FR Void unscripted

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williwaw
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FR Void unscripted

Post by williwaw »

This is an FirstRib Void build log. The build itself is put together with "off the shelf" components using simple commands instead of scripts to create the root file system. Scripts are certianly the way to build quickly and reproducibly, and this log offers no real advantages except to help understand the usually scripted process.

The log itself is not executable as the commands are intended to be copied and pasted into a terminal. It is only presented inside code tags to retain formatting. It is intended to select, copy and save to a file which can be opened in a text editor.

Some of the commands are the same as found in Firstrib build scripts and plug files and hopefully my added comments and/or instructions wil help show how simple the build process really is.

Logs will be added, here and again as sfs's are added to comlete the build into a working desktop. Following the logs can yield a reproducable build.

Recommendations:

  • Uses a text editor and terminal with mutual copy/paste support. YMMV with middle mouse click.

  • Runs commands from your build folders path with a linux distro.

console_base (no X)
494 MB uncompressed
void-x86_64-ROOTFS-20230628
235 MB uncompressed

Code: Select all

	
Create a build directory that will also be your frugal install directory. Open a terminal in it's path.	

The commands are indented and comments and instructions start at the left margin.
		
Download a compressed rootfs from the Void project
	wget -c https://repo-default.voidlinux.org/live/current/void-x86_64-ROOTFS-20230628.tar.xz	
		
Download build components from the Firstrib project
	wget -c https://gitlab.com/firstrib/firstrib/-/raw/master/latest/build_system/initrd-latest.gz -O initrd.gz 
	
	wget -c https://gitlab.com/firstrib/firstrib/-/raw/master/latest/build_system/huge_kernels/upup_22_04/vmlinuz
	
	wget -c https://gitlab.com/firstrib/firstrib/-/raw/master/latest/build_system/huge_kernels/upup_22_04/00zdrv_upup_22.04.sfs 
	
	wget -c https://gitlab.com/firstrib/firstrib/-/raw/master/latest/build_system/huge_kernels/upup_22_04/01fdrv_upup_22.04.sfs 
    
	wget -c https://gitlab.com/firstrib/firstrib/-/raw/master/latest/build_system/12KL_gtkdialogGTK3filemnt64.sfs

Download tools from the Firstrib project
	wget -c https://gitlab.com/firstrib/firstrib/-/raw/master/latest/build_system/wd_grubconfig 
	
	wget -c https://gitlab.com/firstrib/firstrib/-/raw/master/latest/build_system/modify_initrd_gz.sh 	
	
	wget -c https://gitlab.com/firstrib/firstrib/-/raw/master/latest/build_system/mount_chroot.sh 
	
	wget -c https://gitlab.com/firstrib/firstrib/-/raw/master/latest/build_system/umount_chroot.sh 
	



Create a rootfs folder
	mkdir console_base

Extract the void rootfs from the download ed tarball to 07_rootfs
	tar -xvf void* -C console_base
			
Set a hostname in /etc/hostname
	echo elvis > console_base/etc/hostname
		
Create ~.bashrc with a useful prompt
	echo 'PS1="\`if [ \$? = 0 ]; then echo \[\e[0m\]0\[\e[0m\]; else echo \[\e[0m\]1\[\e[0m\]; fi\` \w # "' > console_base/root/.bashrc
	
Create ~.profile to enable ~.basrc
         echo " . ~/.bashrc" > console_base/root/.profile
         
Check the files with less. Type q to exit less.
	less console_base/etc/hostname      
	less console_base/root/.bashrc
	less console_base/root/.profile

Sometimes it is easier to make edits in a text editor, rather than to write more advanced commands to run in the terminal.
For example:
One could run the following to remove a "#" in order to uncomment the line needed to choose the locale for the US in /etc/default/libc-locales.
	sed -i 's/#en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8/en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8/' /etc/default/libc-locales
But that line is already uncommented in /etc/default/libc-locales, so, if one wanted to choose a different locale, one would have to run
	sed -i 's/en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8/#en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8/' /etc/default/libc-locales      to comment the uncommented line, then run	
	sed -i 's/#lt_LT ISO-8859-13 /lt_LT ISO-8859-13 /' /etc/default/libc-locales    to uncomment the desired locale for Italy.
	
Navigate to console_base/etc with your file manager and open rc.conf with an editor. Look over the defaults and uncomment or construct lines as neccessary 
to set the hardwareclock, timezone and keymap. These settings can always be adjusted later.  https://docs.voidlinux.org/config/rc-files.html
add   FONT="ter-132b"	to line 27 for larger fonts in the console. Other fonts and sizes are in /usr/share/kbd/consolefonts	


The chroot envrionment allows one to make normal file creations, deletions and edits from the termainal just as above, and also allows 
you to run the Void xbps package manager and configuration utilities without having to boot into the install.

