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Old 06-25-2001, 04:46 PM   #1
nabil
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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: MI, USA
Distribution: Debian Linux 100% GNU
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Let's Talk Linux from scratch!


Hey Guys, I always wanted to build my own Linux server distribution which only include the things that I need and proudly call it after my name but I hesitated several time cause of lack of knowledge.. I know it can't be that hard but need some one to help me out with my first one. I have checked out Linuxfromscratch.org web site but really it was not that much of help rather a bit long and confusing...
Can We open a thread here and discuss a good walk thru for me and who ever else is interested in this project. A quick resolution is not necessary and it could take days if needed.
What I like to be able to do is compile it in one machine and have the ability to preserve it to use on other system as a Linux base install maybe write it to a CD or something.
I will start with a bare minimum of a Redat 7.1 server text base install and download the newest kernel 2.4 from kernel.org in /mylinux directory.

OK now any one would like to give a kick-start move here!!!!

Last edited by nabil; 06-25-2001 at 04:52 PM.
 
Old 06-26-2001, 02:33 AM   #2
nabil
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Anyone at all !!!
 
Old 06-26-2001, 04:32 PM   #3
jharris
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Nabil,

Check this one http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...?threadid=3722

You might find some help!

Jamie...
 
Old 06-26-2001, 04:45 PM   #4
trickykid
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I don't know about actually doing any actual work on the distro itself but I could help out in maybe setting up a web page or something if you got a project rolling. But I would definitely want to help out as much as I can though as it would seem interesting to help out in any way else I could. Maybe testing and installing of..... and once things quiet down for me and stuff I need to do I could try to help out in other areas if needed. I am not a programmer but can pick up on things fairly fast.
Let me know.......
 
Old 06-26-2001, 05:00 PM   #5
nabil
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Jamie,

Thanks for the loop you got going here. It gave me a bit of a headache.. Just kidding. It would be nice if jrmann1999 can help me out here. It looks like you are interested too in doing the something.

Again I am not looking for anything fancy here just the minimum setup to get it up. Other problems and add-ons install maybe resolved in other threads.

trickykid,

I appreciate your efforts here too, and I am sure you will be helping in this a lot I believe.


Thanks again guys.
Hope to start this soon.
 
Old 06-26-2001, 05:39 PM   #6
jrmann1999
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Ok, I have a Linux From Scratch running, and I'd suggest(before you try to do your own distro) you look at this site.

http://lfs.sourceforge.net/intro/

It is by far the BEST place to look for things related to building your own distro of Linux.

J
 
Old 06-26-2001, 06:17 PM   #7
nabil
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Great! Back to square one?
Isn't that same site as linuxfromscratch.org ??? the long confusing can't get to the point web site ???
Anyway, I was hoping for less than what is being done on that web site if I can get the damn tar.gz file to open up with winrar so I can look at the docs.

What about the way you did yours...Did you follow instructions step by step or you are now to a point where you could say, really I could have done it different and I did not need to do this and that...
So I am hoping you could share some of that experience.
Honestly Linuxfromscratch.org is turing into another distro maker in it self.

Soon they will have it ready made for you to download.
 
Old 06-26-2001, 06:30 PM   #8
jrmann1999
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The answer is, yes and no. The great thing about that site is that most people have tried everything, and have a patch for what's broken.

At this point I followed the 3.0pre3 instructions and it worked pretty good. You should of course be prepared for some bugs here and there(I can think of some symbolic links they didn't set up) but for the most part you'll get it up and running.

My hardest problems came at the end when of course the book doesn't install ANY form of network utilities(ftp, ssh, apache) and I had to do those from scratch.

I do however enjoy booting up to a total of 15MB of ram in Use vs the 60+ I had when slackware was done with all of it's "services." I also enjoy it because I'm on a SMP box and it was nice compiling everything with SMP support(that has it) and knowing that I'm running the fastest I possibly can. It also solved a X-Windows lockup issue I'd been having.

The interesting part of that site is the mail archives that talk about creating a basic boot CD that you could then customize to do a LFS install on other systems. This would require some serious scripting time, but it can be done.

I guess my point in posting the link(forgive me, I didn't know you had already been there) was to push you in a direction. If and when you get the documentation opened up you'll notice that yes it's a LOT more difficult to build a distro than you'd imagine. Like I said most utilities require a patch to be compiled from scratch, but it's extremely nice to have my system up and running, and knowing EXACTLY what I put on it and why.

J
 
Old 06-26-2001, 07:41 PM   #9
nabil
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Oh Well,
Thanks anyway, the excitment has died again...

Next time I feel like it again, maybe I will start another thread somewhere or stumble upon an easy walk thru or somehting somewhere..
or may be I will try the Linuxfromscratch version although I still believe of a different and easier way to do this. After all knowing how to do this could make you make and distribute your own version if you want to and that could be a threat to what Linux is becoming as nothing more than just another way to make money.
 
Old 07-01-2001, 11:51 AM   #10
nabil
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To whoever is still interested in this, take a look at this web site:
http://www.byolinux.org/
Stand for: build your own linux.
 
Old 07-04-2001, 07:50 AM   #11
cinnix
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Building a distribution from scratch is no easy task at all, I have been thru the linuxfromscratch model, and built the fastest system I ever used.

The directions are very specific and accurate (well mostly accurate anyways), you can even download the configure and boot scripts.

It isn't easy, but then again it isn't supposed to be easy. You are presented with problems that you have to debug on your own. I had used linux previously for a while but I actually learned how things work after installing a linuxfromscratch system. It can at times be very frustrating but it is very rewarding when someone asks what version of linux you are running and you your answer is "mine"
 
Old 07-04-2001, 09:31 AM   #12
nabil
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Distribution: Debian Linux 100% GNU
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cinnix,

Nothing is hard unless you lack the how to!. A basic install of any Linux distribtion can be very hard for some one who has never installed linux before. So my point is "I need to find a good walk thru on how to do this step by step". I bet it is mostly configure, make and make install, nothing more than time consuming operation. I am currently following the byolinx web site instructions and getting to the final stages. Un fortunantly he gets some what vaig toward the end, but I do appreciate his good easy to follow instructions...I may go and try the LFS and see if I could use his instruction.
 
Old 07-04-2001, 09:44 AM   #13
cinnix
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Good luck to you, it is well worth the effort.
 
Old 01-15-2004, 10:41 PM   #14
mexifries
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Last edited by mexifries; 01-15-2004 at 10:53 PM.
 
  


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