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Re: How to create a custom Debian ISO



Well it's indeed not as easy as I thought as far as Debian ISOs are concerned.

I'll try to be more precise. I am a maintainer for Ubuntu on Linux on T2 Macs project: https://t2linux.org/

We work to modify ISOs of commonly used distros by adding a custom kernel with drivers for T2 Macs and provide to the users. There has been a demand for Debian for a long time and I wish to provide the ISOs for the same. I would prefer making the ISO as similar to the official Debian ISO and just replace the Debian kernel with the customised kernel.

I've already set up an apt repo which hosts the kernels over here: https://github.com/AdityaGarg8/t2-ubuntu-repo

I'll be thankful if I get the best possible option.

On 11 May 2024, at 8:33 PM, Thomas Schmitt <scdbackup@gmx.net> wrote:

Hi,

Aditya Garg wrote to debian-devel:
I wanted to create a custom ISO of Debian, with the following customisations:
1. I want to add a custom kernel that supports my Hardware.
2. I want to add my own Apt repo which hosts various software packages to
support my hardware.
I am not able to get any good documentation for the same. Please help.

Marvin Renich wrote:
The package live-build from the Debian Live project might help you do
what you want.

Indeed the live-build package seems to be in use outside Debian's own
ISO production. Mailing list is
 debian-live@lists.debian.org
There exists a manual
 https://live-team.pages.debian.net/live-manual/html/live-manual/index.en.html

Installation ISOs are made by package debian-cd, of which i am not aware
that it would have have users outside the official ISO production.i
Mailing list is
 debian-cd@lists.debian.org
Your impression about lack of documentation is not wrong as far as this
project is concerned. :))


Nevertheless the production step of packing up the ISO from a prepared
file tree is documented together with methods to use a Debian installation
ISO as base for the preparation:
 https://wiki.debian.org/RepackBootableISO

Packages may probably be added at the appropriate place in the directory
tree under /pool. (Managing a Debian repo is not my turf. Sorry for
being vague here.)

Changing the content of a Debian ISO might need some follow-up work in
administrative files of the ISO.
When merging Debian ISOs, my script
 https://dev.lovelyhq.com/libburnia/libisoburn/raw/branch/master/test/merge_debian_isos
manipulates:
 /README.txt
 /dists/*/Release
and merges the files listed in /dists/*/Release.
You would have to explore whether these files are affected by your
changes.


Have a nice day :)

Thomas


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