How to add packages onto a Fedora live USB

Question

I want to create Fedora 14 live CD with additional packages. How to do it?

Solution 1

I note my application is slightly difference in that I am creating installation media and not a livecd, but some of this is likely to apply.

You will need to use the tool createrepo to alter the repodata on the CD. To have them preinstalled you will probably need a kickstart file - ks.cfg, and you will need the isolinux.cfg file to pass ks=...ks.cfg location to the kernel on boot (in an append line).

References:

• http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/Fedora/13/html/Installation_Guide/s1-kickstart2-packageselection.html
• http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Extras/CreateRepo
• http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Doc/syslinux#CONFIGURATION_FILE
• http://users.telenet.be/mydotcom/howto/boot/boot_linux.htm

Make sure you have a VM to try out your ISO's on, before turning it loose on real machines - it'll take a few attempts to get right. With the kickstart file you can set usernames, passwords, packages as well as have post installation scripts in bash or python.

Solution 2

As others have suggested, you need to build your custom Fedora ISO using kickstart preloaded with your rpm packages of choice. Adding packages is as simple as appending them to your kickstart file. After that open the stock Fedora ISO using ISO master, replace the kickstart file and save the new ISO as a different file. The final step is to install the new ISO onto your USB the way you normally do.

Comments

[Admin]

I am currently building an FC13 based CD with a kickstart CD for auto installing - and trying to find out how to pull packages in. It seems merely having the RPM in the Packages folder on the media is not enough. Once I am there, I'll give you what I get.

[Admin]

@ Danny Staple, Thanks, waiting for your answer

[erik]

The changes only retain, if you add persistant storage when creating your live usb stick with liveusb-creator.

[Admin]

"Then boot it up, and modify it however you like..." - You should probably add some more detail. I am experiencing a failure due to lack of space on the root filesystem after running sudo yum install <package>. The thumbdrive with the ISO has over 12 GB free so I doubt I am out of space.