux
./setup.sh

    and setup OALD8 to the folder /usr/local/OALD8. Next, open oald8.desktop

    nano $HOME/Desktop/oald8.desktop

    and replace the content of the file with

    [Desktop Entry]
Comment=oald8
Encoding=UTF-8
Exec=padsp '/usr/local/OALD8//oald8'
GenericName=
GenericName[en]=
Icon=/usr/local/OALD8//splash.xpm
Name=OALD8
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Office;Dictionary;Education

    then save the file and exit. Next, in the chroot terminal, type

    chmod +x $HOME/Desktop/oald8.desktop
mv $HOME/Desktop/oald8.desktop /usr/share/applications
rm -R $HOME/Desktop
cd /

    Finally, in the new opened terminal, type

    sudo umount ${WORK}/rootfs/mnt
exit

Install Wink

  • Install files

    mkdir /usr/local/wink
mv wink15_b1060.tar.gz /usr/local/wink
cd /usr/local/wink
tar -zxvf wink15_b1060.tar.gz
ln -s  /lib/i386-linux-gnu/libexpat.so.1  /lib/i386-linux-gnu/libexpat.so.0
./installer.sh
tar -zxvf installdata.tar.gz
ldd wink
chmod +x wink
cp wink /usr/bin
wget http://www.debugmode.com/wink/winklogo.gif

  • Create wink.desktop file

    nano /usr/share/applications/wink.desktop

    with the contents

    [Desktop Entry]
Comment=wink
Encoding=UTF-8
Exec='/usr/local/wink/wink'
GenericName=
GenericName[en]=
Icon=/usr/local/wink/winklogo.gif
Name=Wink
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=AudioVideo;Player;Recorder

  • Remove unnecessary files

    rm installer.sh installdata.tar.gz wink15_b1060.tar.gz 
cd /

Install Packages Essential for live CD

apt-get install casper lupin-casper ubiquity ubiquity-frontend-gtk

Some Extra Configurations

  • Yahoo Emoticon for Pidgin

    tar -xvvzf  59794-Original.tar.gz -C /usr/share/pixmaps/pidgin/emotes

  • Metacity theme

    gconftool-2 -s --type string /apps/metacity/general/theme "Ambiance Blue"

  • Desktop background and theme

    Unzip backgrounds.zip

    unzip backgrounds.zip -d /usr/share/backgrounds

    Edit 10_gsettings-desktop-schemas.gschema.override

    nano /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/10_gsettings-desktop-schemas.gschema.override

    by replacing the contents of the file with

    [org.gnome.desktop.background]
show-desktop-icons=true
picture-uri='file:///usr/share/backgrounds/Lightning/Lightning.xml'

[org.gnome.desktop.interface]
menus-have-icons=true
buttons-have-icons=true
icon-theme='Faenza-Ambiance'
gtk-theme='Ambiance Blue'
cursor-theme='DMZ-White'
font-name='Ubuntu 11'
monospace-font-name='Ubuntu Mono 13'

[org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences]
theme='Ambiance Blue'

[org.gnome.desktop.GDesktopClockFormat]
clock-show-seconds=true
clock-show-date=true

[org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings]
minimize = ['<Primary><Alt>KP_0']
move-to-corner-ne = ['<Primary><Alt>KP_Prior']
move-to-corner-nw = ['<Primary><Alt>KP_Home']
move-to-corner-se = ['<Primary><Alt>KP_Next']
move-to-corner-sw = ['<Primary><Alt>KP_End']
move-to-side-e = ['<Primary><Alt>KP_Right']
move-to-side-n = ['<Primary><Alt>KP_Up']
move-to-side-s = ['<Primary><Alt>KP_Down']
move-to-side-w = ['<Primary><Alt>KP_Left']
toggle-maximized = ['<Super>Up','<Primary><Super>Up','<Primary><Alt>KP_5']
toggle-shaded = ['<Primary><Alt>s']
unmaximize = ['<Super>Down','<Alt>F5','<Primary><Super>Down']
show-desktop = ['<Primary><Alt>d','<Primary><Super>d','<Super>d']

    Change gnome-shell favourite by replacing the content of 10_gnome-shell.gschema.override

    nano /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/10_gnome-shell.gschema.override

    with the following

    [org.gnome.shell]
favorite-apps=[ 'firefox.desktop', 'pidgin.desktop', 'gnome-terminal.desktop', 'texmaker.desktop', 'teamviewer.desktop', 'filezilla.desktop', 'nautilus.desktop', 'yelp.desktop', 'gparted.desktop', 'boot-repair.desktop', 'os-uninstaller.desktop' ]

