Did you know you can use Remastersys to produce your own customized alternative version of a Debian installation or Ubuntu? Remastersys is simply an entirely system backup tool. What you do essentially, you tailor a running system and craft an install disk that will rebuild it. Those of you who have always desired to create your own distribution, you can’t imagine how easy this is to use. Lest just say for now its Tonybuntu…
With these instances all I suppose is that you’re rooting out your own personalized alternative version on Ubuntu 10.10, as there are hardly any extra steps involved in the formation of a Debian alternative version.
The procedure is very straightforward: What you do is that you install a Linux system, modify it, run Remastersys and then subsequently set up a customized installation disk that will rebuild that modified system. The installer carries out in the normal Ubuntu process, so any folders that were wondering about in your original home directory, for instance, won't be copied along. This also suggests that every program will be installed with fresh, unaltered backgrounds. There are, although, ways of including more customizations, that is – if you need to.
One useful way of working Remastersys is to utilize it with a VM for example –VirtualBox. This way, you mount Debian or Ubuntu inside a virtual machine; customize it, while Remastersys produces the installation disk. Presently, there is a 4GB maximum to the size of the ISO folder that it can produce, which should be adequate enough in most instances.
Once you have a new installation of Ubuntu ready, start by adding the Remastersys storage area to the file /etc/apt/sources.list
Then revive the package list by either typing sudo apt-get update or clicking on reload in Synaptic. Then you can now customize further by adding and taking off packages on the system. After you’ve had things and you’re satisfied with the way they are, run Remastersys. After you've installed it, through the use of package manager, which is just located below the Gnome system menu.
Here, you’ find a set of options to adjust the installation disk. And when you are all set, push on the “dist” option, along with much churning, an ISO file is formed. Make a note of the default target site for the ISO will be /home/remastersys/remastersys/, and not in the personal home directory of the key user.
If you have worked this out within a VM, you’ll have to institute some sort of file distribution in order to obtain the ISO file back onto your host PC so that you can copy it to a disk. Boot from the disk in the usual way and you'll be offered with a fairly distinctive set of install options. The installation itself employs the standard Ubuntu installer.
Of course this is just quick oversight of what Remastersys can provide in terms of creating custom installation media. It’s not only a complete system backup tool, but it also forms quite a number of scope for more customizations on the set of files that are burned during installation.
