Creation of a distro for college project!

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102

I tried the snapshot tool.
So before starting the snapshot, I made just the customization of the OS like I wanted for Vajra.

While creating a snapshot, mx does offer a window where we can change the name of the distro, codename, etc…
I filled it with the details of vajra but the name just showed up on the grub menu and nowhere else. But when I changed the lsb-release file in the vajra live iso, the changes reflected. So i think i will be able to fix this by changing the file before creating my snapshot. ( tried in vbox btw )

Also, the customizations were gone too..

One more thing, MX Snapshot creator gives two options while creating the snapshot, one preserves the user account while other just copies the system without the accounts because obviously im making a distro for distribution and don’t want my username and password on the installs of vajra.

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I think thats the reason the customizations didn’t work.
Cause they are in the /home/.config and are independent for every user.( pls correct if the statement is wrong )

So now I just I have to store the config files in the directories which keep them default. Probably skel, usr/share ig?..(Pls correct if wrong and also add directories if im missing them)

After the customizations go correct and the name ‘Vajra’ starts to appear in the live iso, the rest of the things are easy to do for me..I will just add some apps which I want and add the Custom Layout Switcher which im gonnna make (cli based)(macOs, win7/10, win11 like layouts)

Thanks and regards,
Hrishikesh.

103

Tried one more thing, but that too went in vain…
So was just going through the MX Snapshot tool again and found that they allow to edit a ‘exclusion file’ which contains directories which r to be excluded while making the distro. And I saw .config in that list. I removed it, saved the file and made the iso again but, nothing changed…same thing as before :sob:. Waiting for ur replies for my above post.

Thanks and regards,
Hrishikesh.

104

I think you are correct there.

Normally prototype configurations are stored in /usr/share or /etc , and when a user is created they are copied to the users home directory.
I dont know what determines where prototypes are stored or how the useradd process knows where to find them.?
I guess it may have a search list of places to look.

You already excluded your whole home directory because you chose reset accounts.

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105

Sure. Will check…

Oh yeah…

106

Iso Not bootable after copying files to skel… :sob: :sob:

These r the commands i ran: (responses provided by claude 3.5 sonnet)

[[[ Let me help you create a fully customized MX Linux ISO with your “Vajra” branding and customizations. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. For System-wide Customizations to Persist:

    • Customizations need to be applied to /etc/skel/ directory
    • All files in /etc/skel/ will be copied to new users’ home directories
    # Copy your customization files to /etc/skel/
sudo cp -r ~/.config /etc/skel/
sudo cp -r ~/.local /etc/skel/

  2. To Change System Name from “MX” to “Vajra”:
    Edit these files:

    # Edit OS release information
sudo nano /etc/os-release
# Change NAME="MX Linux" to NAME="Vajra"
# Change PRETTY_NAME="MX Linux" to PRETTY_NAME="Vajra"

# Edit LSB release information
sudo nano /etc/lsb-release
# Change DISTRIB_ID=MX to DISTRIB_ID=Vajra
# Change DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="MX Linux" to DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Vajra"

# Edit issue file
sudo nano /etc/issue
# Change MX Linux to Vajra

# For neofetch/fastfetch
sudo nano /etc/neofetch/config.conf
# Modify the os_name line

  3. For Plymouth Boot Screen:

    # Create custom plymouth theme
sudo cp -r /usr/share/plymouth/themes/mx /usr/share/plymouth/themes/vajra
# Edit theme files and replace logos/graphics
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/share/plymouth/themes/default.plymouth default.plymouth /usr/share/plymouth/themes/vajra/vajra.plymouth 100
sudo update-alternatives --set default.plymouth /usr/share/plymouth/themes/vajra/vajra.plymouth
sudo update-initramfs -u

  4. After Making All Changes:

    • Run MX Snapshot again
    • Choose “Don’t preserve user accounts”
    • These system-wide changes should now persist in your ISO

Remember:

  • Test the ISO in a VM first
  • Some MX-specific branding might still appear in certain tools
  • You might need to modify some additional files depending on what specific customizations you want to persist

Would you like me to explain any of these steps in more detail?

To preserve all those desktop customizations when creating an ISO with “Don’t preserve user accounts” option, you need to copy them to /etc/skel/. Here’s how:

  1. Copy Current Desktop Configurations:
# Create necessary directories first
sudo mkdir -p /etc/skel/.config
sudo mkdir -p /etc/skel/.local/share

# Copy Xfce4 settings (panel, whisker menu, theme settings)
sudo cp -r ~/.config/xfce4 /etc/skel/.config/

# Copy theme settings
sudo cp -r ~/.config/gtk-3.0 /etc/skel/.config/
sudo cp -r ~/.config/gtk-4.0 /etc/skel/.config/
sudo cp ~/.gtkrc-2.0 /etc/skel/

# Copy icons and cursor settings
sudo cp -r ~/.icons /etc/skel/
sudo cp -r ~/.local/share/icons /etc/skel/.local/share/

# Copy fonts
sudo cp -r ~/.fonts /etc/skel/
sudo cp -r ~/.local/share/fonts /etc/skel/.local/share/

# Copy wallpaper
sudo cp -r ~/.local/share/backgrounds /etc/skel/.local/share/
  1. Make Sure Permissions are Correct:
sudo chown -R root:root /etc/skel
sudo chmod -R 755 /etc/skel
  1. For Specific Elements:
  • Wallpaper:
# Copy your wallpaper to system-wide location
sudo cp your-wallpaper.jpg /usr/share/backgrounds/
  • Mouse Theme:
# Copy mouse theme settings
sudo cp ~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/mouse.xml /etc/skel/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/
  • Whisker Menu:
# Copy whisker menu settings
sudo cp ~/.config/xfce4/panel/whiskermenu-*.rc /etc/skel/.config/xfce4/panel/
  1. After All Copying:
  • Run MX Snapshot
  • Choose “Don’t preserve user accounts”
  • Create your ISO