[org.gnome.shell.clock]
show-seconds=true
show-date=true

[org.gnome.shell.overrides]
button-layout="menu:minimize,maximize,close"

    Finally, type

    glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

  • Install firefox addons

    chmod +x add.firefox.extension.sh
./add.firefox.extension.sh [name_of_extension].xpi

  • Lightdm

    Edit the file lightdm.conf

    nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

    by replacing its contents with

    [SeatDefaults]
user-session=gnome
greeter-session=unity-greeter
greeter-show-manual-login=true

Finish configuring system

In chroot terminal

export kversion=`cd /boot && ls -1 vmlinuz-* | tail -1 | sed 's@vmlinuz-@@'`
depmod -a $kversion
update-initramfs -u -k $kversion
apt-get clean
apt-get --purge autoremove
aptitude purge ?config-files
rm wink15_b1060.tar.gz deb_links default.zip installed-software \
DMZ-icons.zip backgrounds.zip add.firefox.extension.sh 59794-Original.tar.gz
rm /etc/resolv.conf /etc/hostname
exit

Prepare The CD directory tree

  • Copy the kernel, the updated initrd and memtest prepared in the chroot

    export kversion=`cd ${WORK}/rootfs/boot && ls -1 vmlinuz-* | tail -1 | sed 's@vmlinuz-@@'`
sudo cp -vp ${WORK}/rootfs/boot/vmlinuz-${kversion} ${CD}/${FS_DIR}/vmlinuz
sudo cp -vp ${WORK}/rootfs/boot/initrd.img-${kversion} ${CD}/${FS_DIR}/initrd.img
sudo cp -vp ${WORK}/rootfs/boot/memtest86+.bin ${CD}/boot

  • Generate manifest

    sudo chroot ${WORK}/rootfs dpkg-query -W --showformat='${Package} ${Version}\n' | sudo tee ${CD}/${FS_DIR}/filesystem.manifest
sudo cp -v ${CD}/${FS_DIR}/filesystem.manifest{,-desktop}
REMOVE='ubiquity casper user-setup os-prober libdebian-installer4'
for i in $REMOVE 
do
        sudo sed -i "/${i}/d" ${CD}/${FS_DIR}/filesystem.manifest-desktop
done

  • Unmount bind mounted dirs

    sudo umount ${WORK}/rootfs/proc
sudo umount ${WORK}/rootfs/sys
sudo umount ${WORK}/rootfs/dev

  • Convert the directory tree into a squashfs

    sudo mksquashfs ${WORK}/rootfs ${CD}/${FS_DIR}/filesystem.${FORMAT} -noappend

  • Make filesystem.size

    echo -n $(sudo du -s --block-size=1 ${WORK}/rootfs | tail -1 | awk '{print $1}') | sudo tee ${CD}/${FS_DIR}/filesystem.size

  • Calculate MD5

    find ${CD} -type f -print0 | xargs -0 md5sum | sed "s@${CD}@.@" | grep -v md5sum.txt | sudo tee -a ${CD}/md5sum.txt

  • Make Grub the bootloader of the CD

    Make the grub.cfg

    nano ${CD}/boot/grub/grub.cfg

    with the following contents

    set default="0"
set timeout=10

menuentry "Ubuntu GUI" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz boot=casper quiet splash
initrd /casper/initrd.img
}


menuentry "Ubuntu in safe mode" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz boot=casper xforcevesa quiet splash
initrd /casper/initrd.img
}


menuentry "Ubuntu CLI" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz boot=casper textonly quiet splash
initrd /casper/initrd.img
}


menuentry "Ubuntu GUI persistent mode" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz boot=casper persistent quiet splash
initrd /casper/initrd.img
}


menuentry "Ubuntu GUI from RAM" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz boot=casper toram quiet splash
initrd /casper/initrd.img
}

menuentry "Check Disk for Defects" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz boot=casper integrity-check quiet splash
initrd /casper/initrd.img
}


menuentry "Memory Test" {
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin  
}


menuentry "Boot from the first hard disk" {
set root=(hd0)
chainloader +1  
}

Build the CD/DVD

sudo grub-mkrescue -o ~/live-cd.iso ${CD}

Clean the workspace

[ -d "$WORK" ] && sudo rm -r $WORK $CD

References