Make your Firstrib tools executable.
	chmod +x mount_chroot.sh umount_chroot.sh wd_grubconfig modify_initrd_gz.sh
	
Enter the chroot envrionment. mount_chroot.sh should report "chroot directory is console_base".
	./mount_chroot.sh console_base
	
Set Bash as the default shell for user root.
	usermod --shell /bin/bash root
	
Set a new password for user root. The passwd utility will prompt you same as if you were booted
	passwd

Or remove roots password entirely. (it is presently voidlinux). passwd should return "passwd: password expiry information changed".
	passwd -d root

Update xbps and its repos. If xbps needs to be updated, you will be informed how.
	xbps-install -Su

Install some console and basic apps.
	xbps-install -Su xterm xauth file ntfs-3g zstd wget e2fsprogs rsync squashfs-tools ranger nano NetworkManager terminus-font pulseaudio pulseaudio-utils alsa-plugins-pulseaudio alsa-utils

pulseaudio, NetworkManager and it's dependency dbus, are services that require links to be created if the service is to start at boot.
	ln -s /etc/sv/NetworkManager /etc/runit/runsvdir/default/NetworkManager
	ln -s /etc/sv/dbus /etc/runit/runsvdir/default/dbus	
	ln -s /etc/sv/pulseaudio /etc/runit/runsvdir/default/pulseaudio
	
Leave the chroot envrionment. mount_chroot.sh should report "Cleaning up mounts to chroot directory console_base"  
	exit
		
Run umount_chroot.sh to clean up the host filesystem
	./umount_chroot.sh

Note: At this point in the build, I have had failures to exit chroot properly. The expected message after exiting mount_chroot.sh was not returned. The host has symptoms that the session has become corrupted. The host has an inability to copy, run mksquashfs or determine file sizes.  Further work on your rootfs build will corrupt your build. If in doubt, reboot before making a backup.

Make a backup of console_base
	mksquashfs console_base console_base.sfs
	
If your host does not have squash tools installed. You can back up console_base with
	cp -r console_base console_base.bak	      
	
Rename console-base to 07_something which is required by the FirstRib initrd.
 	mv console_base 07_console_base

Create some boot hints for grub.
	./wd_grubconfig

Create a boot stanza

for Limine:

Code: Select all

:build 7
    COMMENT=testing
    PROTOCOL=linux
    TEXTMODE=yes
    KERNEL_CMDLINE=w_bootfrom=LABEL=F2=/build7 w_changes=RAM2
    KERNEL_PATH=fslabel://F2/build7/vmlinuz
    MODULE_PATH=fslabel://F2/build7/initrd.gz

is the equivalent of

Code: Select all

menuentry "build7" {
  insmod ext2
  search --no-floppy --label F2 --set
  linux /build7/vmlinuz w_bootfrom=LABEL=F2=/build7 w_changes=RAM2
  initrd /build7/initrd.gz

Edit:
rsync added to download xbps-install -Su line, as it is a dependency for snapmergepuppy,
pulseaudio added

Last edited by williwaw on Fri Sep 01, 2023 5:42 pm, edited 3 times in total.
williwaw
Posts: 1948
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:24 pm
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Fluxbox unconfigured

Post by williwaw »

This build log presents commented commands to build three sfs's

Xorg with Fluxbox
A collection of desktop apps indepenent of the display server
A browser

Fluxbox has only a basic configuration, but some hints can be found here

Code: Select all

log in as root and run nmtui

Navigate to the install directory. 
	cd /mnt/sda3/build7

Confirm correct path and that the new upper_changes is empty (4096), if not then rm -r upper_changes and reboot
	ls -la

Create the startup config for the desktop
	echo fluxbox > /root/.xinitrc

Confirm write (q to exit less)
	less /root/.xinitrc

Install desktop
	xbps-install -Su fluxbox

Install xorg
	xbps -Su xorg

Make a save to upper_changes
	snapmergepuppy

Squash the downloads and configs
	mksquash upper_changes 20_xorg.sfs

Confirm the size of 20_xorg.sfs. It should be about 250 M
	ls -la

Delete upper_changes
	rm -r upper_changes

Confirm upper_changes is gone.
	ls -la 

reboot

login

Navigate to the install directory
	cd /mnt/sda3/build7

Confirm correct path and that the new upper_changes is empty (4096)
	ls -la

Install desktop apps.  To each their own. Search xbps with.........(q to exit less) 
	xbps-query -R sakura | less
	xbps-install -Su sakura geany uget spacefm evince deadbeef

Make a save to upper_changes
	snapmergepuppy

Squash the downloads.
	mksquashfs upper_changes 21_deskapps.sfs

Confirm the size of 21_deskapps.sfs This example should be about 200 M. Others are different
 	ls -la

Delete upper_changes
	rm -r upper_changes

Confirm upper_changes is gone.
	ls -la 

reboot

login

Navigate to the install directory
	cd /mnt/sda3/build7

Confirm correct path and that the new upper_changes is empty (4096)
	ls -la

Install browser.  To each their own. Search xbps with 
	xbps-query -R firefox | less
	xbps-install -Su firefox

Make a save to upper_changes
	snapmergepuppy

Squash the downloads.
	mksquashfs upper_changes 23_firefox.sfs

Confirm the size of 23_desktops.sfs This example should be about 200 M. Others are different
 	ls -la

Delete upper_changes
	rm -r upper_changes

Confirm upper_changes is gone.
	ls -la 

After login, type "startx" at the prompt.

Right clicking on the desktop should bring up a small cascading menu.
Windows on the desktop can be shaded and unshaded by double left clicking on the title bars.
To exit Fluxbox and return to the console, find menuentry "exit" at the bottom of the desktop cascade.

Xterm can be used to call spacefm.

Click around in the top left corner of Spacefm. The view dropdown is obscured by a red warning bar.
Preferences > Interface to disable the red warning bar.
A right click context menu is available inside the window. Untick View > hidden Files
Double left click /root/.fluxbox/menu should open with geany.
Add your apps with the syntax for Firefox and xterm......

"poweroff" in Sakura or the console to shutdown.

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