To verify:

  1. Test the ISO in a VM first
  2. Log in as a new user
  3. Check if all customizations are present

Would you like me to explain how to verify if all settings were copied correctly before creating the ISO? ]]]

Although i didnt do the Plymouth theme…

107

Does anyone have any idea about how to get it work?

108

Is it bootable if you do not copy files to skel?

1 Like
109

Its bootable!!!

Actually I had tested it on vbox before and it showed as not bootable but when I made it live on usb it worked!!

Hooray!!

Also everything including wallpaper, theme and even the name I put in os-release and lsb-release is reflected!!

I am soo sorry I raised the issue ( posted the issue ) that its not working before trying it out on the live usb!

Seems like vbox had some problem …
But…this makes me wonder now…was my cubic project bootable too?? :thinking:

Thank you so much @nevj @ihasama @xahodo @callpaul.eu @Laura_Michaels for ur responses till now…

Will start improving my project day by day…
(Should I try cubic again though?)

3 Likes
110

Although I have a diff qs now…

I had installed the tesla 470 driver on my pc as I have the gt730 card…

Now the live iso also has the tesla driver preinstalled and also the tesla 470 driver management app by nvidia…i obviously don’t need them in my iso…how eo i remove them…

I thought of one option though…that was to make the mx distro while mx itself is installed in vbox…thus it wont have the nvidia driver preinstalled…what do you think??

1 Like
111

Well done

Hopefully you can demonstrate on a different computer ?

In case you are asked to provide a working solution. Dont forget documentation and write up the steps you have taken with screenshots … part of the project is always the presentation of how you got to the end.

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112

Ill try it tmrw…

Yes I will…
We have to present in 5-10mins…

I am going to make a PPT including all the steps I took, the features , why its better for old pcs instead of windows, etc… and also a Website to showcase the distro ( a simple one ).And I think I need to give some time for the person at the table to try it out too ig(a min or two)??

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113

That was going to be the next question… how you tested it?

I am so glad that you now have something working for your project.

Well, now you can relax and maybe go back and ask some of those questions.
I have never been happy with Vbox, I prefer virt-manager.

The project is the main thing. Finish it properly. Do the documentation.
Try cubic later on

I must say I admire your persistence. That was a frustrating issue.

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114

Thank you so much!

Yeahh…
Will try virt-manager.

Yess

Thanks again!!
I was completely sure that i am going to make a linux project itself. Cuz That would be unique. And it should also have a real-life application. That was my plan.

Thanks to all members who replied to my post. I couldn’t have done it without everyone…

Now I just have to make small things better day by day. I have time till 5 dec…

Also thanks @nevj once again for helping me out. Just saw that the current time at Australia is 3am. Respect! :man_bowing: :saluting_face: :pray:

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115

That raises another question.
What type of PC are you going to try and boot this live usb in when you demonstrate it at college?
Is it possible to test it beforehand… you dont want an embarassing failure in a demo.
A live usb needs to have all the drivers needed to boot on any target PC.
I am not sure whether an iso made from a live system has all drivers or just those loaded by the live system?
You may need to make the iso directly from the MX iso… and that brings us back to cubic… maybe you should try again making one with cubic and see if it is any different.

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116

Ill probably use a laptop with just the integrated graphics. Preferably one with not high specs so that i can demonstrate how it can run well on olc pcs. One of my father’s friends runs an HP shop. He is a very old friend of my father( they r friends from like 25 yrs). I frequently visit his shop just to u know see new laptops and desktops. Infact he is the one who told me to try linux first time in 2020. And here I am, making my own spin/distro for a project.

So he has many laptops in his shops which are just there in a cupboard. They r not very new. I can surely try to get one of them…

I think the drivers are loaded by the live iso after detecting the hardware ( thats why i set nomodeset right?)

Mx doesnt provide option to add iso and make changes in it…it just makes snapshot of the current system state.
And as u said, it brings us back to cubic, where i can edit the iso.

Or theres one more thing I can do…remove the entry of the nvidia driver manager from the whisker menu…no one will know! :sweat_smile:

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117

Yes, and it only loads the drivers needed for the hardware it detects in your PC. That is why I am concerned.

nomodeset is about telling it not to have the kernel detect video mode, but to wait and let X11 do it. I think you would get the same drivers, with or without nomodeset., but it might choose a different video mode.

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118

So what do you think I should do?

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119

Yes hood idea.

But also offer a handout, project notes. Depending on the examination body, it may need to go outside for verification. Every exam body i delt with asked for sample submissions so they could check student work was correct and the tutorial staff were not just signjng off on qualifications.

Also, if you are going on to further education or prospective employers you can take a nicely presented dossier with you for them to see your standards of work.

Go the extra mile today it pays tomorrow

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120

Test the usb drive on the machine you want to demo it on.

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121

Its just a college project…
Though Ill still try to do the documentation.

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