Friday, April 22 2005 @ 02:34 AM EDT Contributed by: glosser
This tutorial reveals how to easily make your own custom LiveCD by using PCLinuxOS. Sound too good to be true? Read on to find out.
LiveCD Linux distributions offer a great way to learn Linux, troubleshoot computer problems, and share Linux with others. Now, with PCLinuxOS, creating a custom LiveCD that meets the exact needs of your family, friends or coworkers has become so easy that almost anyone can do it -- once you know a few simple tricks we'll cover in less than 1500 words, along with a couple of screenshots.
The mklivecd tool, which is used to create a LiveCD Linux, can also be used with Mandrakelinux. However, PCLinuxOS has a couple of advantages that make it better suited for a LiveCD Linux project. First off, PCLinuxOS comes with mklivecd already installed and configured, so you don't have to spend time doing it yourself. Second, the Synaptic package manager that comes as part of PCLinuxOS offers an easier and more fool-proof way of adding and removing software than RPM-based systems. Finally, PCLinuxOS comes on a single CD and offers only a small set of programs by default, which makes it less time-consuming to remove unwanted software packages.
The process of creating your own PCLinuxOS-based LiveCD (also known as remastering) consists of three major steps: 1) installing the system on your computer, 2) customising the installed system by tweaking its settings and installing/removing software packages, 3) creating an ISO image.
Start by downloading the most recent release of PCLinuxOS from one of the mirrors listed on its Web site. Burn the downloaded ISO image to CD, and you're ready to begin the process.
